British backpacker arrested for suspected murder of fellow Britons at Koh Tao

[andygunther]

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

This link is blocked !

Now it works

[HooHaa]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

i've just seen a picture of the guy, he doesnt have blond hair

im considered blond and my hair is that colour when freshly shaved

[Toknarok]

So the police had him and then let him go. Whilst he was in custody I wonder what degree of examination the suspect and his belongings were undertaken. Were his clothes thoroughly inspected for any forensic traces, did they do a physical examination in full (such as under fingernails), what degree of interrogation was suspect subjected to?

[Briggsy]

This is a smokescreen by the police, either to reduce the pressure on them by announcing the arrest of a "suspect", anyone just to feed the press or a deliberate attempt to send the investigation up the wrong alley whilst any evidence pointing to the real killer is destroyed or corrupted or forgotten about. There is a lot of money made on Koh Tao and it is distributed amongst a small number of families who may not want the real killer exposed.

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

Is it just me, or is the Daily Mail blocked in Thailand? And why in the world would this second rate rag be banned here?

[webfact]

UPDATE:

British tourists bludgeoned to death on Thailand beach; suspicion falls back on Brit

SUSPICION for the brutal slaying of two British backpackers on the Thai holiday island of Koh Tao has swung back around onto an unnamed British man following initial forensic tests of the victim’s bodies in Bangkok last night.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who only met on the island in the days leading up to their deaths, were found brutally slain early behind rocks on Koh Tao’s main beach Sai Ree, semi-naked Monday morning.

Police suspect that Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, may have also have been raped.

A bloodied hoe was discovered 35 metres from the murder scene.

“Really, [the] killer is maybe an English guy,” police Colonel Prachum Ruangthong, superintendent of the Koh Pha Ngan police district that included Koh Tao, said in a text this morning.

In a brief follow up phone call, the police chief said that fragments of hair belonging to a foreigner had been found in the hand of Hannah Westridge.

He did not explain how the police knew that the hair was from a foreigner, and from the potential killer, rather than from Mr Miller or one of Ms Witheridge’s other companions.

Since the bodies were discovered on a rocky beach questions have arisen about the competence of the police.

Full story: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/british-tourists-bludgeoned-to-death-on-thailand-beach-suspicion-falls-back-on-brit/story-fnizu68q-1227059461113


-- News.com.au 2014-09-17

[Patanawet]

plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands,

The arrested farang suspect doesn't have blonde hair (and the suspected Burmese workers probably don't either).

The murdered girl does however have blonde hair.

[Tywais]

Post removed linking to Phuketwan.

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[NongKhaiKid]

A blood stained hoe without any finger prints on it ?

Prints are set by sweat and do not adhere to everything. It would depend on what the handle of the hoe was made of and was it exposed to outside contamination e.g salt water. If taken from a construction site and may have been handled by multiple workers there would be multiple prints probably all smudged and no good as evidence.

Unless you really want one of them to be.

[simple1]

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

Is it just me, or is the Daily Mail blocked in Thailand? And why in the world would this second rate rag be banned here?

Article on topic that is taboo in Thailand

[8OA8]

I really wish when something like this happens they'd immediately invite the British to rush some of their best people to aid in the investigation.

If nothing else it would show concern, and also prove transparency in the investigation.

Do you seriously think the British authorities would welcome Thai Police onto British soil, in order to investigate in the event a Thai citizen met a similar fate in the UK?

[TacoHell]

According to another news source, the blood stained pants were found in the Millers (the victim) belongings. Implying that its possible to roommate suspect stashed them there.

[Seekingasylum]

I rather think it is readily apparent this British lad is about to be fitted up for the murders. It is a classic ploy and quite in keeping with the pressure being exerted by the Junta leader who has made it quite clear no Thai would do this and the protection of Thailand's " reputation " is paramount.

The Brit ambassador should get someone down there pretty damn quick if a major travesty is to be avoided.

[thhMan]

Its unfortunate that fingers are being pointed each and every way.

