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

[Malthus101]

Nothing says, "we haven't got a clue and just want this to go away" like saying "the killers will be arrested very soon".

[StealthEnergiser]

check out post 359 looks like one of the suspects were on the scene on the 16th sept

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760553-bodies-of-foreign-tourists-found-brutally-murdered-on-koh-tao-beach/page-15#entry8426969

Edited September 23, 2014 by StealthEnergiser

[scorecard]

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I really hope that they are right,but why not get them first do their DNA then charge them if it all fits.
There's no point in saying we know who it is,arrest them,do the DNA and the find a negative result.
As for a pm on the two victims I really hope the families get one done in the uk also check for anymore DNA on thm.
The uk is far more advanced in DNA than Thailand and in case anything goes wrong with this last quote from the BIB then the uk police still have a full DNA profile of the murderers.
Believe me if the BIB could have made a scapegoat then they would have ,it's only DNA that saved some poor immigrant from taking the blame,it's all about saving face never mind getting the right guy.
And there is usually some one high up the social scale involved,must not upset those with the money....

I'm not quite up to speed on this.

Are the two now under strong suspicion (one arrested, the other being sought) the same two who refuses to give DNA samples?

[Artisi]

Hopefully not a stitch up to satisfy the critics. Now the mafia must be relieved they can get back to business

You talking about the mafia in uniform or the other ones?

Is there any difference?

[yougivemebaby]

'Jonathan Head ‏@pakhead 10m

Arrests may come soon after DNA tests completed. Question is - if suspects r from AC bar family why were they not questioned & tested b4?'

According to the story. They refused.

[Maejo Man]

Now that they have the brother of the village headman in detention on strong suspicion , will the local police be investigated for protecting and not investigating the obvious …. has money been paid ?

He was released earlier this afternoon after helping police with their enquiries.

[taony]

check out post 359 looks like one of the suspects were on the scene on the 16th sept

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760553-bodies-of-foreign-tourists-found-brutally-murdered-on-koh-tao-beach/page-15#entry8426969

And they are staring at her naked body. Disgusting.

[razer]

Anyone with the most elementary knowledge of how villages and provinces work, would call it organized crime to some degree complete with enforcers. Payoffs, threats, killings over land disputes all make up the provincial structure in Thailand. It is no wonder that if these rapist-murderers were sons of village leaders there was a code of silence. I make this conclusion from Thais I know just talking about how things are, and though they hate it they accept it.

[Lukecan]

If you were the so called mafia, and you wanted to find a scapegoat, would you go frame a western or instead pay some burmese guy 10 million baht so he can take the hit? No one tried to frame sean. Which mafia would threaten to hang him in a place where they control everything, they would go on with it.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Lukecan

[MikePhuket1970]

_{I so hope it is true and it brings some closure to the poor families destroyed by this terrible crime. So very sad and so horrible for all concerned. RIP to the poor victims. Sympathy and good thoughts to the families of both Hannah and David.}

_{Well done to the work done by the Thai police ! If they have got them, they sorted out a crime very quickly indeed and successfully.}

_{For once can't all the complainers, moaners, arm chair experts, say 'well done'. For once admit you are wrong and give credit to the police. There are fair few on this chat forum who have made complete idiots of themselves with all their conspiracies, misinformation and spewing out whatever the latest garbage press piece said. I doubt they will even admit it to themselves, let alone publically on here...I am sure they will find some excuse and say it was due to someone else, or something else. Rarely do bitchy type moaners ever admit they are wrong. For once admit it and say well done. You will make yourself a better person for doing so and maybe learn something.}

_{By the way...murder cases in the UK often go unsolved and some take months to solve. And powerful people get protected in our counties too. Pedophile scandal recently in UK is a prime example ! There is violence in countries all over the world...so let's not keep making out Thailand is any worse. It is so boring to keep hearing this constant Thai bashing. Please change the record. The majority of Thai people are charming and most welcoming. And very tolerant of foreigners who come to their country and moan all the time.}

_{If it is so bad, why are you so attracted to Thailand ? I guess people live in Thailand for a reason and find it a better option than living in their own country, or why would they be there in Thailand. But they still moan and complain about the very place they freely chose to live in. Seems there are a few confused people out there .}

_{As for the last week of media hype, gossip and childish banter.....have you worked out yet that there is no exact literal translation from Thai to English. The Thai Alphabet has 44 consonants and 37 vowels and in English we have 24 consonants and 12 vowels. Meanings are often misunderstood and newspapers normally use Google translate to do their work for them. Hardly an accurate translation at all. So much of what is said is misconstrued and misunderstood. Add into that cultural differences and any intelligent person can understand you cannot judge people on news paper trivia. Especially as most come from un confirmed blogs and so called experts who know nothing, or very little about the country or its people.}

_{So please stop whining on like a petulant child about Thailand, what they say and the police. Get away from your computers and go see the real world. And stop Thai bashing.}

_{Be happy for the families. The scum may well have been caught. Well done to the Thai police. They did it quickly.}

Why not tell your BS to the mother of Kirsty Jones and many others ?

