Koh Tao: British tourist murder suspects confess to human rights commissioner

[catweazle]

Facts being ignored, like Sean as a key witness (or perhaps even accessory to murder) not being detained, the two men who chased and threatened Sean, the 8 or 9 push dagger wounds on David's head and neck, the fact that the Burmese guys needed to be told where to stand and what exactly to do during the reenactment as well as the fact that the accused do not describe a fist/knife fight with David before he was drowned, no explanations about how Hannah would be held quiet while David is being slaughtered, etc. should wake up not only this human rights commissioner, but the whole world.

What happens? Nothing! A petition, yeah... That petition will end up in a drawer somewhere of a useless and corrupt official and that's the end to it. Let's face it: Unless the parents speak up, nothing will change and they will fry those Burma kids alive.

Now let me say this: If any author would write a crime novel with the official RTP story being his story line while making the mistake of leaving all those other (above mentioned and more) question marks open, he would not sell one single book and critics would rip the author apart in mid air - he sure would never sell a book ever again and would be a subject to endless ridicule amongst the worldwide community of book authors and publishers. Think about it!

The pungent stench of this f#%&ed up invstigation make my eyes water and makes me lose faith in humanity.

Edited October 8, 2014 by catweazle

[restart67]

Police in Thailand have a long proven record of using scapegoats and of prosecuting the wrong person, and that is why this case needs scrutiny. It bothers many that government officials are not emphasizing a thorough investigation and fair trial to make sure they got the right person, but rather focusing on a quick conviction. There are way too many open questions, rumors of torture, and hints at a cover up at this point.

Also.... Here is a link to the article that some quotes are being pulled from. It is worth reading the whole thing.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/10/07/koh-tao-murders-accused-men-recant-confessions-tell-embassy-lawyer-they-were-tortured

Interesting link, thanks.

It seems the BIB are claiming the Myanmar national being held incommunicado as a witness is to prevent ' interference '. This is good from an organisation that hasn't stopped talking from Day 1 and is now holding press conferences to prove guilt, who needs due process in a court ?

The lawyer from Myanmar's Embassy says the two suspects are recanting their confession claiming it was made under duress.

It's also reported that the Embassy is ' satisfied ' with everything whereas a senior diplomat is quoted as elsewhere as disputing that claim from the Thai Foreign Ministry.

Way to go LoS this has been textbook procedure from the start so don't stop patting yourself on the back.

What's this all about? Now the two are denying involvement? Have the police answered back regarding this article? I think there is a crack in the dam and a little bit of murky water is leaking out....

[ChiangMaiThai]

Please stop with the independent DNA tests as we all know that is not the way things are done. Instead they will have a biased test run by their legal team who are going to do everything in their power to benefit their clients. This is the way legal procedures work in countries not turning to another country to appease public doubts or conspiracy nuts.

Besides, an independent DNA test would simply be met with folks saying Thais contaminated or gave wrong samples for testing.

To how many people and how many times must these two say they are guilty before people believe them?

How is independent DNA testing not the way things are done? What do you mean by "things"? How can you have biased test run? DNA either matches or it doesn't.

Now I'm suspicious.

One country doesn't turn to another country in a criminal case like this to confirm what they already know or can do themselves ... especially just to make public doubters happy. The UK would also never request to get involved like this. A country may offer their assistance but that is going to be it, they are not going to make a request because it would be highly out of line and not the way things are done.

And again, there is no reason for it as their lawyers can also have this same test done.

Is there any chance you could limit your posts to say 3 per day, making the points which you want to make in a single post every few hours instead of staying up day and night to immediately get in a post in response to anyone else and trying to ram your agenda down the throats of others? Someone must be paying you to do what you are doing. No one would would invest the time you are.

I've tried ignore but it doesn't seem to work with you as you post so quickly and always quote others so the filter can't get them all. It's really annoying! Get a life!

Here here! John is either ex law enforcement or has relatives in the industry. He obviously has a giant hard on for the police and lacks any ability to reason. Whatever the police say or do, they are right! Forget their terrible track record and look away from all the holes in this case! Look away!

[Hisseho]

There's always the conspiracy theorists who load conspiracy on to conspiracy and disappear up their own wazoo.

