Special report: Investigation into Koh Tao murders seriously flawed

[webfact]

SPECIAL REPORT
Investigation into Koh Tao murders seriously flawed
The Nation


Policemen comb the beach for more evidence last week during deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung

BANGKOK: -- Police investigation into the murder of Britons Hannah Victoria Witheridge and David William Miller on Koh Tao off the Surat Thani coast appears to be mired in flaws - some from outside factors and some from investigators' own mistakes.

One of the biggest flaws was when investigators wasted a lot of precious time by initially focusing their efforts on interrogating migrant workers and combing their accommodations - a move that many put down to racial bias.

The other key setback - perhaps the most vital one - was the police force's unsophisticated forensic technology and carelessness at the crime scene.

Later, the shifting of focus from migrant workers to tourists and Thai residents, including bar owners and their staff, also proved to be fruitless, turning up no new substantial clues or leads.

Also, initial theories - that the male victim and his male travel companion were close and that the killing may have been the result of jealousy - proved to be groundless. In addition, the victims' fellow travellers have all returned home.

Now the police are under extra pressure as the international media have started attacking them for what they call aimless efforts that have turned up no clues after nearly two weeks since the killings.

Some of these setbacks, however, cannot be solely blamed on the police. For instance, daily high and low tides have been washing away evidence on the beach and investigation personnel lost time while trying to get to the far-flung island.

Also, before local police officers arrived at the crime scene at dawn on September 15, many locals had already messed up the evidence by moving the two murder weapons - a hoe and a wooden stick - and thereby affecting the fingerprints. Then there's the problem of finding the people whose DNA has been discovered on cigarette butts and looking to see if they have any links to the murders.

Then there's the most puzzling piece of evidence only made public for the first time on Wednesday by deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung - a condom found in the area that had Witheridge's DNA on the outside but nothing on the inside.

Then there's her mobile phone, which has gone missing.

Thai police are reportedly coordinating with her family in the United Kingdom to get phone registration details and see if they can unearth any relevant clues.

In addition to this, the Thai Institute of Forensic Medicine's inability to verify the DNA and narrow it down to race, hair and skin colour has certainly slowed down scientific evidence, which is crucial in such mysterious killings.

Police initially thought of turning to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for help, but the idea was dropped when getting similar assistance from Singapore became an option.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Investigation-into-Koh-Tao-murders-seriously-flawe-30244163.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-26

[Minnehaha]

mired in flaws

[NeverSure]

"Police initially thought of turning to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for help, but the idea was dropped when getting similar inferior and controllable assistance from Singapore became an option."

[siampolee]

Special report: Investigation into Koh Tao murders seriously flawed

Special report: Investigation into Koh Tao murders seriously hampered by D.N.A. and other evidence being contaminated by ''filthy lucre.''

[daoyai]

They failed to mention the most important police error, allowing boats to leave the island. Their first and statisticly most probable suspects were Burmese workers, (4000+) most undocumented so they will never know who was even on the island at the time. Everything from that point has been confusion and incompetence. Now the polite are resorting to blame mode for their failure. Game over, bad guys win.

[phuketandsee]

"Then there's the most puzzling piece of evidence only made public for the first time on Wednesday by deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung - a condom found in the area that had Witheridge's DNA on the outside but nothing on the inside".

Wow - there's a new one!

[NongKhaiKid]

Aren't the RTP lucky they operate in the LoS where they can more or less do and say whatever they want and get away with it.

The local media won't really climb into them and there's many reasons for that.

The international press are only foreigners and easily dismissed out of hand.

There's also not much in the way of oversight so nothing much to worry about. In the past they had a ' self defence treaty ' with politicians so that was all good.

There might be a case to think the NCPO might get involved but the murder investigation has exposed so many flaws and generated so many irresponsible statements from various, and important, sources that things may be left alone as there's enough accountability to go around.

Accountability of course isn't a big issue here.

[englishoak]

Yes we messed up sorry about have a nice flight.................. see you and your wallet next year.

[MaxLee]

"Some of these setbacks, however, cannot be solely blamed on the police. For instance, daily high and low tides have been washing away evidence on the beach and investigation personnel lost time while trying to get to the far-flung island.

Also, before local police officers arrived at the crime scene at dawn on September 15, many locals had already messed up the evidence by moving the two murder weapons - a hoe and a wooden stick - and thereby affecting the fingerprints. Then there's the problem of finding the people whose DNA has been discovered on cigarette butts and looking to see if they have any links to the murders."

Eenemenii miny moo,... who is the next victim to go? Evidence flushed away by tide and waves, the nasty nasty water and the nasty nasty clueless locals are to blame....

