Britons' murder: Police claim Koh Tao investigation hindered by media

[webfact]

Britons' Murder: Police Claim Investigation Hindered By Media
By Khaosod English


A banner hung on Koh Tao promising 700,000 baht reward for providing information that leads to the arrest of a culprit behind the Koh Tao muders. 24 Sep 2014.

BANGKOK — Thai police have accused foreign journalists and social media users of muddling their ongoing investigation into the murder of two British tourists in southern Thailand last week.

The Thai police have come under fire in recent days for providing contradictory statements to the press during their effort to find suspects responsible for the murders of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, whose battered bodies were found on a beach on Koh Tao island ten days ago. Police have yet to name an official suspect.

But Pol.Maj.Gen. Panya Mamen, commander of 8th Region Provincial Police, said yesterday that the investigation has been hampered by foreign media coverage. He referred specifically to a story picked up by the British press about Sean McAnna, a Scottish backpacker who said he was threatened by two "mafia" on the island earlier this week.

According to Pol.Maj.Gen. Panya, police found no substance behind Mr. McAnna's accusation.

"The officers shouldn't have believed the foreign press. The time in the investigation was wasted," Pol.Maj.Gen. Panya said.

Meanwhile, chief of the Royal Thai Police, Pol.Gen. Somyot Pumphanmuang blamed the confusion surrounding the murder investigation on social media.

"Police had to waste their time following leads from these rumours," Pol.Gen. Somyot told reporters yesterday.

He also cited the case of Mr. McAnna and insisted that his claim was unfounded, as one of the two men who allegedly intimidated him already "showed his innocence" yesterday. The two Thai men, who run the bar where Mr. Miller and Ms. Witheridge were last seen, are no longer being treated as suspects in the case, Pol.Gen. Somyot added.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1411649002&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2014-09-26

[Lukecan]

This is what happens if you take a convicted pedo seriosuly, i told the whole forum he was a glory hunter from day one.

[ClutchClark]

Media Parasites are a scourge everywhere.

Thanks alot CNN for introducing the world to 24/7 media coverage.

And when did the Press role become guiding investigations?

"When a reporter said the foreign media merely wanted to guide the police investigation in the right direction, Gen. Prayuth responded angrily, " Go ahead. If there's any information, they should find it and send it to us officially."

The Press is supposed to report the News. Period. Not guide investigations. Evidence is supposed to guide investigations. The General has it right, if the Press has useful information they should report it through official channels. Otherwise the Press is wasting police resources in order to sell papers.

[ClutchClark]

This is what happens if you take a convicted pedo seriosuly, i told the whole forum he was a glory hunter from day one.

Who?

[ozzyrules]

This is what happens if you take a convicted pedo seriosuly, i told the whole forum he was a glory hunter from day one.

He did provide DNA...now who has not provided DNA? some sick puppies here...

[Bluespunk]

"Police had to waste their time following leads from these rumours," Pol.Gen. Somyot told reporters yesterday."

No they didn't. They could have ignored them and carried on doing their job.

[Lukecan]

This is what happens if you take a convicted pedo seriosuly, i told the whole forum he was a glory hunter from day one.

Who?

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

[phuketandsee]

You 2 are amazing. So the police should not be following up all possible leads? Most people believe this would have been pinned on some local patsy by now if it was not for all the foreign attention. Unfortunately it still might.

[phuketandsee]

And a lot of the press coverage has been due to the flood of ludicrous police statements

[Plutojames88]

Quote

According to Pol.Maj.Gen. Panya, police found no substance behind Mr. McAnna's accusation.

UnQuote

I said that at the beginning .

The man was obviously a fool and should be punished and jailed.

If not for working illegally , and accusing Thais of these crimes.

But for causing distress to the families of the deceased.

Lets see what the DNA turn up.

Very regrettable .

However , lets not use him as an excuse for the case running cold.

This is still an urgent case .

[ClutchClark]

"Police had to waste their time following leads from these rumours," Pol.Gen. Somyot told reporters yesterday."

No they didn't. They could have ignored them and carried on doing their job.

Oh sure, and then accused by every one of you guys for not following up on a lead from the Press.