Only the immense public,media and internet pressure this time force the police to go in the right direction.

So dream on and live with your illusions

[OmarZaidMD]

The best consequences arising from these unfortunate murders would be to make an example in the sentencing and really really clean the Island up. They may be trying to get rid of unwanted 'ne'er-do-well' farangs, but the local gangs and police are the immediate oppressors of the masses of decent folk, and the new generation of Thais are becoming a bit too bold in their bloody acts of self-assertion.

House cleaning is definitely in order and it appears the new PM is suited for the task. But is the nation ready for a moral turnabout and authentic re-ordering of both tradition and social relations? That remains to be seen.

God bless and protect the men and women who try.

Edited September 23, 2014 by OmarZaidMD

[marquis22]

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

Don't choke!!

[richusa]

They believe that any foreigners murdered will be reincarnated into an angel.

Thats the Thainess way.....

Every time I come here, I stay shorter and spend way less...Hit Thailand in the pocketbook....let these 2 headed monsters suffer a bit.

[Snookyville]

Nah, splitting words as it could apply. The connotation does not always have to be a criminal one. Other posters already pointed out that some English dictionaries give second or third meanings to the word mafia such as

(often lowercase) any small powerful or influential group in anorganization or field

a group of people of similar interests or backgrounds prominent in a particular field or enterprise

He is also mafia - anyone who tells you he is not has their own agenda

You probably have your own definition of "Mafia", as the many other posters who use it indiscriminately, because a rich family that has a lot of influence in a village or island is not enough to make it a "Mafia". To get a "Mafia" you need at least organized crime and racketeering. Do you have any proof on that at Koh Tao ?

[Soutpeel]

Humble pie isn't so bad when you gulp it down quickly..

There a few who have have been commenting on this thread and a few other threads, who I hope choke on their humble pie...

[globalmedia8]

It is high time that fair warnings are issued about mafia hotspots so we can avoid them

Thailand has many great places so why go to the mafia ganglands - Samui, Koh Tao, Pattaya, and Phuket

Go elsewhere like Koh Kut, Hua Hin, CM and thousands of other great places

Why (drugs?) do so many tourists ignore the hundreds of wonderful towns and go to the tourist traps of smiling mafias

normally i might be pessimist but I feel there is going to be a big arrest and parade and official recreation this time

the smell of rare justice is in the air tonight

The village headman knows more and knows where his brother is - can someone supply the headmans name and his brothers name and picture so that he does not escape

you think Hua Hin and CM do no thave mafia????

[Commerce]

That sean guy was full of BS, the expats living in koh tao said the information he gave is not factual and that he is a glory hunter. Bunch of guys who've never been to koh tao believe what he's saying. From his posts I can see he doesn't give a damn about his friends murder, 9 out 10 of his posts are about the scottish referendum.

Yet in the wake of his report, a couple of very influential Koh Tao residents had meetings with the police, and now there is one suspect in custody and another on the run.

Moreover, the guy gave up his life here and placed himself in a position where it might not ever be safe for him to come back.

You don't have to believe him yet, but to dismiss him outright in the meantime is plain wrong, in my humble opinion.

Why would they try to frame a western guy when the DNA retrieved in the crime scene belongs to an Asian. Why would they threaten to hang him instead of going on with it immediately. If these guys are the influential mafia, how did he run away from them in such a small island, you seriously think "mafia" can't take him out of 7/11?

It is BS, the expats living in Koh TAO confirmed it.

LOL, the expats on Koh Tao confirmed it!!

You know that the investigation clearly has stated that there would be at least 2 murders involved right? Hence, the DNA of asian wouldn't rule out Sean. Also, with influence you can make many things happen, and it wouldn't have been surprising if they would find a way to try to convince the world that the semen was planted.

Stop trying to frame Sean until we at least know wether or not he has been full of sh*t, he might actually be a hero in this case.

Miller was the hero. Sean ran. Simple as - so hero in Sean's case....... get a life!

[Oziex1]

Lets hope this is a turning point for those who think they are above the law and the police will respond to cases without world attention.

[BKKBrit]

Boy..this has more twists and turns by the minute......Sean McAnna has been identified as a kiddy porn chappie and promptly left FB - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/revealed-scot-who-fled-thai-4306609

[Darbar]

"The southern police chief also assured the public that there was no arrest of scapegoats in this murder case as it now is a focal attention of the world."

".... However, we generally DO use scapegoats when we can get away with it, have no countries interested in calling BS... or when are simply too inept to deal with the case."

Let's see what 'evidence' apart from photos (which don't prove much) they actually have confirmed. Hopefully a positive DNA match.

The next problem will be finding the 'other guy' who has done a runner.. good luck BIB, you're gonna need it.

