Southern police chief: Enough evidence in British tourists' murder case to make arrest now

[Jimbolai]

Screw Koh Toa. If it is like it sounds the perps will do little time in great comfort and return triumphantly. The place was on my list of places to go but I will never go there nor the nearby Island as it is most likely same same.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Jimbolai

[joedot]

So he is telling the same story that the Klaus guy did about Sean having blood on his face? Very suspicious.

Edited September 23, 2014 by joedot

[Heisenberg01]

Thai police is well know for setting people up. We're not going to argue about that one. However many people here are simply jumping to their conclusions. Everyone seems to be forgetting the one we all are supposed to believe in, innocent until proven guilty. Let's wait a little bit longer for DNA results.

So after stating the above, how can you have any confidence in any DNA testing done/overseen by the locals?

[MikePhuket1970]

will the UK have the samples from the body of Hannah?

And will they have done a post mortem on the bodies?

asked this before but no answer?

I hope the soon to be arrested guys are allowed to give fresh DNA samples to the UK police for comparison.

It's my suspicious side thinking.

I would suggest the DNA stuff is available on paper for those who must be involved, which includes the UK.

Not good enough. The UK police have the DNA from that poor girl and her friend. Now time for the British Embassy to demand their own examination of any person charged to corroborate independently that the DNA is a match in the interest of international transparency and they can shove their diplomacy up their diplomatic rectums.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Hope they will have samples from the two different semens found on her body as well....

[siambuddy]

"<deleted> man this is better than Disneyland!" - Lance in Apocalypse Now

[sushi5734]

Who takes the DNA? Yep the police they could just switch a samples with some fishermen. I would want samples taken by UK police and analysed by a UK forensic lab.

The main suspect was very well known on the island and,

1. next to the bodies in the middle of the crime scene chatting to the police.

2. he's been identified as the mystery man on the CCTV footage.

3. threatened the Scottish guy whilst in the company of a plain clothes policeman.

4. Refused to give a DNA sample.

And it's taken 7 days to bring him in!!

I have not seen the cctv footage. Does this: 2. he's been identified as the mystery man on the CCTV footage. refer to the guy who was said to be running around in the victim's underwear?

Yes, apparently they used some kind of advanced process to do this, although they probably used tracing paper on the monitor!

It's IR CCTV by the looks of it and not as clear as you'd hope but it does look like him.

One thing for sure is that he's on the beach, right in the middle of the crime scene with the BiB, all very cosy!

I saw the earlier channel 3 interview with him and a frankly very nervous looking worker from AC bar, saying that McAnna had blood on him.

One inescapable problem they have with all this is that the 2 DNA profiles are of Asian/Mongoloid people, if it is at all possible a completely independent body needs to test the forensic evidence and most important take the suspect samples, because the Thai police have shown that they can't be trusted.....unfortunately this will never happen.

[JaideeJing76]

Yeah.. justice.. and so much influence on the Police Force and Judiciary to make something happen in THIS case because of the world media attention.. but what about me?

I was seriously assaulted in Chiang Mai last year, unprovoked, by some gang that has taken up shop in an allegedly upper class place called PRESIDENT HOTEL.

I had 5 bottles smashed over my head.. countless stitches.. all for spending 5 minutes inside waiting for a band to come on, because I love live Thai music.. I was in the best mood of my life, had just left the home of Thai friends and was awaiting the arrive of my Thai GF who was visiting her sister in Australia...

Thai Police? no response, follow up, or communication WHATSOEVER resulting from my report. Tourist Police?? Talked me down like I asked for it, and did everything to dissuade me from following it up. Result? Even after going to the Aussie Embassy, and getting EXTREMELY strong high level support from the CONSUL herself.. nothing.. not a single thing..

Justice in Thailand? Its BS.. the only way I could have gotten it, is if I had a HUGE wad of cash to spend on Private Investigator, and lacing the palms of CM's most senior Damrooat official

This will CONTINUE to happen in Thailand, why? Because ALL Police are on the take.