It would be so much easier if a. UK authorities had recovered DNA evidence from Hannah. b. Then took DNA evidence from the accused, and c. Confirmed Thai evidence.

That would be the end of this. Done. No further issue for normal people and the conspiracy theorists can get back to the X-Files or whatever it is they do.

I wonder if this is possible, or is being done? If possible, it needs to happen now and this can be very quickly resolved. Because normal people watching this from day one are quite right to question as they are.

You do not think they have long since this DNA, and they do not speak as a courtesy to the Thais on their sovereign soil. This is the explanation that I give you for free at the approbation of your ambassador.

When you travel or are migrated, you must accept the laws of the host country and its representatives. This simple truth seems to escape you.

An independent investigation by a team of British police, here's the most preposterous proposal read here. First, because it is not independent if it is Columbia, and also because it would be insulting to Thailand and finally because it would incur the acceptance of foreign police in place of the British police for every problem involving a foreign .

It is time to recognize that you are wrong from the beginning friend, and think next time before you proclaim your moods and your indecent demands.

[Holiday Maker]

Thought the bar owners son was supposed to be in BKK at university. Does he have a twin brother?

Clearly can be seen in 7/11 & searching under the counter looking for Sean.

[catweazle]

@ ChiangmaiThai: Don't waste your time with posters like thaijohnthailandjohn and the stuttering Dodo! Whatever you write, they will not take off their blinds and look at anything else but the RTP claims and the official statements made regarding the DNA samples. You hurt them best by completely ignoring them since their posts will (unquoted and unanswered) remain somewhere in the masses of other, more useful posts. If you get in a fruitless bitchfight with them, all you do is waste your time and energy and kind of "promote" their shallow minded and superficial posts by copying them all over the thread. Less is more! Keep up the good work and stay the way you are! Peace!

Edited October 8, 2014 by catweazle

[culicine]

Is it not a fact that the DNA samples were processed by the FBI ? If that is the case , all of the results would be retained on their data base .

To disprove the theory of a " set up " the Thai police could invite the FBI to substantiate the evidence and appease the world interest in this awful matter ,

It is a good opportunity for the Thai police to show their credibility and give sound assurances to the family and friends of the deceased plus the western world

tourists , that the whole case and trial have been carried out to the correct conclusion .

There should be no " losing face " for the Thai police in asking for assistance . It is a common event in the western world with the USA & UK sharing info along

with getting help from Interpol .and specialist forensic laboratories .

The FBI have had nothing to do with this case. Initial samples were processed in Singapore. They would have records. New swabs by independent investigators could clarify this. I just don't see the police allowing it, unless there is some court order making it possible. If the police are so sure of their case, why not allow more dna tests? This would surely appease most of the public - most Thais even think they are scapegoats! Not allowing it just shows they are hiding something.

[catweazle]

Thought the bar owners son was supposed to be in BKK at university. Does he have a twin brother?

Clearly can be seen in 7/11 & searching under the counter looking for Sean. ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1412737494.645074.jpg

Left is the owner of AC bar, a "weapons lover" and next to him is a friend of his who is with the police as far as I understood the descriptions on CSI LA which mostly are in Thai.

[JohnThailandJohn]

@ ChiangmaiThai: Don't waste your time with posters like thaijohnthailandjohn and the stuttering Dodo! Whatever you write, they will not take off their blinds and look at anything else but the RTP claims and the official statements made regarding the DNA samples. You hurt them best by completely ignoring them since their posts will (unquoted and unanswered) remain somewhere in the masses of other, more useful posts. If you get in a fruitless bitchfight with them, all you do is waste your time and energy and kind of "promote" their shallow minded and superficial posts by copying them all over the thread. Less is more! Keep up the good work and stay the way you are! Peace!

Yes, and ignore the DNA which can be retested again independently by their legal team and ignore the fact they have admitted they are guilty to the police, their embassy staff and lawyers and a Human Rights group. ie. Ignore the facts and focus on theories with no basis or a false basis or at best based on partial information.

