Koh Tao headman offers Bt1m cash if evidence proves his family implicated in the tourist murder

[mojorison]

I think it's strange how one morning they are saying that Thailand didn't have the technology to be able to do thorough DNA testing to the point of establishing the race of the person/people. Then when the FBI were going to look at it, that same afternoon, they all of a sudden they had done the test and established it was of Asian decent. What a miracle, that they could get this technology so quick, or was it that they didn't want the FBI involved because they would uncover a lot more than what was wanted here. I say bring in the FBI and let them take care of the investigation.

Miss Witheridge's body has been returned to the UK & the UK authorities will be conducting tests of their own. They are at least as capable as the FBI. I'm amazed that Britain hasn't sent investigators over here to help with the hunt tbh.

Poor show UK.

Maybe they have...

[ozzyrules]

Guy on the left is the the one on the left in seans photo

Seems he hangs to the left...

Let's just hope they find the guilty one and he hangs from the neck

Strangely though, no one speaks about the guy that was on the right in Sean's picture...

Total silence about him since the picture has been taken...

It has been mentioned that he is police from Koh tao, I can't confirm this but if it's true one has to ask why the owner is doing police work with an off duty police officer, their faces in the picture are very very sinister...

It's also been reported that the photo at the crime scene, the cop next to the owner is his brother..the one in the dark glasses..hhmmm...

I also know someone who lived there for many years and there are many many suggestions that there have been many more murders in this area that never ever got heard of beyond The koh Tao powers that be..

[ClutchClark]

Sorry but I do not support granting unlimited police powers to anyone...surprising that so many TV posters that hate the police are so excited to give those very police they constantly accuse of abusive power carte blanche for even more.

It's not unlimited, in fact the opposite. These 3 men are local suspects, and I would have thought you would want to see the perps brought to justice - or eliminated. I believe at least one of them was involved - all the 'evidence' indicates that they know more than they are willing to divulge. For example, the offer of a million bucks shows their power, and is a clear message to others not to cross them - or else. As I said before, CC, this is homicide, not a civil liberties case.

Thats quite a leap for you to suggest I do not wish for the attackers to be caught. I am simply saying that I do not share your opinion that civil liberties should be removed at the discretion of law enforcement and then re-applied later at someone elses discretion.

How you read so much into the villagers statement as a veiled threat not to cross him is simply a leap of wild proportions.

I doubt we will find a middle ground. You seem hellbent on making him guilty simply for his wealth.

[ClutchClark]

I think it's strange how one morning they are saying that Thailand didn't have the technology to be able to do thorough DNA testing to the point of establishing the race of the person/people. Then when the FBI were going to look at it, that same afternoon, they all of a sudden they had done the test and established it was of Asian decent. What a miracle, that they could get this technology so quick, or was it that they didn't want the FBI involved because they would uncover a lot more than what was wanted here. I say bring in the FBI and let them take care of the investigation.

Miss Witheridge's body has been returned to the UK & the UK authorities will be conducting tests of their own. They are at least as capable as the FBI. I'm amazed that Britain hasn't sent investigators over here to help with the hunt tbh.

Poor show UK.

Maybe they have...

Foreign investigators can't just force their way into a foreign countries crime scene. It is completely out of their jurisdiction. They have to be invited. Would you insist on the same thing if the crimes had occurred in Germany?

Your suggestion exudes a sense of superiority over an entire society.

[ClutchClark]

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

Is this villiage headman with the gloves on at the crime also ?

Hard to tell with the grainy imagery, look at the hairline though, the contour of it and shape.

And why is there a bandage on his left hand? Recent wounds from beating somebodies face in?

Some people call them gloves.

[ScubaPhuket]

I think it's strange how one morning they are saying that Thailand didn't have the technology to be able to do thorough DNA testing to the point of establishing the race of the person/people. Then when the FBI were going to look at it, that same afternoon, they all of a sudden they had done the test and established it was of Asian decent. What a miracle, that they could get this technology so quick, or was it that they didn't want the FBI involved because they would uncover a lot more than what was wanted here. I say bring in the FBI and let them take care of the investigation.

Miss Witheridge's body has been returned to the UK & the UK authorities will be conducting tests of their own. They are at least as capable as the FBI. I'm amazed that Britain hasn't sent investigators over here to help with the hunt tbh.

Poor show UK.

Maybe they have...