MR THAI ARMYBOSS - PM... CLEAN UP THIS COUNTRY PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! Its ROTTEN FROM INSIDE!

(im 7 years here.. no fool.. ex Fraud Investigator, ex Military Secure Communications Expert)

[Mackie]

Thai police is well know for setting people up. We're not going to argue about that one. However many people here are simply jumping to their conclusions. Everyone seems to be forgetting the one we all are supposed to believe in, innocent until proven guilty. Let's wait a little bit longer for DNA results.

So after stating the above, how can you have any confidence in any DNA testing done/overseen by the locals?

This case is very different than any other before. Too much publicity. There is no room for hiding. Top brass from Bangkok got involved, DNA samples were sent to Singapore, forensic specialists from elsewhere are running the investigations, not the local police etc...etc...The whole case is just weird. Anyway by the end of this week someone will be officially charged with a murder.

[Tanlic]

He is the brother of a village headman in Koh Tao.

He also said another suspect is also a son of that village headman. But he has already to Bangkok.

Wow...impressed !!! Not what I was expecting at all

Really?

This is exactly what I suspected.

Koh Tao is a lawless place where influential people can pretty much do as they please with impunity, and have done for a long time.

If the police had not focussed only on foreigners and Burmese fisherman because they said that there was no way a Thai could be responsible, they may have solved this a week go.

Local people must have spoken up, and if these guys did in fact do it, I am glad the police caught them...although one wonders without the glare of the International media, would they have solved it...before the next "crime du jour" captured everyones attention.

Next stage is the punishment as the world watches...death penalty reduced to life in prison for the confession?

The surprise is the arrests, not who did it.

The police probably did knew who did it days ago have been buying time by throwing up scapegoats and other smoke and mirrors in the hope of finding a way out for the son and brother of the influential figure.

Finally someone even more influential realised the damage this was doing to Thailand (thanks to international media) and said 'enough is enough'.

You've got absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

Most of the police investigating are from outwith the area these crimes were committed.

The minute police from another division eg Lumpini in Bangkok arrive on the scene no matter who you think you know your protection just flew out the window and the case need not be anywhere as hideous or serious as this one.

No thai policeman would stick his neck out for someone who commits crimes like these and you are talking complete nonsense.

[Johpa]

The brother of the village chief

2014 and there are still 'village chiefs' has there ever been a position in Thailand so utterly interlinked and embedded with corruption than that of the local chief

You clearly have limited experience with rural village Thailand. The village headman, phu yai baan, is actually a democratically elected position. They are indeed play a key role in the traditional patron-client relationships that still tend to dominate the non-urban areas of Thailand. And I have met some real bad-ass headmen over the decades. But most of the headmen are decent guys (I have met one woman head) who although playing their patron-client role in obtaining services for the village, do care about the welfare of their constituents. And they do represent the local people at the district office, alongside the democratically elected kamnan, the sub-district head, at the local Amphoe (district office) where the head is appointed from Bangkok.

As for Koh Tao, the last time I was on that island was in the early 1980s and I doubt there would have been enough fishing families to need more than one or two headmen to represent the entire island. I don't recall any non-local families that would not have been southern Thai sea folks, maybe there were a few Mon families there, but I doubt it. The whole island is now an artificial construct, just as Samui has become something other than a region run by Chao Samui folks who could send Bangkok people fleeing. So do not extrapolate what goes on in these artificial tourist regions for what occurs in the rest of Thailand.

[MikePhuket1970]

"<deleted> man this is better than Disneyland!" - Lance in Apocalypse Now

Unless you are the father of Hannah or David

you may be excited.

how low is that ?