[Lukecan]

Oh and not to mention, that sean guy was charged with possessing child porn last year, so he's basically a pedophile.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/revealed-scot-who-fled-thai-4306609

Edited September 23, 2014 by Lukecan

[StealthEnergiser]

Posted 13 minutes ago

webfact, on 16 Sept 2014 - 08:55, said:

CRIME
Koh Tao 'sealed off' after two tourists brutally killed
THE NATION, AFP



Gruesome murders of British pair on island paradise shock locals and visitors

BANGKOK: -- POLICE have sealed off the resort island of Koh Tao off Surat Thani province to hunt down killers who brutally murdered a British couple and possibly raped the woman on Sunday night. The 24-year-old victims have been identified as Hannah Witheridge and David Miller.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....itish-tourists/

this person in the black t shirt looks the same person put on the facebook pages and another newspaper we cant quote . this is dated 16 sept 14

[mrtoad]

The BIB IMO initially tried to cover this up, but due to the absolute massive coverage, the big pressure has come down from the very top and they have had to do the unthinkable and actually catch connected people. For these lawless places to get the message, tourists need to boycott these places and make these scum really feel the squeeze, that way they may just clean up their act.

[MaxYakov]

More importantly how will this effect tourism??????

Well, ask yourself... "Will you be going to Koh Tao in the near future?"

Absolutely not, and I would like to see a mass boycott of said Island.

The only way for scum to really get the message is to hit them were it hurts, and in this case that's in the pocket. This has been a disgusting cover up form the very first minute that the victims were discovered.

Errrr ... do you suppose that some innocents might suffer in the economic holocaust or is everyone on the island guilty by association (including the farangs?)?

[Iumentum]

Yet in the wake of his report, a couple of very influential Koh Tao residents had meetings with the police, and now there is one suspect in custody and another on the run.

Moreover, the guy gave up his life here and placed himself in a position where it might not ever be safe for him to come back.

You don't have to believe him yet, but to dismiss him outright in the meantime is plain wrong, in my humble opinion.

Why would they try to frame a western guy when the DNA retrieved in the crime scene belongs to an Asian. Why would they threaten to hang him instead of going on with it immediately. If these guys are the influential mafia, how did he run away from them in such a small island, you seriously think "mafia" can't take him out of 7/11?

It is BS, the expats living in Koh TAO confirmed it.

LOL, the expats on Koh Tao confirmed it!!

You know that the investigation clearly has stated that there would be at least 2 murders involved right? Hence, the DNA of asian wouldn't rule out Sean. Also, with influence you can make many things happen, and it wouldn't have been surprising if they would find a way to try to convince the world that the semen was planted.

Stop trying to frame Sean until we at least know wether or not he has been full of sh*t, he might actually be a hero in this case.

Miller was the hero. Sean ran. Simple as - so hero in Sean's case....... get a life!

Sean was escorted off the island, do you know if he was told to do so or not? Sean has been hanging around the island for more than a week now, and was not afraid to speak up. Saying that he ran is f'ed up, because if he just wanted to have run away, he would have done so a week ago, and never tried to speak up about this whole case.

We do however still not know for sure, but to frame him is repulsive, and those who does..... should get a life.

[BradWilkins]

With the army in control of the country the murderers should be shot and used for target practise .

[mango66]

Rejoice, you miserable people.

The murderers have been caught.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Thai police force.

A job well done.

My condolences again to the families of the victims.

May they rest in peace, their murderers have been apprehended.

are you Ko Tao ?

finished and forgotten;

lets get back to daylie business

La VIVA Koh Tao -

<Tourists please come again,

3 days free YaBa on AC Bar

[thejcb]

if it was not the mafia,

maybee they were now " cooperating " to find the culptries,

as it would not tuch there business in KT and Samui;

Would someone kindly translate this drivel into readable and understandable English ?

[mango66]

Who writes this crap. Go back to school and learn some proper Grammar.

english is the only language I know :-(((((,

sorry, or you ?

[aTomsLife]

Oh and not to mention, that sean guy was charged with possessing child porn last year, so he's basically a pedophile.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/revealed-scot-who-fled-thai-4306609

If on a cloudy day you're being robbed at gunpoint and the assailant says he thinks it's going to rain, does his character factor into the likelihood that his statement is true?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem Abusive[edit]

Abusive ad hominem usually involves attacking the traits of an opponent as a means to invalidate their arguments. Equating someone's character with the soundness of their argument is a logical fallacy. Mere verbal abuse in the absence of an argument, however, is not ad hominem nor any kind of logical fallacy.^[12]

Ad hominem abuse is not to be confused with slander or libel, which employ falsehoods and are not necessarily leveled to undermine otherwise sound stands with character attacks.

It's awful the guy is a convicted sex offender, but ultimately it has nothing to do with the validity of his story concerning the murders.