Foreign investigators can't just force their way into a foreign countries crime scene. It is completely out of their jurisdiction. They have to be invited. Would you insist on the same thing if the crimes had occurred in Germany?

Your suggestion exudes a sense of superiority over an entire society.

That's correct.

[jollyhangmon]

Is it just me or did they speed up the DNA-testings in the last 2 or 3 days "significantly" - and i mean aside of that boyo who was in bkk already?
How come? Growing experience, McGyver Quick-kit??

[Local Drunk]

"Some people call them gloves"

And he's the only one wearing them...

[stephen terry]

Sorry but I do not support granting unlimited police powers to anyone...surprising that so many TV posters that hate the police are so excited to give those very police they constantly accuse of abusive power carte blanche for even more.

It's not unlimited, in fact the opposite. These 3 men are local suspects, and I would have thought you would want to see the perps brought to justice - or eliminated. I believe at least one of them was involved - all the 'evidence' indicates that they know more than they are willing to divulge. For example, the offer of a million bucks shows their power, and is a clear message to others not to cross them - or else. As I said before, CC, this is homicide, not a civil liberties case.

Thats quite a leap for you to suggest I do not wish for the attackers to be caught. I am simply saying that I do not share your opinion that civil liberties should be removed at the discretion of law enforcement and then re-applied later at someone elses discretion.

How you read so much into the villagers statement as a veiled threat not to cross him is simply a leap of wild proportions.

I doubt we will find a middle ground. You seem hellbent on making him guilty simply for his wealth.

It's quite a leap from my post to suggest I advocate the police have unlimited powers. I would prefer him to be eliminated - or not - by due process of the law, not by flouting his money as a challenge to all and sundry as a demonstration of his power. If you cannot accept a homicide investigation would include DNA testing of possible suspects, then we do not have a middle ground. Sorry.

[ClutchClark]

"Some people call them gloves"

And he's the only one wearing them...

He has been identified as a medical practitioner. Ergo he was investigating the bodies for injury. Ergo making physical contact with the bodies. Ergo gloves.

Those not wearing gloves were not touching the bodies so are not wearing gloves.

[CantSpell]

Strangely though, no one speaks about the guy that was on the right in Sean's picture...

Total silence about him since the picture has been taken...

It has been mentioned that he is police from Koh tao, I can't confirm this but if it's true one has to ask why the owner is doing police work with an off duty police officer, their faces in the picture are very very sinister...

It's also been reported that the photo at the crime scene, the cop next to the owner is his brother..the one in the dark glasses..hhmmm...

I also know someone who lived there for many years and there are many many suggestions that there have been many more murders in this area that never ever got heard of beyond The koh Tao powers that be..

Aye saw this mentioned but never saw confirmation, hence the remark.

The fact is was not confirmed might make me think it was true though.

But then it become ever more weird for the episode of Sean in convenience store....

Threatened by the bar owner and a policeman, he had to wait for the police to free him.....

And the young brother in BKK now has an alibi, so no need to DNA sample him.....

The twists in this story are getting worst on a daily basis..

[ClutchClark]

Thats quite a leap for you to suggest I do not wish for the attackers to be caught. I am simply saying that I do not share your opinion that civil liberties should be removed at the discretion of law enforcement and then re-applied later at someone elses discretion.

How you read so much into the villagers statement as a veiled threat not to cross him is simply a leap of wild proportions.

I doubt we will find a middle ground. You seem hellbent on making him guilty simply for his wealth.

It's quite a leap from my post to suggest I advocate the police have unlimited powers. I would prefer him to be eliminated - or not - by due process of the law, not by flouting his money as a challenge to all and sundry as a demonstration of his power. If you cannot accept a homicide investigation would include DNA testing of possible suspects, then we do not have a middle ground. Sorry.

Thats considerate of you to accept your error and apologize.

I accept.

Cheers

[culicine]

Everyone on TV blew a gasket when the one local Police Captain said a Thai could not have committed this crime yet from the start near every TV farang has acted out of an equal presumption that the crime could never have been committed by a fellow farang.

That, folks, is called irony. Or is it hypocrisy?

If evidence points to a farang, so be it. It matters not where the person(s) come from, only that this person is in fact the real perpetrator.

They have tested all the foreigners they think might have been involved, and they have come up clean. I don't recall an instance of the police ever covering up for or trying to protect a farang. If they had a DNA match to a foreigner, that foreigner would be in jail and the police would be enjoying photo shoots and pointing fingers all their way to the front page.

