Police seek help from FBI on DNA

[Lite Beer]

KOH TAO MURDERS
Police seek help from FBI on DNA
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Say the US has more sophisticated equipment for Koh Tao murder hunt

Police will request help from the United States' Federation Bureau of Investigation to test semen found in the body of a female British backpacker brutally murdered on the resort island of Koh Tao this week.

DNA testing technology in Thailand could only identify whether human secretions came from a male or female, said deputy police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang, while the FBI had "sophisticated technology".

"We will ask the FBI to help identify the DNA in the semen we found - whether it belonged to an Asian or European," he said yesterday.

The bodies of Hannah Witheridge and fellow British national David Miller, both 24, were found on Monday morning on Koh Tao, in Surat Thani province. Autopsies revealed they were brutally beaten, while Miller was drowned during the deadly attack.

Somyot, who will become police chief next month, said he would travel to Koh Tao today to inspect the crime scene and follow up on the latest developments of the investigation.

"This is a big case and the premier has been very concerned about the matter," he said.

Meanwhile, residents on Koh Tao are offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of the killers, Koh Tao mayor Chaiyan Turasakul told Agence France-Presse.

"At this point we are offering Bt50,000 for anyone who can provide clues which leads to the arrest of a suspect. The money comes from donations from the people of Koh Tao," Chaiyan said.

Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha said in his weekly televised address to the nation yesterday that he had ordered police to bring the culprits to immediate justice.

"Progress has been made continuously although it is not known yet who are the killers," he said.

"The authorities concerned have been assigned to ensure safety at tourist attractions. People and volunteers must also engage in assisting and monitoring for the sake of safety."

Somyot revealed that the latest inspection of the crime scene unearthed a cigarette butt at a spot on the island where traces of Witheridge's DNA was found. He said it was likely that she met her attackers at the spot and had a conversation there.

Pol General Jaramporn Suramanee, an adviser to the Royal Thai Police Office who visited Koh Tao on Thursday, said on that day that several pieces of evidence had been found at the scene.

He visited the scene after DNA samples collected from the body of Witheridge did not match those of the 12 suspects.

Jaramporn was speaking after searching an area near the crime scene towards the sea during low tide on Thursday night.

He simulated what might have happened including focusing on the distance between the location where the bodies were found and a hoe believed to be the murder weapon.

Witnesses near the crime scene told police they saw three men near in the area on the night of the murders.

A tourism police commander, Maj-General Atichai Ti-amart, said police were also looking for a foreign woman captured on CCTV running near the crime scene.

Police investigators continued to gather more evidence yesterday, focusing on trying to identify an Asian man seen in CCTV footage at the time of the murder.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-seek-help-from-FBI-on-DNA-30243708.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-20

[englishoak]

DNA testing technology in Thailand could only identify whether human secretions came from a male or female, said deputy police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang.

must be the basic cheap model from ebay. and someone needs to tell him women dont secrete semen.

​Plus if thats the case and all the DNA test they can do how can they rule anyone out by DNA if it can just tell male or female ? what were the 12 suspects DNA taken aliens ?

Or dosnt anyone in Thailand know how to marker DNA ? which i can quite easily believe

Edited September 19, 2014 by englishoak

[phuketandsee]

Probably misquoted and he meant Thai technology could only identify whether the DNA was male or female.

However, since the island has not been locked down since the murders (correct?) and the perps are probably long gone I doubt the DNA will be of much use.

[SteveFong]

well well well,

and there on another thread I suggested that the FBI will be called in, and people scoffed

the US, FBI and CIA have been operating in Thailand since before I was born

[Rhodiebkk]

Considering the nationality of the deceased it is rather a wonder as to the passivity of the Brit Embassy.

Rather than the FBI being called in why not Scotland Yard? Who have a track record assisting police forces who are under resourced, overwhelmed or, just plain out-of-their-depth.

This murder has been extremely poorly handled by all those concerned.

[Mango Bob]

Thailand must have purchase the DNA test kit from the same company they purchase the bomb detectors used in the deep south.

[englishoak]

Considering the nationality of the deceased it is rather a wonder as to the passivity of the Brit Embassy.

Rather than the FBI being called in why not Scotland Yard? Who have a track record assisting police forces who are under resourced, overwhelmed or, just plain out-of-their-depth.

This murder has been extremely poorly handled by all those concerned.

You do realize that the UKs relationship isnt exactly close, our papers are ripping Thailand to shreds atm and theres been a few curt words diplomatically of late from the UK over other matters. I dont think its a surprise the RTP would go to the Americans over the UK

In a way it can be seen as a slap in the face to the UK gov as yes the best and most logical call would have been to work with the assistance of Scotland yard and you can be sure they would be only too glad to. Its not im sure going to be taken up by the FBI without consultation and cooperation between the brits and the americans anyway.

It makes no sense not to deal with the UK police as they have access to witnesses and data the thai police would want or could use the FBI wont

[SteveFong]

they went to the FBI because they are already there working Thailand as if its their serfdom

[Lukecan]

In 2006 some backpacker was murdered as well, within 2 days they confirmed that the killer was asian based on the DNA

Thailand has been going backwards,

[ukrules]

Reaching out for help from someone you have some ongoing issues with is a well known strategy.

It's known as the 'Ben Franklin Effect'.

Look it up if you haven't heard of it, you might learn something which can be useful.

[Somtamnication]

Why isn't that crazy haired doctor not involved? She loves photo ops!

