Koh Tao murders: Police free bar owners and look for ex-village headman's son

[webfact]

MURDERS AT KOH TAO
Police free bar owners and look for ex-village headman's son
The Nation


DNA samples are collected from staff at restaurants and resorts on Koh Tao yesterday as part of the probe into the murder of two British tourists last week.

Police seeking former village headman's son who fled island

BANGKOK: -- Police are looking for the son of a former Koh Tao village headman in their pursuit of the killers of two British backpackers on the night of September 14, after learning that the man left the island the following morning.

A police source said the man they want to find landed on the Surat Thani coast and disappeared. Police say they want to interrogate him first.

The police last night released two men, who own Intouch Bar and AC Pub on the resort island, after interrogating them for three hours and finding no evidence linking them to the crime.

One of the two men released last night, who reporters did not identify, said he was unable to contact his son and did not know if he had a hand in the killings.

Another man, the younger brother of the former village headman, who is believed to be the man seen on a security camera near the crime scene, is still in custody.

Pol Lt-General Panya Mamen, who is overseeing the investigation, said yesterday that the headman's son is believed to be hiding in Bangkok. Panya refused to reveal the suspects' names, saying police were questioning one man and expected to arrest another in Bangkok today.

Today marks the 10th day since David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were brutally murdered on the island. Both suffered serious head wounds, while police said Witheridge was also sexually assaulted.

"We expect results within 48 hours as DNA samples have been sent out for testing, and we are confident in this latest turn in the investigation," he said.

All sides should have confidence in the police investigation and believe that no scapegoats will be arrested so that the case can be closed, he said.

"The world has been watching the case and police has been doing what it can to ensure that the evidence obtained is strong and tight enough to arrest the killers," he said.

Panya also promised that the investigation would not be influenced by reports that some influential persons on the island might try to obstruct police work.

The chief investigator was speaking after police had summoned the owner of the Intouch Bar for questioning after investigators discovered that both victims had visited the bar and had had an altercation before they were found dead. Another person summoned was the owner of AC Pub, who local residents say is an influential person and the older brother of the man who owns Intouch Bar. Panya led the interrogation of both individuals.

Local people and tourism operators on the island yesterday attended an annual religious rite to make merit for their deceased loved ones. They also made merit for the slain Britons and prayed that the police would be able to arrest the killers.

Meanwhile, a police source said it was not possible that people on the island did not have any knowledge of what might have happened on the night of the murder. The source said may be they don't want to talk to police, as they do not want to have problems with an influential group.

Udom Tantiprasonchai, an executive with Orient Thai Airways, said he will add Bt500,000 to the bounty placed for arrest of the killers, Senee Puwasettathaworn, president of Koh Samui Tourism Association, said.

This sum will bring the total bounty up to Bt713,000.

Though the murders took place more than a week ago, and police have yet to charge anyone, tourism has not been affected too badly as it is still the low season. Local tourism operators, meanwhile, said they would not put any pressure on police, leaving them to focus on the job at hand.

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


-- The Nation 2014-09-24

[Fred Flinstone]

Quote

The police last night released two men, who own Intouch Bar and AC Pub on the resort island, after interrogating them for three hours and finding no evidence linking them to the crime

UnQuote

[MJP]

Wot?

Right, who is it that's now been released?

[penoirz]

"One of the two men released last night, who reporters did not identify, said he was unable to contact his son and did not know if he had a hand in the killings."

I wonder how old his son is. If you look on facebook (sorry), on the Intouch profile, there are pictures of a young man. Wonder if that's who they're searching. None of the family's profiles are private either

[noitom]

TheThais are thrashing about figuring who they can pin this on and not have him rat any others out.

[thesetat2013]

OMG! Could this mean it may have been a Thai man after all? But I thought the GOV said no Thai is capable of such an act so it had to be a foreigner?

[coma]

The BIB are all over it now and I suspect will make arrests before the weekend me thinks.

[kurnell]

Isn't family DNA linked like the Jack the Ripper case?

[lildragon]

Hiding in Bangkok? I thought he'd be well into the jungles of Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam by now.

Thank god for all the international pressure. David and Hannah may Get some justice soon. I hope Koh Tao is cleaned up of these 'families' too but I won't hold my breath on that.

[rametindallas]

I think the police have turned over a new leaf and are going to pursue this case, no matter where or who it leads to. I believe it is because the army has their back; both to support them and to keep them on the straight and narrow path of righteousness.

If they can bring in the guilty parties and make a credible case against them (no matter who is their father), it will go a long way to restoring respect and confidence in the RTP.

[daveAustin]

Local bar owners and those connected with influential Thais are the first place to look. It's almost as if the police give them time to escape... but surely not, not in the 'land of smiles'?