[BKK Blues Brother]

Now, let's get this straight - The main suspect was very well known on the island AND,

1. Was stood next to the bodies in the middle of the crime scene chatting to the police.

2. Has been identified as the mystery man on the CCTV footage.

3. Threatened the Scottish guy whilst in the company of a plain clothes policeman.

4. Refused to give a DNA sample.

5. Most probably threatened the cops that took him in

6. It took 8 days to bring him in!!

7. Was released without charge AND without giving a DNA sample

You couldn't make this up.

[JaideeJing76]

Those Police from 'outside G'oh Tao' - will do what they are paid to do. And you can interpret that as you see FIT depending on your level of experience in this country. HOWEVER, in this case, what the are PAID TO DO will fall in line with Mr. General PM's direct instructions, which in this case, is to obtain a factual finding.

Its a shame, that someone with THAT much power is needed to bring this to an accurate head.

and the comments about Village Headmen.. well.. what did you think? In Thailand, anyone with a position of Power or Respect, or who has money (and mostly the two go hand in hand) can do what ever the hell they want. Ive seen it over and over again.. and over.....

We love the free and easy nature of regulation in this country.. but geez..it could do with some serious legitimate governing and policing.!

[Heisenberg01]

Thai police is well know for setting people up. We're not going to argue about that one. However many people here are simply jumping to their conclusions. Everyone seems to be forgetting the one we all are supposed to believe in, innocent until proven guilty. Let's wait a little bit longer for DNA results.

So after stating the above, how can you have any confidence in any DNA testing done/overseen by the locals?

This case is very different than any other before. Too much publicity. There is no room for hiding. Top brass from Bangkok got involved, DNA samples were sent to Singapore, forensic specialists from elsewhere are running the investigations, not the local police etc...etc...The whole case is just weird. Anyway by the end of this week someone will be officially charged with a murder.

Not doubting you mate, just think that time enough past for the investigation to be sullied.

Ive no doubt arrests will be made, just dont think it will be anyone connected.

Sure would be easy for a wrong name tag on a cotton swab though.

Time will tell.

[JaideeJing76]

To the guy who said nobody knows the real story about Village Headmen, and tried to paint them in the light of rose coloured glasses, dear Sir, you are a fairy dancing in a fanciful world. See my last post. Power in this country is an open invitation to do whatever you want. The odds of any regional village chief being above reproach are beyond calculation, although there is an exception to every rule, it is MOST UNLIKELY

[Lukecan]

To the guy who said nobody knows the real story about Village Headmen, and tried to paint them in the light of rose coloured glasses, dear Sir, you are a fairy dancing in a fanciful world. See my last post. Power in this country is an open invitation to do whatever you want. The odds of any regional village chief being above reproach are beyond calculation, although there is an exception to every rule, it is MOST UNLIKELY

I don't think any village headman can be above a junta leader. It will be solved if the PM wants it solved.

[JaideeJing76]

Lukecan, I already stated this (as you said below) in an earlier post. I was merely stating that Village headmen are like everybody with power in this country, they will abuse it. I made no statement that they were above the powers to be in this matter. The Headman himself is not a suspect as I understand, only his family members, so the two conversations are not related.

Lets hope, all side conversations aside, there is a genuine outcome. This kind of local Mafia/Gangster crap that goes on EVERYWHERE in Thailand, because of support from the powers above (if not, involvement.......) will finally get something of a kick in the arse. Cheers and condolences to the families of the victims.. for UK people, or any foreigners not living in Thailand.. tell your families to AVOID the party beach areas, avoid drugs and parties, avoid Bars.... its an open invitation to often irreconcilable problems in this Country. Take care

To the guy who said nobody knows the real story about Village Headmen, and tried to paint them in the light of rose coloured glasses, dear Sir, you are a fairy dancing in a fanciful world. See my last post. Power in this country is an open invitation to do whatever you want. The odds of any regional village chief being above reproach are beyond calculation, although there is an exception to every rule, it is MOST UNLIKELY

I don't think any village headman can be above a junta leader. It will be solved if the PM wants it solved.