[wellred]

Another reason they may have decided to not call on Scotland Yard is that it was previously an ex Scotland Yard detective who with the help of the BBC a identified the Thai who murdered Kirsty Jones. Anyway fingers crossed they have not contaminated the evidence beyond use.

[chooka]

Somyot, who will become police chief next month, said he would travel to Koh Tao today to inspect the crime scene and follow up on the latest developments of the investigation.

What crime scene? It was never contained and thousands of people have trampled all over it taking selfies and just rubber necking. The so called crime scene was totally destroyed long ago. It should have been totally sealed off from the start and guarded preventing any un authorised people from even coming close.

[daoyai]

All previous suspects have been cleared due to no dna match, now we are told that the local dna testing can only differenciate between male and female? Oh my.

[BSJ]

The first time I saw a crime scene in Thailand was on 3rd road Pattaya a few years back. It was a shooting that took place less than an hour prior to my passing. People were walking anywhere, scooters were darting in and out, no barrier tape and the police where just standing around twiddling their thumbs. WHAT!

[A1Str8]

DNA testing technology in Thailand could only identify whether human secretions came from a male or female, said deputy police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang.

must be the basic cheap model from ebay. and someone needs to tell him women dont secrete semen.

​Plus if thats the case and all the DNA test they can do how can they rule anyone out by DNA if it can just tell male or female ? what were the 12 suspects DNA taken aliens ?

Or dosnt anyone in Thailand know how to marker DNA ? which i can quite easily believe

He was talking about human secretions. Semen isn't the only one. They could rule out people because they compared the samples.

[englishoak]

DNA testing technology in Thailand could only identify whether human secretions came from a male or female, said deputy police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang.

must be the basic cheap model from ebay. and someone needs to tell him women dont secrete semen.

​Plus if thats the case and all the DNA test they can do how can they rule anyone out by DNA if it can just tell male or female ? what were the 12 suspects DNA taken aliens ?

Or dosnt anyone in Thailand know how to marker DNA ? which i can quite easily believe

He was talking about human secretions. Semen isn't the only one. They could rule out people because they compared the samples.

Rubbish

[billsmart]

I hope the bloke who poo-pooed my suggestion that DNA could determine race, or at least exclude certain races, reads this article...

[cms22]

Quite clear what's happening. A local with strong gang connections did this. Thai police are unable to arrest him and so are looking for a foreigner to pin it on.

[Siriam]

My wife this morning told me that in the Thai news yesterday they said that the dna test conducted by the fbi revealed that the perpetrators are Asians, mongolic race to be more precise. Did anyone hear this last night... I cannot find any confirm in English news...

[lovelaos]

Quite clear what's happening. A local with strong gang connections did this. Thai police are unable to arrest him and so are looking for a foreigner to pin it on.

Whilst that may be the case. Would the Thai police ask for help from the FBI if they were trying to hide something?

I must have read hundreds of similar posts to yours on various forums and I can understand, given history, where you are coming from. But, I don't think they can get away with pinning it on a random foreigner this time, and perhaps they are starting to realize this now.

[AYJAYDEE]

Considering the nationality of the deceased it is rather a wonder as to the passivity of the Brit Embassy.

Rather than the FBI being called in why not Scotland Yard? Who have a track record assisting police forces who are under resourced, overwhelmed or, just plain out-of-their-depth.

This murder has been extremely poorly handled by all those concerned.

because they called them in for dna testing not investigation

[JarekN]

This has got to be a joke?! Given that their device is unable to test the DNA how is it that they have released the previous suspects since their DNA has not been tested?! Maybe Thailand needs less military officers and better equipment...

Edited September 20, 2014 by JarekN

[crazykopite]

What a joke the police chief will travel today to the scene of the crime no doubt all evidence has been washed away the local village idiot could have done a better job than the local plods, as for the 50,000 baht I cannot see any Thai turning in a family member for that amount of money and yes I do think it was Thais involved and although a bit late in the day every male person residing on the island should be swabbed for DNA

[stoli]

Federation Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation

[Nakajima]

I am telling you what I think is going to happen: Thai police will deliver to the FBI DNA swapped from some of the foreigner suspects (probably the Britons) and hide the real killer's one, letting the FBI do the dirty work of identifying a foreigner as the perpretator, so Thais can pat themselves on the shoulder ans say "see... a Thai couldn't have done this", plus they'll save the gang leader they have been trying to hide so badly. Corruption, xenophobia and racism for the win!

[shaurene]

I thought they had locked the island down, no people out or in. That would have been the first thing that a qualified police force would do. Well that's it now, they will not get them now. I did a posting couple days ago to get the Thai police to contact the UK police to do the DNA so they could tell if it was Asian or European.

[shaurene]

I am telling you what I think is going to happen: Thai police will deliver to the FBI DNA swapped from some of the foreigner suspects (probably the Britons) and hide the real killer's one, letting the FBI do the dirty work of identifying a foreigner as the perpretator, so Thais can pat themselves on the shoulder ans say "see... a Thai couldn't have done this", plus they'll save the gang leader they have been trying to hide so badly. Corruption, xenophobia and racism for the win!

I do not think so, Nakajjima.

[nickcar]

My partner told me yesterday that the news said it was 3 burmese men.

[BestBitterPhuket]

It doesn't matter if it is the FBI or Scotland Yard, the important thing is to get the job done. The fact that Thailand is seeking assistance, is huge in another context. This country needs to be pragmatic more often. I hope this is a start. Even EU countries frequently ask FBI for help. FBI has expertise that no one else have.