These guy have repeatedly admitted (even to their own advocates) they violently killed 2 UK Tourists and raped one of them .... but lets ignore this and donate them money to help them get off as at least one poster recommends. Sick

[ScotBkk]

Lawyer Aung Myo Thant said the pair, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, from the Arakanese town of Kyaukphyu, told a Burmese embassy legal team they had murdered English tourists

Speaking to DVB on Monday, Kyaw Thaung, a representative of the Myanmar Association in Thailand, who attended the interview with the defendants, said, “We went to the prison [on Koh Samui] and were allowed to meet with the two freely. They confessed to committing the crime under the influence of alcohol.

https://www.dvb.no/news/koh-tao-murderers-were-tortured-says-burmese-embassy-lawyer-burma-myanmar/44781

JTJ.

If you got paid for Hijacking Threads .. you would make a fortune ...

Somewhat Pathetic my Cynical friend ................. Pray tell me .. if they get found NOT GUILTY .. will you apologise to everyone on tv ???

Edited October 8, 2014 by ScotBkk

[uty6543]

Beer and wine?

Migrant workers?

Is wine cheap on Koh Tao?

I know in Bangkok the cheapest wine is about 350 Baht a bottle. Surely these people won't spend a days wage on a bottle of wine.

A bottle of sato (rice wine) is 35 baht available from 7/11 but still does not make them guilty.

[Thailand]

Well a statement like that, anywhere else in the world would probably bring an instant mistrial.

Pure heresay

Hearsay only applies to testimony in court. Nowhere that I am aware would there be a mistrial because somebody freely is reporting to the press what the suspects freely told them. Not to mention this case is going to be heard in front of judges and not a novice public jury who could be influenced by media reports.

If you ever go to trial for anything pray that you get a good lawyer and a novice jury and and not a couple of judges.

[stephen terry]

I hope the Burmese lawyers appoint a doctor to assess any injuries on the two accused in order to back-up or refute their claims of torture. That should be a priority. Photographic evidence a requirement.

I wouldn't support their collection of DNA samples from the accused and have them sent to the UK (or vice-versa) for comparison with the UK autopsy, because a no-match would be subject to accusations of deliberate misinformation. Therefore, only an independent comparison would be acceptable, but in all honesty I cannot see the PM accepting this as head of a sovereign state.

The lawyers should pick-up on the unidentified third person's DNA found on Ms W's chest, which is yet unmatched, and question the RTP's case that only the two accused were involved as per the reenactment scene.

They should also examine the RTP's DNA evidence to establish exactly what was matched to what. A cigarette butt or semen?

I hope they will be able to cross-examine the witness, who has been cleared of even being at the murder scene - although I don't hold out much hope of that.

Whatever the outcome, the RTP has not come out of this investigation smelling of roses.

[sweatalot]

Just a question: is it possible

that the police might have used some pressure

to the accused burmese men

to tell they committed the crime ?

[SOTIRIOS]

????????????????? ........where did you find this..........???????????????????

Mr Prinya Sirisarakan was told this by these suspects' interpreter.

http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/burmese-suspects-koh-tao-murders-tortured-interrogation-lawyer.html

Aung Myo Thant, a Burmese lawyer who is part of a legal team sent by the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok to represent the accused, told The Irrawaddy that Win Zaw Htun was assaulted and threatened after refusing to confess to the murders during a police interrogation.

“He didn’t confess when he was in the investigation center,” Aung Myo Thant said. “A police officer hit the side of his face and the interpreter also hit him four times. Then police threatened to electrocute them [the suspects] and said that no worse thing would happen to them if they confessed. So, they finally confessed as they saw no hope.”

[safirees]

The cigarette butts with their dna found on the beach is part of the strong evidence against them. Now these boys were both very drunk from beer and wine. Were are the bottles that these two drank from I wonder?

After they raped and committed the murders they went and pick up the bottles ?

[TheCruncher]

Great idea - lets just answer all TJT's posts with "Thailand will host the tour de france 2015". He is a troll, with no respect for the dead victims who repeats the same thing in every post.

We know what we believe and there is enormous and strong evidence for misdoing from the time the crime scene was compromised and revisited a few hours after the deaths to yesterday when victims stated they had been beaten and showed bruising and clearly these framed suspects are being tortured and forced to confess to false dna tests on a daily basis until the prosecution is rushed through to save police/thai mafia face from destroying the tourist industry.

No matter how much you spin - THAT is the truth that most can clearly see. A child of 5 can see that pro real murderer posters is dodging the REAL questions on someones orders which they are probably being paid a paltry sum to do.