Its also a pity that due to the way this has been reported and the way Tourism holds a special place in the investigation, that is has created doubt to intentions and directions of investigations.

Thailand has a lot to do... Respect needs to be won again, because once its lost, its hard to get back and the way its done is very important. Of course this goes for other countries as well, but in this instance, I am speaking about Thailand.

[frankold]

I really wish when something like this happens they'd immediately invite the British to rush some of their best people to aid in the investigation.

If nothing else it would show concern, and also prove transparency in the investigation.

Do you seriously think the British authorities would welcome Thai Police onto British soil, in order to investigate in the event a Thai citizen met a similar fate in the UK?

Most likely, yeah.

[Bleacher Bum East]

My thoughts are closer to confirmation. Another in the group that the two victims were around makes the best sense. If it's this guy or another from a newly formed group of friends, one has to wonder what snaps in the mind (drug induced or otherwise) to commit such a heinous act.

There are some varieties of date rape drugs going around Thailand that remove all inhibitions and actually leave a person upright and able to act while having absolutely no awareness of what he or she is doing while it is happening (i.e. a walking blackout where the video in your brain is turned off) ... and you have no memory of what you did afterward.

Sometimes these drugs are slipped in drinks. Sometimes they are taken voluntarily because in small amounts they can produce an ecstatic high---but if too much is ingested then either the walking blackout or comatose blackout or worse can happen.

This is another possible explanation for this murder, as well as a possible explanation for many of the jumping off the balcony "suicides" that happen in Pattaya, Bangkok and Phuket as well.

BTW if both victims were in fact raped as some reports now suggest (something I'm still very skeptical about) then a date rape drug is how this could happen without them putting up any resistance--the drug could either have knocked them out or caused them to have no idea what was happening. (I think these drugs usually take 15-30 minutes to take effect)

[Traveller45]

...when I read the story about the "blood-stained hoe" I kept thinking that that would not be a weapon of choice for a Thai, Myanmar or otherwise Asian killer. They are usually not strong enough to handle such a weapon.

[Patanawet]

Oh, another report, in The Mail, states that the blonde hair was found on a mobile phone.

[hgma]

I refrain from commenting on this new development.

What I want to express is what many (not all mind you!) seem to forget ...my sincere condolences to the families involved.

Secondly my deepest revolt against comments made by supposed Thai nationals in newspaper forums... blaming the 'Foreigners disrespect for Thai Culture' as a possible motive for this horrific event.

Shocking.

[guzzi850m2]

plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands,

The arrested farang suspect doesn't have blonde hair (and the suspected Burmese workers probably don't either).

The murdered girl does however have blonde hair.

I think they mean, not Asian black. Most Asian have jet black hair, not so many Westerners.

[winnerinsix]

I rather think it is readily apparent this British lad is about to be fitted up for the murders. It is a classic ploy and quite in keeping with the pressure being exerted by the Junta leader who has made it quite clear no Thai would do this and the protection of Thailand's " reputation " is paramount.

The Brit ambassador should get someone down there pretty damn quick if a major travesty is to be avoided.

Are you saying a Brit couldn't have done this? If so, based on what?

[Alwyn]

Good to hear the Burmese were cleared. For quick closure I hope the evidence ends with the backpacker. Less damage to Thailand's identity for visitors. At least every inch of a break that Thailand gets now is a good break.

I don't give a damn of the nationality of the killer or the reputation of Thailand.

What I want is the real killer to be found for the sakes of the families of those kids and the sakes of other people being killed by the same murderer.

well said

[arthurwait]

A blood stained hoe without any finger prints on it ?

Prints are set by sweat and do not adhere to everything. It would depend on what the handle of the hoe was made of and was it exposed to outside contamination e.g salt water. If taken from a construction site and may have been handled by multiple workers there would be multiple prints probably all smudged and no good as evidence.

Unless you really want one of them to be.

Only need his fingers prints, is there none in the blood ? He has cuts on his hands (which the police originally dismissed).

