Media, police forensic experts leave Koh Tao

[webfact]

Media, police forensic experts leave Koh Tao
The Nation

KOH TAO: -- FORENSIC POLICE yesterday pulled out of Koh Tao after completing their task collecting DNA samples from a large number of men, both Thai and migrant workers, in their hunt for the killers of two British citizens.

Their last task prior to leaving the island was teaching local police and non-forensic officers in the area how to improve crime scene inspections, including preserving crime scenes and correctly collecting DNA samples. Officers from the Crime Scene Investigation unit remain to try to solve the crime with local police.

A large number of foreign and Thai journalists have also left Koh Tao, as there has been little progress in the case. A police command post on the island remains, but has not seen much activity.

Foreign tourists still arrive in smaller numbers, reportedly not because of the gruesome killings but because it is the low season. Koh Tao is regarded as a good diving site.

The chairwoman of Koh Pha-ngan tourism promotion association, Wannee Thaiphanich, said she was puzzled with the police techniques on solving the murders, but still believed that they would soon catch the murderers. She said tour operators and residents still felt good towards authorities.

Meanwhile, a male university student yesterday showed up at the Metropolitan Police Bureau together with his mother and a lawyer to claim his innocence. The unnamed junior said he had been distraught by coverage of certain media outlets implicating him as a suspect in the murder of the two Britons.

Lawyer Atthakorn On-art said the man had an alibi and pictorial evidence of the student, 22, being in Bangkok at the time of the murders before dawn on September 15. He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Media-police-forensic-experts-leave-Koh-Tao-30244507.html

-- The Nation 2014-10-01

[sjjmmi]

So game over then

[EricBerg]

Everybody's leaving, case closed, tourism will pick up at some point.

"Their last task prior to leaving the island was teaching local police and non-forensic officers in the area how to improve crime scene inspections, including preserving crime scenes and correctly collecting DNA samples."

Some teachers...

[hound]

Did he provide a DNA sample?

[thesetat2013]

A large number of foreign and Thai journalists have also left Koh Tao, as there has been little progress in the case.

What happened to 85% of the case being concluded and arrests pending?

Maybe they were counting on the testimony from the man in a related article about him beaten

to be a witness for the crime when he had no knowledge to help them.

This case is truly a farce

What was the point of all the police forensic experts anyway when the crime scene was ruined and the evidence tainted.

And why are they still trying to Blame a farang when they know already it was asian semem found inside the woman.

This case will never be solved unless the killer/s have so much guilt that they are possessed to confess

[siampolee]

Lawyer Atthakorn On-art said the man had an alibi and pictorial evidence of the student, 22, being in Bangkok at the time of the murders before dawn on September 15. He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

Or in truth he ''skipped'' the important classes despite coming exams as he wasn't actually there.

[JOC]

So now this is officially another unsolved murdercase in Thailand??

And the dark side (the wellconnected family) won again!!

So convenient that media and forensic police leave just before the high season.

[chrisinth]

It is only the forensic guys that have left the island, according to the OP, so I wouldn't think that it is all over. Officers from the Crime Scene Investigation unit still remain there.

[Local Drunk]

Lawyer Atthakorn On-art said the man had an alibi and pictorial evidence of the student, 22, being in Bangkok at the time of the murders before dawn on September 15. He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

Or in truth he ''skipped'' the important classes despite coming exams as he wasn't actually there.

You know the saying... "Give him enough rope..."

[JeremyBowskill]

Think the best we can hope for is 1 of the forensic experts is a Dexter fan.

[LennyW]

The team may be leaving the island....but the merry go round continues!!

[smutcakes]

Lawyer Atthakorn On-art said the man had an alibi and pictorial evidence of the student, 22, being in Bangkok at the time of the murders before dawn on September 15. He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

Or in truth he ''skipped'' the important classes despite coming exams as he wasn't actually there.

You know the saying... "Give him enough rope..."

Hmm yes, if he did have something to do with it, he is not playing a particularly clever game.

His name had largely been forgotten about in the press, but he seems to be doing a good job of pulling the focus back to him.

[spidermike007]

The chairwoman of Koh Pha-ngan tourism promotion association, Wannee Thaiphanich, said she was puzzled with the police techniques on solving the murders, but still believed that they would soon catch the murderers. She said tour operators and residents still felt good towards authorities.

Well, either Wannee is living in a dream world, or she is completely full of sh**. Nobody feels good about the authorities. Not before, and certainly not now. Nobody likes an authority that is fully compromised. There are 35 dollar Boston street hookers with more integrity. Talk about bought and paid for. The status quo remains fully intact. The army turns out to be an enforcer of the status quo, after all. All talk and little action makes Johnny a dull boy indeed.

[andygunther]

Did he provide a DNA sample?

He was not on the island when it happened, according to him. So he don't need to make a test.

Amazing Thailand ....

[Tatsujin]

A large number of foreign and Thai journalists have also left Koh Tao, as there has been little progress in the case.

What happened to 85% of the case being concluded and arrests pending?