My thought on this is as follows - The RTP will do what it want to do and Thailand will follow to save its face and its money from tourism. In the long run Tourism willreturn to normal because people come here for certain things that are freely available. There will probably be another similar incident and so the cycle will continue. One day we may find that there is an incient bigger than this. If cancer is untreated it spreads and its soon out of control. Thai people suffer the same fate as Hannah and David remember.

Foriegn countries should be listing Thailand in a ranking of dangerous places to visit and making this information available to everyone not because it is the number 2 destination where westerners are killed, but because the authorities insist on protecting their criminals.

However, Thailand CANNOT change the fact that those outside who are aware of the facts of this case are seeing it for what it is - a framed cover up. As a footnote I know someone who phoned home to a western country on Sunday and their parents were worried about them remaining in Thailand - the first time in 12 years they have expressed any concen. News IS SPREADING!! We need to make people MORE aware of the danger of Thai lawlwssness!

We know what we believe

That sums it up doesn't it ?

As a footnote I know someone who phoned home to a western country on Sunday and their parents were worried about them remaining in Thailand - the first time in 12 years they have expressed any concen. News IS SPREADING!! We need to make people MORE aware of the danger of Thai lawlwssness!

When the conspiracy start to be pierced one by one, lets switch to scare mongering tactics. I assume you, if you actually ever been in Thailand, are running already from this so dangerous place.

[TheCruncher]

Lawyer Aung Myo Thant said the pair, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, from the Arakanese town of Kyaukphyu, told a Burmese embassy legal team they had murdered English tourists

Speaking to DVB on Monday, Kyaw Thaung, a representative of the Myanmar Association in Thailand, who attended the interview with the defendants, said, “We went to the prison [on Koh Samui] and were allowed to meet with the two freely. They confessed to committing the crime under the influence of alcohol.

https://www.dvb.no/news/koh-tao-murderers-were-tortured-says-burmese-embassy-lawyer-burma-myanmar/44781

JTJ.

If you got paid for Hijacking Threads .. you would make a fortune ...

Somewhat Pathetic my Cynical friend ................. Pray tell me .. if they get found NOT GUILTY .. will you apologise to everyone on tv ???

What is your offer to John when it turns out to be the opposite ?

[RottingCorpse]

You couldn't make it up....oh wait....

[POPSKI82]

Interesting the number of new accounts and posters who have joined these discussions in the last 5 days who seem to be trolling the pages left right and centre...

One must wonder who would fund such a thing, as it would seem to be a counter productive use of time for a person without a specific agenda... say, distracting the forums discussion, offering threats, trolling or even being felicitous...

...but who would want that to happen?

[JohnThailandJohn]

Lawyer Aung Myo Thant said the pair, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, from the Arakanese town of Kyaukphyu, told a Burmese embassy legal team they had murdered English tourists [/size]

on Monday, Kyaw Thaung, a representative of the Myanmar Association in Thailand, who attended the interview with the defendants, said, “We went to the prison [on Koh Samui] and were allowed to meet with the two freely. They confessed to committing the crime under the influence of alcohol.

JTJ.

If you got paid for Hijacking Threads .. you would make a fortune ...

Somewhat Pathetic my Cynical friend ................. Pray tell me .. if they get found NOT GUILTY .. will you apologise to everyone on tv ???

What is your offer to John when it turns out to be the opposite ?

They will just widen their conspiracy to include their lawyers and the court along with those already involved including police, rich Thai family, witnesses, DNA, the suspect themselves, their embassy and Human Rights Group that has also publicly confirmed their confession.

Edited October 8, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[TheCruncher]

The cigarette butts with their dna found on the beach is part of the strong evidence against them. Now these boys were both very drunk from beer and wine. Were are the bottles that these two drank from I wonder?

If you get drunk somewhere, do you usually carry with you the empty bottles wherever you go after that ?

[Toscano]

I read all the doubters here who are certain these two young men are scapegoats .

Why bother , let them go free , drop the case altogether , lest every suspect be deemed a scapegoat .

ATF

It will have been David's sperm in a condom , but nobody dares to suggest the young couple were having sex on the beach when they were attacked .

[jacky54]

Beer and wine?

Migrant workers?

Is wine cheap on Koh Tao?