Thai police are screwed either way by TV posters. Dam**d if they do and dam**d if they don't.

[ClutchClark]

You 2 are amazing. So the police should not be following up all possible leads? Most people believe this would have been pinned on some local patsy by now if it was not for all the foreign attention. Unfortunately it still might.

And you base this wild accusation on what proof?

[NongKhaiKid]

The BIB at their best - pointing !

Al the statements made show how pathetic this dis-organisation is and of course it's everyone else's fault..

' The officers shouldn't have believed the foreign press, time was wasted ... ".

Investigation BIB style, get information and make an instant decision to follow up or not, even even making it low priority. No investigation if it doesn't suit the game plan and don't forget who may be involved.

[Chang_paarp]

The total lack of professionalism demonstrated by the RTP has nothing to do with lack of progress?

[ozzyrules]

This is what happens if you take a convicted pedo seriosuly, i told the whole forum he was a glory hunter from day one.

So it seems it's the reward offered by the public, which was 714,000 but has now been reduced to 700,000 after (expenses?) versus 1 million that says the family has done nothing wrong but hasn't supplied DNA....plus the undisclosed fee for private police to chase Sean into fear....maybe another 2 milll..

and another cop in dark sunnies looking just a little sus.pointing at a reward sign...but this is not the I didn't do it or I'll give you a million sign, this is the other one.....story just gets better..when will the official forensic reports reveal that Hannah was raped after she was SHOT and then attacked with a Hoe to cover the wounds and then raped after death...I have solid advice from those that know this is what happenned..photos prove it....where is the justice?

[jaidam]

After solving this case, Sean was right to leave the country asap. His life was in grave danger for exposing the truth.

As for the police rubbishing his story, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

I think the world now understands why no witnesses rushed forward!

[ClutchClark]

How long do murder investigations take in your countries?

I guess from your posts every brutal crime is solved immediately back home with 100% success rate.

[Lukecan]

After solving this case, Sean was right to leave the country asap. His life was in grave danger for exposing the truth.

As for the police rubbishing his story, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

I think the world now understands why no witnesses rushed forward!

The truth? LOL

He said mafia threatened him with death!

That was clearly BS, why would they threaten some pedo loser instead of killing him right on the spot. Since they're the mafia they can do whatever they want on the island, which mafia would let you take a picture of them and let you surf on FB!

[ClutchClark]

This is what happens if you take a convicted pedo seriosuly, i told the whole forum he was a glory hunter from day one.

So it seems it's the reward offered by the public, which was 714,000 but has now been reduced to 700,000 after (expenses?) versus 1 million that says the family has done nothing wrong but hasn't supplied DNA....plus the undisclosed fee for private police to chase Sean into fear....maybe another 2 milll..

and another cop in dark sunnies looking just a little sus.pointing at a reward sign...but this is not the I didn't do it or I'll give you a million sign, this is the other one.....story just gets better..when will the official forensic reports reveal that Hannah was raped after she was SHOT and then attacked with a Hoe to cover the wounds and then raped after death...I have solid advice from those that know this is what happenned..photos prove it....where is the justice?

You should take this story to the police along with the name of the person you heard it from.

Or are you just blowing more smoke?

[jspill]

"Police had to waste their time following leads from these rumours,"

When they could have been spending their time 're-enacting the scene in the middle of the night, measuring the footprints of Burmese women and taking urine tests from Burmese males.'

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

[ozzyrules]

Media Parasites are a scourge everywhere.

Thanks alot CNN for introducing the world to 24/7 media coverage.

And when did the Press role become guiding investigations?

"When a reporter said the foreign media merely wanted to guide the police investigation in the right direction, Gen. Prayuth responded angrily, " Go ahead. If there's any information, they should find it and send it to us officially."

The Press is supposed to report the News. Period. Not guide investigations. Evidence is supposed to guide investigations. The General has it right, if the Press has useful information they should report it through official channels. Otherwise the Press is wasting police resources in order to sell papers.

I asked you this before, but you still haven't answered....

can you please provide the facts the police have provided that have been true and correct??

and perhaps a list of the ones that are not true? or am i streetching your memory?

go on indulge us..just the true ones...we're listening..