[Johpa]

To the guy who said nobody knows the real story about Village Headmen, and tried to paint them in the light of rose coloured glasses, dear Sir, you are a fairy dancing in a fanciful world. See my last post. Power in this country is an open invitation to do whatever you want. The odds of any regional village chief being above reproach are beyond calculation, although there is an exception to every rule, it is MOST UNLIKELY

I don't think any village headman can be above a junta leader. It will be solved if the PM wants it solved.

The local headman is rarely above the kamnaan. And as for this dancing fairy, he has been around the Kingdom far, far longer than the vast majority of posters here and whose life in-country is as gritty and ethnic as it gets. I just prefer to stay away from the tourist centers where the corruption in search of the tourist spending power perverts everything. Last time I was down in that neighborhood was visiting Samui with my folks in 1991 and I was so depressed by the changes that I never returned again.

And Khun Jaidee, the President Hotel has never been a "upper class place". But they did use to have a great late night lingerie show back in the 1980s.

[lung]

---Police free bar owners and look for

ex-village headman's son---

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webmobile/national/Police-free-bar-owners-and-look-for-ex-village-hea-30243997.html

[hgma]

Its one o'clock in the morning 24/9 and as far as i can figure out......nobody is arrested yet.

The one mentioned in this article is lively talking with reporters, seeking to clesar his name(he says)

Source: Bangkokpost headers today 24/9/2014

media frenzy never works for the benefit of solving a case like this( or any other case for that matter!)

[Tywais]

Offensive post and replies removed.

[JaideeJing76]

Well mate, 'time in situ' does nothing for qualifying comments on contemporaneous matters.

Secondly, a visit to President Hotel 30+ years ago cannot be any proper basis for commenting on what this establishment's operators allege it or wish it to be viewed as in the current time. Moreover, I rarely go to any bar/pub/club so I can tell you only what I saw, not what the general reputation may be.

Thirdly, it seems like you have found a nice niche in quite, regional Thailand, enjoy it, its nice to know not everybody frequents sheet holes here.

And as far as head men are concerned, the chain of corruption goes up and down, based on financial power, not necessarily level of position. Taksin was utterly deposed, but still remains phenomenally powerful.. point proven, id say.

To the guy who said nobody knows the real story about Village Headmen, and tried to paint them in the light of rose coloured glasses, dear Sir, you are a fairy dancing in a fanciful world. See my last post. Power in this country is an open invitation to do whatever you want. The odds of any regional village chief being above reproach are beyond calculation, although there is an exception to every rule, it is MOST UNLIKELY

I don't think any village headman can be above a junta leader. It will be solved if the PM wants it solved.

The local headman is rarely above the kamnaan. And as for this dancing fairy, he has been around the Kingdom far, far longer than the vast majority of posters here and whose life in-country is as gritty and ethnic as it gets. I just prefer to stay away from the tourist centers where the corruption in search of the tourist spending power perverts everything. Last time I was down in that neighborhood was visiting Samui with my folks in 1991 and I was so depressed by the changes that I never returned again.

And Khun Jaidee, the President Hotel has never been a "upper class place". But they did use to have a great late night lingerie show back in the 1980s.

[kkup]

He is the brother of a village headman in Koh Tao.

He also said another suspect is also a son of that village headman. But he has already to Bangkok.

Wow...impressed !!! Not what I was expecting at all

Really?

This is exactly what I suspected.

Koh Tao is a lawless place where influential people can pretty much do as they please with impunity, and have done for a long time.

If the police had not focussed only on foreigners and Burmese fisherman because they said that there was no way a Thai could be responsible, they may have solved this a week go.

Local people must have spoken up, and if these guys did in fact do it, I am glad the police caught them...although one wonders without the glare of the International media, would they have solved it...before the next "crime du jour" captured everyones attention.

Next stage is the punishment as the world watches...death penalty reduced to life in prison for the confession?

The surprise is the arrests, not who did it.

The police probably did knew who did it days ago have been buying time by throwing up scapegoats and other smoke and mirrors in the hope of finding a way out for the son and brother of the influential figure.