Last but not least.... it is the police themselves who have said the DNA comes from an 'asian' person. So that pretty much rules out any and all farang. So yeah, it's a pretty safe 'presumption' to make.

So I am terribly sorry, when the evidence is considered, there is neither any irony nor any hypocrisy involved here.

Have any of the local police been dna tested? hmm....

[petercool]

One derogatory post removed. Please read this rule ..Other posters please show restraint. Thank you

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[mojorison]

I think it's strange how one morning they are saying that Thailand didn't have the technology to be able to do thorough DNA testing to the point of establishing the race of the person/people. Then when the FBI were going to look at it, that same afternoon, they all of a sudden they had done the test and established it was of Asian decent. What a miracle, that they could get this technology so quick, or was it that they didn't want the FBI involved because they would uncover a lot more than what was wanted here. I say bring in the FBI and let them take care of the investigation.

Miss Witheridge's body has been returned to the UK & the UK authorities will be conducting tests of their own. They are at least as capable as the FBI. I'm amazed that Britain hasn't sent investigators over here to help with the hunt tbh.

Poor show UK.

Maybe they have...

Foreign investigators can't just force their way into a foreign countries crime scene. It is completely out of their jurisdiction. They have to be invited. Would you insist on the same thing if the crimes had occurred in Germany?

Your suggestion exudes a sense of superiority over an entire society.

And yours over an entire forum...

You have no idea what has gone on at a Foreign Office (MFAT DFAT whatever) level.

And FWIW I lean stephen terry's way... yeah, it's a thinly veiled threat.

[ggt]

Throwing that kind of money around...on a dare...is not such a good idea...

There are folks that could manufacture credible evidence to get a piece of this action...

[stephen terry]

Thats quite a leap for you to suggest I do not wish for the attackers to be caught. I am simply saying that I do not share your opinion that civil liberties should be removed at the discretion of law enforcement and then re-applied later at someone elses discretion.

How you read so much into the villagers statement as a veiled threat not to cross him is simply a leap of wild proportions.

I doubt we will find a middle ground. You seem hellbent on making him guilty simply for his wealth.

It's quite a leap from my post to suggest I advocate the police have unlimited powers. I would prefer him to be eliminated - or not - by due process of the law, not by flouting his money as a challenge to all and sundry as a demonstration of his power. If you cannot accept a homicide investigation would include DNA testing of possible suspects, then we do not have a middle ground. Sorry.

Thats considerate of you to accept your error and apologize.

I accept.

Cheers

I take it, you agree with me. I accept your retraction.

Cheers.

[transam]

Yep, the UK could be working, weeeeeeeeell, lots of UK folk go to this place eh.......

[ClutchClark]

Miss Witheridge's body has been returned to the UK & the UK authorities will be conducting tests of their own. They are at least as capable as the FBI. I'm amazed that Britain hasn't sent investigators over here to help with the hunt tbh.

Poor show UK.

Maybe they have...

Foreign investigators can't just force their way into a foreign countries crime scene. It is completely out of their jurisdiction. They have to be invited. Would you insist on the same thing if the crimes had occurred in Germany?

Your suggestion exudes a sense of superiority over an entire society.

And yours over an entire forum...

You have no idea what has gone on at a Foreign Office (MFAT DFAT whatever) level.

So because I point out what protocol is in jurisdictions I am accused of superiority?

And what goes on at a foreign office is very different from flying to Thailand uninvited.

I am hopeful you can understand the distinction.

Cheers

[circusman]

an excellent read..

http://mikeestravels.com/2014/09/25/the-dark-side-of-thailands-island-paradise/

Brilliant article well thought out and as near the truth as it can get . The self elected PM needs to show the world that he means business for starters he needs to get rid of every mafia style family and end corruption

The Italians have been battling the Mafia for a hundred years and haven't done it yet. You expect Thailand to do it ?

[green job]

As far as the UK getting invloved,They will. Silence before the storm. Jersey is another subject,not part of the UK as such,but owend buy the crown.

If any Thai is reading of following this forum, Jersey is very powerful and will not take this lightly, It may be a small island,but some of the most influential

people in the world live there,and are very close net. Also it would not surprise me if they owned half of Thailand Financialy anyway

They will not leave this ever so beware This is not finished

[Alwyn]

UPDATE:

Bangkok Suspect Cleared of Connection To Britons' Murder

By Khaosod English

BANGKOK – Police say they have cleared another primary suspect from connection to the murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao island that took place over a week ago.