[CUNJU]

has anything that has happened with the investigation not been expected

[phuketandsee]

I think it is becoming evident now (if not several days ago) that the BIB's credibility is totally shot. Without outside independent verification of all the evidence, who is going to believe their eventual conclusion?

I suspect many will only believe it now if it involves the so-called "powerful families"

[mrtoad]

This article is full of Thainess, I.e trying to shift the focus and blame away and not accept that this stinks of corruption.

[falangjim]

Not really. Put on inside out.

"Then there's the most puzzling piece of evidence only made public for the first time on Wednesday by deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung - a condom found in the area that had Witheridge's DNA on the outside but nothing on the inside".

Wow - there's a new one!

[Aussieroaming]

They can start a new branch of the Keystone Cops

[seahorse]

Smoke and mirrors.

[dinger]

"...investigation personnel lost time getting to the far flung island." <deleted> From BKK by plane and boat what a 3 or 4 hrs of hours?

[rixalex]

Why would they expect to find a woman's DNA on the inside of a condom?

[MJP]

Why would they expect to find a woman's DNA on the inside of a condom?

It was inside out?

[bannork]

Why would they expect to find a woman's DNA on the inside of a condom?

Perhaps they meant they found no DNA on the inside of the condom.

[lucaswallachia]

Well when the murders were first reported they said they found a condom. I assume what they mean is that Witheridge's DNA is found on the outside from it being worn inside her but they didnt find any DNA which they should of inside it from the male that would of worn it.

First ive heard though that the Hoe was moved and that they know what the second weapon was.

[traviss]

Why would they expect to find a woman's DNA on the inside of a condom?

I would also be interested in understanding this...

[Loles]

" ... made public for the first time on Wednesday by deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung - a condom found in the area that had Witheridge's DNA on the outside but nothing on the inside. "

PIIII LOK

so sorry for sarcasm, this is a disaster and not a police investigation

[phuketandsee]

Why would they expect to find a woman's DNA on the inside of a condom?

Perhaps they meant they found no DNA on the inside of the condom.

They clearly said nothing on the inside. Anyway, who believes anything these clowns say after all of this?

[exona]

In all my years here I've never seen crime scene tape little lone cops in blue tissue overalls and booties. The best is a bloke in a crash helmet pointing at <deleted>.

[JoeLing]

Awaiting the usual obscure clarifications .....

[kingstonkid]

Before we start jumping all over the thai police let me ask one question.

How many murders go unsolved in your old country where they have all the latest equipment and training.

There are a couple of things to rmember.

1 KT is a back packers paradise because there is no police and it is a free and easy place.

That is good if you want to let loose but also makes life easy forsomeone that wants to do harm.

2. because it is an island there is in actuality no way to stop boats fromleaving

[bkkgooner]

"Then there's the most puzzling piece of evidence only made public for the first time on Wednesday by deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung - a condom found in the area that had Witheridge's DNA on the outside but nothing on the inside".

Wow - there's a new one!

Seems fairly obvious that the two victims had sex, the bloke was incapable due to alcohol and then they were set upon by others. I think the opportunity has passed and the crime won't be solved now. I have no doubt they made a mess of the crime scene and probably missed other vital clues, these guys left their DNA all over the scene, they left the murder weapons, they left the bodies, they are the very definitions of criminal idiots and yet the Thai police are still flapping about two weeks later without a notion.

[chrisinth]

The main problem with "Special Reports" such as this is that these are the views of the Nation newspaper and as far as I can see, not comments from any expert.

Based only on what has been released into the public sector by the investigation teams.

IMHO, a major flaw with media in general and the readers of the majority of people that believe everything the see in print. Articles written, likely in good faith, displaying the viewpoint of the writer of the article. Sensationalized.

Yes, it appears that mistakes have been made and not what people would imagine in CSI or suchlike series. This is the real world chaps, not Hollywood.

IMHO of course.

[traviss]

"Then there's the most puzzling piece of evidence only made public for the first time on Wednesday by deputy national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung - a condom found in the area that had Witheridge's DNA on the outside but nothing on the inside".

Wow - there's a new one!

Seems fairly obvious that the two victims had sex, the bloke was incapable due to alcohol and then they were set upon by others. I think the opportunity has passed and the crime won't be solved now. I have no doubt they made a mess of the crime scene and probably missed other vital clues, these guys left their DNA all over the scene, they left the murder weapons, they left the bodies, they are the very definitions of criminal idiots and yet the Thai police are still flapping about two weeks later without a notion.

Well said...

[howzat]

But the keystone cops told us that the case will be wrapped up this week.

Let them do what they do best like taking bribes from motorists and on matters of serious nature call on outside help from people who do know what they are doing.

The world is still watching