Finally someone even more influential realised the damage this was doing to Thailand (thanks to international media) and said 'enough is enough'.

You've got absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

Most of the police investigating are from outwith the area these crimes were committed.

The minute police from another division eg Lumpini in Bangkok arrive on the scene no matter who you think you know your protection just flew out the window and the case need not be anywhere as hideous or serious as this one.

No thai policeman would stick his neck out for someone who commits crimes like these and you are talking complete nonsense.

==================================================

Actually he's pretty much on the money. You think other divisions don't stick together? wrong. If it's in the interest of Thailand anything can happen, there are no rules. The level of corruption in Asian countries is is hard for most ppl to comprehend. Common sense doesn't play a part in it.

If they were so competent it would of been solved last week.

[MZurf]

"If there are mafias"

The police denying there even are mafias on Koh Tao is a sure sign this is a cover up. Have they even bothered questioning the ones in the bar brawl or the ones chasing the remaining witness? This is a joke.

I think we here have a case of the pot denying the kettle is black.

[JaideeJing76]

"if they were so competent they would have been arrested a week ago" - WHAT A LOAD OF THE PROVERBIAL!

Lets assume briefly that the Thai legal model at least loosely, follows the "presumption of Innocence" paradigm.

Lets assume briefly, that Investigators were actually doing their job.

Sorry... how do you think it would have been solved in 3 days? It certainly would be a MIRACLE in Australia, England or any other modern and legally competent country, let alone Thailand with its myriad of issues in this regard.

What I am saying to you, is that ANY PROPER INVESIGATION WILL TAKE TIME. Its the people who scream for an early outcome who don't care if the wrong person is arrested for the sake of a 'result' - and assuming that because a murder occurs, automatically everybody must know who did it, is about as immature and stupid as it gets.

When you make assumptions, you MISS FACTS

Let them do their job and take an appropriate amount of time to finalise a result. Proper Police work requires a heck of a lot of work to produce a Brief of Evidence that has the legs to sustain scrutiny of a Court, and in this case a Court that will have A LOT of media attention upon it!

You've got absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

He is the brother of a village headman in Koh Tao.

He also said another suspect is also a son of that village headman. But he has already to Bangkok.

Wow...impressed !!! Not what I was expecting at all

Really?

This is exactly what I suspected.

Koh Tao is a lawless place where influential people can pretty much do as they please with impunity, and have done for a long time.

If the police had not focussed only on foreigners and Burmese fisherman because they said that there was no way a Thai could be responsible, they may have solved this a week go.

Local people must have spoken up, and if these guys did in fact do it, I am glad the police caught them...although one wonders without the glare of the International media, would they have solved it...before the next "crime du jour" captured everyones attention.

Next stage is the punishment as the world watches...death penalty reduced to life in prison for the confession?

The surprise is the arrests, not who did it.

The police probably did knew who did it days ago have been buying time by throwing up scapegoats and other smoke and mirrors in the hope of finding a way out for the son and brother of the influential figure.

Finally someone even more influential realised the damage this was doing to Thailand (thanks to international media) and said 'enough is enough'.

Most of the police investigating are from outwith the area these crimes were committed.

The minute police from another division eg Lumpini in Bangkok arrive on the scene no matter who you think you know your protection just flew out the window and the case need not be anywhere as hideous or serious as this one.

No thai policeman would stick his neck out for someone who commits crimes like these and you are talking complete nonsense.

==================================================

Actually he's pretty much on the money. You think other divisions don't stick together? wrong. If it's in the interest of Thailand anything can happen, there are no rules. The level of corruption in Asian countries is is hard for most ppl to comprehend. Common sense doesn't play a part in it.

If they were so competent it would of been solved last week.

[monk213]

Screw Koh Toa. If it is like it sounds the perps will do little time in great comfort and return triumphantly. The place was on my list of places to go but I will never go there nor the nearby Island as it is most likely same same.