Maybe they were counting on the testimony from the man in a related article about him beaten

to be a witness for the crime when he had no knowledge to help them.

This case is truly a farce

What was the point of all the police forensic experts anyway when the crime scene was ruined and the evidence tainted.

And why are they still trying to Blame a farang when they know already it was asian semem found inside the woman.

This case will never be solved unless the killer/s have so much guilt that they are possessed to confess

They are not still trying to blame a "farang" (unless something new has changed yet again), they have been saying it's a "foreigner".

A "farang" is typically used to refer to someone of "caucasian" descent, a "foreigner" is anyone who is non-Thai, which includes of course the Burmese and Malaysians who I am sure will be the ultimate scapegoats for all of this. 1 million baht goes a long way, with I'm sure more to follow.

[Local Drunk]

Lawyer Atthakorn On-art said the man had an alibi and pictorial evidence of the student, 22, being in Bangkok at the time of the murders before dawn on September 15. He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

He said the student skipped important classes despite coming exams, because he was stressed out by the reports. The student said he wanted an apology from the media for twisting facts against him.

Or in truth he ''skipped'' the important classes despite coming exams as he wasn't actually there.

You know the saying... "Give him enough rope..."

Hmm yes, if he did have something to do with it, he is not playing a particularly clever game.

His name had largely been forgotten about in the press, but he seems to be doing a good job of pulling the focus back to him.

OMG! We actually agree on something!

[andygunther]

Think the best we can hope for is 1 of the forensic experts is a Dexter fan.

Good one !! We can always hope ....

[NongKhaiKid]

Will they actually arrest someone before high season to prove it's all ok or will this be allowed to go quiet in the hope it will be forgotten about ?

This has been a mess since the off and all self-inflicted. If they do arrest someone it will be viewed with suspicion, no arrest and the occasional question about developments which can be fobbed off.

Too much happening all over the world for the international media to maintain an interest.

[MrWorldwide]

Everybody's leaving, case closed, tourism will pick up at some point.

"Their last task prior to leaving the island was teaching local police and non-forensic officers in the area how to improve crime scene inspections, including preserving crime scenes and correctly collecting DNA samples."

Some teachers...

Caught my eye too - wouldnt those techniques be 'Policing 101' at the Academy ? Perhaps not DNA samples, but preserving the crime scene seems pretty basic to me, unless of course I had to deal with people who were further up the food chain than me and had a vested interest in contaminating said crime scene.

[inzman]

Looks like they are hoping this will all just go away. Life will go on as as usual. This will be one of those cases talked about for years as in, yea remember the murders and rape that happened where the killer was able to buy his way out. Oh yea, TIT

[rhythmworx]

Welcome to Thai Rock.

Edited October 1, 2014 by rhythmworx

[Anthony5]

If only a few of Thaivisa's finest had taken the time to travel to Koh Tao, instead of staying behind their keyboards, the case would have ben solved a week ago and people been on deathrow by now.

[ttthailand]

Can a hair sample provide enough

DNA ?

[SteveFong]

hair provides DNA and toxicology

Edited October 1, 2014 by SteveFong

[ChrisY1]

I would like to know if Sean McA. has been interviewed by the British police .....if he has in fact returned to the UK.

Where is he?....From what I remember, he was being "safeguarded" in BKK.........

Maybe a no brainer, but, he did give a fairly compelling account of the goings on.......yes...he has a past conviction of kiddie porn.......but maybe that shouldn't make him completely unreliable .

Edited October 1, 2014 by ChrisY1

[falangjim]

http://prachatai.org/english/node/4373

Police still searching for a scapegoat.

[Anthony5]

I would like to know if Sean McA. has been interviewed by the British police .....if he has in fact returned to the UK.

Where is he?....From what I remember, he was being "safeguarded" in BKK.........

Maybe a no brainer, but, he did give a fairly compelling account of the goings on.......yes...he has a past conviction of kiddie porn.......but maybe that shouldn't make him completely unreliable .

Luckily another member has discovered the whereabouts of Sean, not sure if the BIB are aware of it already.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/762739-southern-police-chief-enough-evidence-in-british-tourists-murder-case-to-make-arrest-now/?p=8461160

Edited October 1, 2014 by Anthony5

[Commerce]

Police forensic experts leave Koh Tao

The Chief of which who believes somebody is a mechanic because he has a spark plug in his pocket.

[MrWorldwide]

If only a few of Thaivisa's finest had taken the time to travel to Koh Tao, instead of staying behind their keyboards, the case would have ben solved a week ago and people been on deathrow by now.

7 posts and you're having a dig ? At this rate, you'll be one of the aforesaid 'finest' by the end of October.

[trainman34014]

The 'sweeping under the carpet' stage has begun and in another week or two it will all be forgotten and Thailand back to normal. So inconvenient when Farang get murdered because if it had been Thai's some Burmese scroat would have been in the clanger by now and all done and dusted.

The only way to hurt this country is deprive it of money, they care nothing for anything else, and all Western Governments should do all they can to stop people coming. Sad to say but nothing of the sort will be done because right now all that matters is bombing Islamic's in Iraq and Syria.