Warot Toowichian, 22, was initially sought by the police on the suspicion that he left Koh Tao island shortly after David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were mudered there last week. Mr. Warot was thought to have been hiding in Bangkok since.

But police questioned Mr. Warot and established that he was not on the island when the murder took place, deputy police chief Pol.Gen. Ake Angsananond said yesterday. Therefore, he is no longer being treated as a potential suspect, Pol.Gen. Ake said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Warot's father, a ‘village headman’ (local administrator) on Koh Tao, denied the allegation that his family is a part of a "mafia" network using its underground influence to stall the police investigation into the murder.

"We are not mafia or influential figures as reported in the news," Woraphan Toowichian said at a press conference yesterday. "My family has been helping authorites … and police in the investigation since the first day."

He continued, "The media coverage has saddened me. It's really serious, and it damages me, my family, and my relatives."

To prove his innocence, Mr. Woraphan said he would give police one million baht if they uncover evidence that links any of his family members to the murder of the two Britons.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1411635247

-- Khaosod English 2014-09-25

Nobody needs to take his word for it, just test his DNA, then tell everybody he has nothing to do with it.

[mojorison]

Yep, the UK could be working, weeeeeeeeell, lots of UK folk go to this place eh.......

Yeah I would have thought that they'd be entitled to a "please explain..."

[stephen terry]

Now where was I? Unfortunately all the signs are pointing to an unsolved murder, which will be par for the course. The police will say they have exhausted all leads, and no doubt this will be confirmed at the highest levels, along with praise for their diligence throughout. Cynical? No, experience has taught me it's realistic.

[mojorison]

Maybe they have...

Foreign investigators can't just force their way into a foreign countries crime scene. It is completely out of their jurisdiction. They have to be invited. Would you insist on the same thing if the crimes had occurred in Germany?

Your suggestion exudes a sense of superiority over an entire society.

And yours over an entire forum...

You have no idea what has gone on at a Foreign Office (MFAT DFAT whatever) level.

So because I point out what protocol is in jurisdictions I am accused of superiority?

And what goes on at a foreign office is very different from flying to Thailand uninvited.

I am hopeful you can understand the distinction.

Cheers

You a troll? Don't think anyone specified a method of transport... what distinction are you rabbiting about?

[transam]

Yep, the UK could be working, weeeeeeeeell, lots of UK folk go to this place eh.......

Yeah I would have thought that they'd be entitled to a "please explain..."

So easy for any UK "agency" to put a "holiday maker" on that island to acquire stuff.

Nudge nudge.............

[ClutchClark]

As far as the UK getting invloved,They will. Silence before the storm. Jersey is another subject,not part of the UK as such,but owend buy the crown.

If any Thai is reading of following this forum, Jersey is very powerful and will not take this lightly, It may be a small island,but some of the most influential

people in the world live there,and are very close net. Also it would not surprise me if they owned half of Thailand Financialy anyway

They will not leave this ever so beware This is not finished

And another fine example of racism.

Why should "any Thai reading this beware its not finished"?

It was not all the people of Thailand who committed this murder. It was not even all the people of KP.

According to current reports it was 3 attackers. Howabout the miraculous powers of Jersey fix their own crime problems.

[sweatalot]

Why don't he add the money to the 700.000 for evidence that leads to arrest of the perps and make it 1.7 MB?

Would look much more honest

[maxtingtong]

They do have checked DNA of any of this 'influential' scumbags???

[mojorison]

As far as the UK getting invloved,They will. Silence before the storm. Jersey is another subject,not part of the UK as such,but owend buy the crown.

If any Thai is reading of following this forum, Jersey is very powerful and will not take this lightly, It may be a small island,but some of the most influential

people in the world live there,and are very close net. Also it would not surprise me if they owned half of Thailand Financialy anyway

They will not leave this ever so beware This is not finished

And another fine example of racism.

Why should "any Thai reading this beware its not finished"?

It was not all the people of Thailand who committed this murder. It was not even all the people of KP.

According to current reports it was 3 attackers. Howabout the miraculous powers of Jersey fix their own crime problems.

Clutchclark.... put down the keyboard... step away from the computer... on your knees now!