[jaidam]

Hiding in Bangkok? I thought he'd be well into the jungles of Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam by now.

Thank god for all the international pressure. David and Hannah may Get some justice soon. I hope Koh Tao is cleaned up of these 'families' too but I won't hold my breath on that.

He's not Bear Grylls, just some little wuss full of self-entitlement through his family connections. He has no ability to earn money which is unfortunate if you are on the run, and as for hiding out in the Cambodian jungles, not a chance.

[BSJ]

" All sides should have confidence in the police investigation and believe that no scapegoats will be arrested so that the case can be closed, he said."

Er, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that an admission that the Modus operandi of the Thai police in the past is to framed people to close a case.

So how many bunnies are there in Thai jails?

[monk213]

I think the police have turned over a new leaf and are going to pursue this case, no matter where or who it leads to. I believe it is because the army has their back; both to support them and to keep them on the straight and narrow path of righteousness.

If they can bring in the guilty parties and make a credible case against them (no matter who is their father), it will go a long way to restoring respect and confidence in the RTP.

You say the police have turned a new leaf regarding the case? Sure after nearly 2 weeks of trying to set people up, ignore the fact Thais could be involved, local enforcement probably covering things up, ignoring help from outside such as the FBI and having the entire world breaking their balls, good on them...

Sorry but I have no respect for them whatsoever, they handled this in a typical Thai manner, it was a circus and laughing stock, horrific images were leaked, the crime scene was a shambles with regards to how it was fenced off and investigated, the GENERAL and his outstanding bikini comment and who can forget blaming the victims friend on the grounds he was a potential homosexual. Yep, looks like Koh Tao and the rest of Thailand has a booming future

Edited September 23, 2014 by monk213

[Roadman]

It's quite amusing (putting aside the actual seriousness of the events leading to this) the way the police are going about solving these murders. In a PC western country this sort of DNA mass gathering and mass detentions would not even be contemplated due to civil rights and legal wrangling. Might not be western PC but that the police have one suspect firmly in custody and are on the trail of another suggests that away from the norm they may solve a Falang murder and gain some much needed start point of respect from the western world.

Two things from this case to date come to mind. One that with a good hard kick up the backside from the Junta leader the RTP are capable enough in spite of their lack of modern crime solving resources and second that the RTP are very much in need of having that expertise and resource made available to progress their ability to get results more efficiently and professionally. Another tool in beating corruption is applying professionalism and enjoyment to ones work.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Roadman

[siampolee]

Todays comments from the U.K Independent newspaper concerning this horrific crime.

You need to go to the main page and then Asian News section as like yesterday the article link url comes back with a ''404'' notice.

One wonders why that should be?

http://www.independent.co.uk

Edited September 24, 2014 by siampolee

[jaidam]

I think the police have turned over a new leaf and are going to pursue this case, no matter where or who it leads to. I believe it is because the army has their back; both to support them and to keep them on the straight and narrow path of righteousness.

If they can bring in the guilty parties and make a credible case against them (no matter who is their father), it will go a long way to restoring respect and confidence in the RTP.

You say the police have turned a new leaf regarding the case? Sure after nearly 2 weeks of trying to set people up, ignore the fact Thais could be involved, local enforcement probably covering things up, ignoring help from outside such as the FBI and having the entire world breaking their balls, good on them...

Sorry but I have no respect for them whatsoever, they handled this in a typical Thai manner, it was a circus and laughing stock, horrific images were leaked, the crime scene was a shambles with regards to how it was fenced off and investigated, the GENERAL and his outstanding bikini comment and who can forget blaming the victims friend on the grounds he was a potential homosexual. Yep, looks like Koh Tao and the rest of Thailand has a booming future

Anyone thats followed this case from the start, can clearly see the police did everything in their power to protect the killers and try to frame a scapegoat. Why anybody has any praise for this institution is quite beyond me. Considering that most reactions immediately after hearing of the crime location fingered the likely perps, the polices 2 weeks to get there and letting them run away isn't going to win any awards. Far worse than useless, and criminal charges must be brought against all the island police. life imprisonment for aiding and abetting murder, obstructing an investigation, hang em.

[rametindallas]

Local bar owners and those connected with influential Thais are the first place to look. It's almost as if the police give them time to escape... but surely not, not in the 'land of smiles'?

It's the least the police can do for them (i.e. give them a head start) considering how long those bars have been paying into the Policeman's Retirement Fund. It's the same with casinos.

[sweatalot]

Panya refused to reveal the suspects' names

The names of the farangs who were blamed by Thai police (and later proofed innocent) were revealed asap

Double standard? in LOS ? Never

This police have lost their face dramatically - if they ever had

[lildragon]

Hiding in Bangkok? I thought he'd be well into the jungles of Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam by now.