He held the hoe and held both down to rape them or did he rape them after they were dead or knocked out ?

[NextStationBangkok]

Oh the irony!!

After all the posts here about the violent Thais and the not to be trusted Burmese, what an anticlimax if the culprit is a fellow Brit .

Until the new suspect is proved and guilty we cannot judge. There could be another situation he could have done on self defense. So we should not conclude on the first news about anyone.

On the first breaking news post of ThaiVisa itself i told that i am living here for 15 years with my family and never faced any danger from Thais or from migrant workers at any situation. I was in Koh-Tao, and the Thai's are minority there than tourists, and most of them were nice to us compare to Bangkokians. My opinions is most Thais outside Bangkok is more nicer to tourists, expect sometime they expect more money for the service. Which we have to understand that they don't have 100% capacity tourists around the year, so take windfall during the season. If you go off-season price are reasonable.

But i still strongly believe that taking holiday in Thai is still good and happy!

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post (irrelevant message apt to bring the discussion off topic) and the reply to it.

[slipperylobster]

Is that a large, fresh gash on his hand?

[AlphMichaels]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

Is it just me, or is the Daily Mail blocked in Thailand? And why in the world would this second rate rag be banned here?

Been blocked for at least 3 months now. VPN gets you there.

[RogueLeader]

Good to hear the Burmese were cleared. For quick closure I hope the evidence ends with the backpacker. Less damage to Thailand's identity for visitors. At least every inch of a break that Thailand gets now is a good break.

I'm pretty sure the police are currently designing evidence carefully to 'end with the backpacker'.

Two people brutally murdered, a suspected rape and all some people can think of is damage to Thailand's precious tourist industry.

If the truth is damaging, perhaps Thailand needs to do something about it?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I rather think it is readily apparent this British lad is about to be fitted up for the murders. It is a classic ploy and quite in keeping with the pressure being exerted by the Junta leader who has made it quite clear no Thai would do this and the protection of Thailand's " reputation " is paramount.

The Brit ambassador should get someone down there pretty damn quick if a major travesty is to be avoided.

Are you saying a Brit couldn't have done this? If so, based on what?

Interviewed the day after the murder, no evidence found, released, grabbed again 3 days later, evidence found in his luggage.

Both victims raped.

Sound like more than one attacker, if both victims raped in a short space of time.

Evidence not there one day, then appearing in the same place a few days later, sounds iffy to me.

If the Brit did it, all very convenient for everyone involved (except the Brit).

Foreign men accused of raping foreign women in Thailand, one wonders why when sex is sold by so many, for so little.

[Katipo]

UPDATE:

British tourists bludgeoned to death on Thailand beach; suspicion falls back on Brit

SUSPICION for the brutal slaying of two British backpackers on the Thai holiday island of Koh Tao has swung back around onto an unnamed British man following initial forensic tests of the victim’s bodies in Bangkok last night.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who only met on the island in the days leading up to their deaths, were found brutally slain early behind rocks on Koh Tao’s main beach Sai Ree, semi-naked Monday morning.

Police suspect that Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, may have also have been raped.

A bloodied hoe was discovered 35 metres from the murder scene.

“Really, [the] killer is maybe an English guy,” police Colonel Prachum Ruangthong, superintendent of the Koh Pha Ngan police district that included Koh Tao, said in a text this morning.

In a brief follow up phone call, the police chief said that fragments of hair belonging to a foreigner had been found in the hand of Hannah Westridge.

He did not explain how the police knew that the hair was from a foreigner, and from the potential killer, rather than from Mr Miller or one of Ms Witheridge’s other companions.

Since the bodies were discovered on a rocky beach questions have arisen about the competence of the police.

Full story: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/british-tourists-bludgeoned-to-death-on-thailand-beach-suspicion-falls-back-on-brit/story-fnizu68q-1227059461113

-- News.com.au 2014-09-17

I do enjoy the direct and questioning approach of this article. Most other agencies are just publishing whatever the Thai police are feeding them that morning.