[bigjules007]

This whole investigation stinks of a cover up!! Why would this guy make all of this up, dont forget he was cleared of any involvment through a DNA test. He says he was threatened with being hung by the AC resort guys so as to be framed for the murders. I hope the real murderers are caught but to be honest I think its not going to happen.

[chooka]

That's right because the BIB are incompetent and have no idea what they are doing blame the farang media. I do believe the same stories are being published in the Thai media as well. Who failed to isolate and secure the crime scene from day one? Who allowed the every man and his dog to trample all over the scene totally destroying all evidence, it wasn't the foreign media. Who totally eliminated thais from the day one and said it was a foreigner responsible? Again not the foreign media.

Again a Thai in a position of responsibility has opened his mouth without engaging his brain. Gen. Somyot Pumphanmuang, the foreign media is going to have a field day on you and make you look like an absolute goose.

[ozzyrules]

After solving this case, Sean was right to leave the country asap. His life was in grave danger for exposing the truth.

As for the police rubbishing his story, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

I think the world now understands why no witnesses rushed forward!

The truth? LOL

He said mafia threatened him with death!

That was clearly BS, why would they threaten some pedo loser instead of killing him right on the spot. Since they're the mafia they can do whatever they want on the island, which mafia would let you take a picture of them and let you surf on FB!

Do you have any compassion feelings for the victims here??? Or are you just trying to maintain your position...

2 people were murdered, there is forensic proof (supplied on Facebook by the police at the crime scene) that the poor soul Hannah was raped after being beaten to death, and you are defending who exactly?????

Do you think everyone in the area should submit to DNA testing or should the Poo Yai and his family be exempt ..after all they have a million baht that says they didn't do it...shame on you, shame shame shame....

[Bluespunk]

You 2 are amazing. So the police should not be following up all possible leads? Most people believe this would have been pinned on some local patsy by now if it was not for all the foreign attention. Unfortunately it still might.

Rumours spread on social media are not leads. Leads derive from evidence. Not some no nothing fool talking BS on social media because they crave attention.

[Bluespunk]

"Police had to waste their time following leads from these rumours," Pol.Gen. Somyot told reporters yesterday."

No they didn't. They could have ignored them and carried on doing their job.

Oh sure, and then accused by every one of you guys for not following up on a lead from the Press.

Thai police are screwed either way by TV posters. Dam**d if they do and dam**d if they don't.

Nope. Not at all. Castigate the BIB for not following evidence or conducting a proper inquiry based on evidence. Social media is not evidence, it is idiots craving attention.

[NongKhaiKid]

It's common practice for police forces to make public appeals for information and to encourage results the request will indicate nothing is too trivial and everything will be checked. In practice this will involve an assessment and prioritisation for follow up.

The BIB are making it clear they will make an instant decision whether or not to follow up and if they don't like the source the info goes in the waste paper bin.

Foreigners not not apply.

Very professional.

[coma]

I have been defending thr BIB in tjis case up until now. Now I must say I am sorry for that. The BIB working on this case are a bunch of IDIOTS.

Any professional law enforcement agency would not allow its investigation to be hindered by rumours in the media. It just goes to show that they cannot come up with their own leads. Absolutely disgraceful and an embarrassment to themselves and the country they think that they serve.

Never have I heard of such an agency blaming the public for the own inability to conduct an investigation. Disgraceful.

[BSJ]

Lets face it, the RTP are NOT anywhere near the standard of police forces in most Western countries. That is why they rely heavily on informants. In this case if no-one in the know talks, the real killers will not be found.

[thesetat2013]

"Police had to waste their time following leads from these rumours," Pol.Gen. Somyot told reporters yesterday."

No they didn't. They could have ignored them and carried on doing their job.

Oh sure, and then accused by every one of you guys for not following up on a lead from the Press.

Thai police are screwed either way by TV posters. Dam**d if they do and dam**d if they don't.

Both of you should already know it is the responsibility of an investigator to follow up on ANY lead.

This is typical Thai behavior to lay the blame for their own ineptness and incompetence on somebody other than themselves. Thai culture teaches them to save face by any means even at the expense of others.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app