Thank god for all the international pressure. David and Hannah may Get some justice soon. I hope Koh Tao is cleaned up of these 'families' too but I won't hold my breath on that.

He's not Bear Grylls, just some little wuss full of self-entitlement through his family connections. He has no ability to earn money which is unfortunate if you are on the run, and as for hiding out in the Cambodian jungles, not a chance.

Haha well you'd of Thought the family have a network of people over the borders in place in case things like this happen. Like that son of a high so that shot a cop in Bangkok then fled to Cambodia for a few years before coming home Scott free after his family managed to pay off all the right people.

It doesn't matter as long as the scum bag is caught.

[Wilsonandson]

We've caught the killers, but one has fled the island, OK let them go, there's no risk of them also fleeing the island. As the world watches.

[pitrevie]

It's quite amusing (putting aside the actual seriousness of the events leading to this) the way the police are going about solving these murders. In a PC western country this sort of DNA mass gathering and mass detentions would not even be contemplated due to civil rights and legal wrangling. Might not be western PC but that the police have one suspect firmly in custody and are on the trail of another suggests that away from the norm they may solve a Falang murder and gain some much needed start point of respect from the western world.

Two things from this case to date come to mind. One that with a good hard kick up the backside from the Junta leader the RTP are capable enough in spite of their lack of modern crime solving resources and second that the RTP are very much in need of having that expertise and resource made available to progress their ability to get results more efficiently and professionally. Another tool in beating corruption is applying professionalism and enjoyment to ones work.

Not quite true in fact mass DNA testing has been done albeit voluntarily in England and did eventually bring the culprit to justice.

n 1987, in the first ever mass DNA screen, the police and forensic scientists screened blood and saliva samples from 4,000 men aged between 17 and 34 who lived in the villages of Enderby, Narborough and nearby Littlethorpe and did not have an alibi for murders. The turn out rate was 98%, but the screen did not find any matches to the semen samples. The police and scientists expanded the screen to men with an alibi, but still did not find a match.

In August 1987, a woman overheard a colleague, Ian Kelly, boasting that he had given a sample posing as a friend of his, Colin Pitchfork. Pitchfork had persuaded Kelly to take the test as he claimed he had already given a sample for a friend who had a flashing conviction. The police arrested Colin Pitchfork in September 1987, and scientists found that his DNA profile matched that of the murderer.

[steelepulse]

Amazing how this story differs dramatically from the Bangkok Post. Is either paper right, or are they as confused as the Bib seem to be?

[CiaranO]

Thai pbs reported it's the village headman son and brother who have been implicated and are the suspects.

Hopefully the death penalty is reinstalled for these two. They both deserve it.

[cornishcarlos]

My wife has family that live on Koh Tao and Koh Phagnan.

She had a chat with her cousin yesterday on Koh Tao and everyone there knows who did it. Probably known since the day after the crime.

Therefore, the police must have known too.

Only conflicting info from her, was that it was the nephew of a village headman ??

Looks like they will get the right people eventually though, more due to international pressure than good police work.

RIP the deceased..

[JOC]

What a relief for the victims families, "that it will not affect touristnumbers"!!

The death of two young people is merely considered an "inconvenience" by the Thai tourist authorities playing around with their meaningless numbers!

Shame!!

[kingalfred]

A running commentary on a murder investigation , is that the way to do it?

[siampolee]

cornishcarlos post # 25.

My wife has family that live on Koh Tao and Koh Phagnan.

She had a chat with her cousin yesterday on Koh Tao and everyone there knows who did it. Probably known since the day after the crime.

Therefore, the police must have known too.

Only conflicting info from her, was that it was the nephew of a village headman ??

Looks like they will get the right people eventually though, more due to international pressure than good police work.

RIP the deceased..

Somehow these details must be made available to the public here in Thailand and more importantly worldwide too so as to expose the corruptions and cover ups perpetrated by those in authority.

More importantly though than those actions is the hope that those who committed this horrific crime are brought to justice and either executed or left to rot in prison for the rest of their lives, plus those involved in covering up are imprisoned and all their assets confiscated the proceeds being awarded to the victims family to do as they wish with

[kingalfred]

Very true. Even if they catch the perps, the failure of those involved in any real investigation should be held to account. but it wont happen. Just think of all the murders that have not convicted the killers, with no publicity its all forgotten

[Iumentum]

Todays comments from the U.K Independent newspaper concerning this horrific crime.

You need to go to the main page and then Asian News section as like yesterday the article link url comes back with a ''404'' notice.

One wonders why that should be?

http://www.independent.co.uk

Maybe if you gave proper link it wouldn't go to a 404. No links on that website is as the link you provided there, so my guess if that the mistake is on you and not some kind of conspiracy.