I make it a point to stay away from most of the islands and the South to be honest, lets have a look at what we have shall we. Overpriced food and pretty much everything else is too. Drunken naive farang in huge numbers, beach scams in abundance, tuktuk mafias, highly powerful criminal families controlling this and that, crazed addicts to the slave yaba running around stealing, mugging and raping, constant terrorism around Yala/Hatyai area, sorry I think I shall stay away from such places, god knows why

Call me crazy, I like peace and quiet, to see actual Thailand or what is left f it, not some Westernized jumped up resort on meth.

Edited September 23, 2014 by monk213

[JaideeJing76]

... and THAT is why I stay in Chiang Mai..but you know what? hardly a thing different here, or anywhere else for that matter. Just the smaller the place, the more undiluted the problems are

Screw Koh Toa. If it is like it sounds the perps will do little time in great comfort and return triumphantly. The place was on my list of places to go but I will never go there nor the nearby Island as it is most likely same same.

I make it a point to stay away from most of the islands and the South to be honest, lets have a look at what we have shall we. Overpriced food and pretty much everything else is too. Drunken naive farang in huge numbers, beach scams in abundance, tuktuk mafias, highly powerful criminal families controlling this and that, crazed addicts to the slave yaba running around stealing, mugging and raping, constant terrorism around Yala/Hatyai area, sorry I think I shall stay away from such places, god knows why

Call me crazy, I like peace and quiet, to see actual Thailand or what is left f it, not some Westernized jumped up resort in meth.

[MJP]

Screw Koh Toa. If it is like it sounds the perps will do little time in great comfort and return triumphantly. The place was on my list of places to go but I will never go there nor the nearby Island as it is most likely same same.

I make it a point to stay away from most of the islands and the South to be honest, lets have a look at what we have shall we. Overpriced food and pretty much everything else is too. Drunken naive farang in huge numbers, beach scams in abundance, tuktuk mafias, highly powerful criminal families controlling this and that, crazed addicts to the slave yaba running around stealing, mugging and raping, constant terrorism around Yala/Hatyai area, sorry I think I shall stay away from such places, god knows why

Call me crazy, I like peace and quiet, to see actual Thailand or what is left f it, not some Westernized jumped up resort on meth.

Absolutely bang on.

[monk213]

... and THAT is why I stay in Chiang Mai..but you know what? hardly a thing different here, or anywhere else for that matter. Just the smaller the place, the more undiluted the problems are

Screw Koh Toa. If it is like it sounds the perps will do little time in great comfort and return triumphantly. The place was on my list of places to go but I will never go there nor the nearby Island as it is most likely same same.

I make it a point to stay away from most of the islands and the South to be honest, lets have a look at what we have shall we. Overpriced food and pretty much everything else is too. Drunken naive farang in huge numbers, beach scams in abundance, tuktuk mafias, highly powerful criminal families controlling this and that, crazed addicts to the slave yaba running around stealing, mugging and raping, constant terrorism around Yala/Hatyai area, sorry I think I shall stay away from such places, god knows why

Call me crazy, I like peace and quiet, to see actual Thailand or what is left f it, not some Westernized jumped up resort in meth.

I don't know about that, I mean CM being much bigger than Koh Tao, it's a tiny island.Patong in Phuket alone is worse than the entire town of Hua Hin imo for example. But one of my points was I prefer to be around parts of Thailand which are less Westernized and untouched by all of the crime that follows it.

[MZurf]

Looks like a few of us may eat humble pie (like me)

looks like the police may have found the correct murderers / not stitched anybody up etc

For that i apologise for doubting them and hope this is the future now

I certainly hope so but the cynic in me has concluded that the massive international attention (and thereby pressure) this filthy crime has caused is the real reason that people of influence/influential families might be held accountable (if they're guilty).

If the same pressure was brought on several other murders of foreigners in Thailand the last few decades the results (or rather lack thereof) might have been very different.