I know in Bangkok the cheapest wine is about 350 Baht a bottle. Surely these people won't spend a days wage on a bottle of wine.

For people down here wine is the same as spy classic, red, black.

weak as pxss and a girlie drink I have honestly never seen any asian male drinking this stuff and it is not relativley cheap either. Wine in 7/11 is 299 for mont clair, or lately Berri Estates which is stronger, never seen a poor Asian bloke drinking this either. Asian males drink mainly leo and any spirit they call whisky, it would be more convincing if they had said lao khow

Edited October 8, 2014 by jacky54

[Danhig]

One day they've been tortured until they confessed (independent media report).

The next day they've freely confessed to the Thai authorities. (Thai government report)

Who on Earth to believe.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Lawyer Aung Myo Thant said the pair, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, from the Arakanese town of Kyaukphyu, told a Burmese embassy legal team they had murdered English tourists

Speaking to DVB on Monday, Kyaw Thaung, a representative of the Myanmar Association in Thailand, who attended the interview with the defendants, said, “We went to the prison [on Koh Samui] and were allowed to meet with the two freely. They confessed to committing the crime under the influence of alcohol.

https://www.dvb.no/news/koh-tao-murderers-were-tortured-says-burmese-embassy-lawyer-burma-myanmar/44781

The 'can't admit I was wrong' mob - and they are the large majority, are really clutching at straws now!!!

I feel vindicated in my belief that they were the murderers and rapists all along!!! I can't believe how the 'duped' are still trying to spin the story in their direction when it is sooooo obvious that IT WAS DEM DAT DID IT. My god, they must feel rather foolish now with that pathetic online petition, I laughed when I kept on seeing "come on boys only 850 signatures to go, we can do it". Do what, may I ask? make yourselves look even more ridiculous with your pointless antics in trying to get 2 murderers set free when all of the main evidence and guilt admittances to the Burmese authorities and Human rights 'wasters' clearly show one thing - and that is they are not as pure as their angelic faces imply!!! .

Where next boys???

[minikev]

Facts being ignored, like Sean as a key witness (or perhaps even accessory to murder) not being detained, the two men who chased and threatened Sean, the 8 or 9 push dagger wounds on David's head and neck, the fact that the Burmese guys needed to be told where to stand and what exactly to do during the reenactment as well as the fact that the accused do not describe a fist/knife fight with David before he was drowned, no explanations about how Hannah would be held quiet while David is being slaughtered, etc. should wake up not only this human rights commissioner, but the whole world.

What happens? Nothing! A petition, yeah... That petition will end up in a drawer somewhere of a useless and corrupt official and that's the end to it. Let's face it: Unless the parents speak up, nothing will change and they will fry those Burma kids alive.

Now let me say this: If any author would write a crime novel with the official RTP story being his story line while making the mistake of leaving all those other (above mentioned and more) question marks open, he would not sell one single book and critics would rip the author apart in mid air - he sure would never sell a book ever again and would be a subject to endless ridicule amongst the worldwide community of book authors and publishers. Think about it!

The pungent stench of this f#%&ed up invstigation make my eyes water and makes me lose faith in humanity.

You can't just state stuff as fact or facts being ignored because you believe them to be true.

I also have my own questions about this case and I don't think it's over yet.

You state as a fact that David has push dagger wounds when the pathologist states should they have been push dagger wounds there would have been marking to the bone below and there wasn't. I'm sure the pathologist is better qualified to make this statement and I'm sure he is aware that there will have been someone checking when David was sent home.

Really there are so many people on here twisting what is been said to suit their own idea of what happened. We only have the information supplied to us by the police and some from the media (which has not always been consistent)

One other point please leave the parents alone!! They are grieving.

[boomerangutang]

Lawyer Aung Myo Thant said the pair, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, from the Arakanese town of Kyaukphyu, told a Burmese embassy legal team they had murdered English tourists [/size]

Speaking to [/size]DVB on Monday, Kyaw Thaung, a representative of the Myanmar Association in Thailand, who attended the interview with the defendants, said, We went to the prison [on Koh Samui] and were allowed to meet with the two freely. They confessed to committing the crime under the influence of alcohol. [/size]

https://www.dvb.no/news/koh-tao-murderers-were-tortured-says-burmese-embassy-lawyer-burma-myanmar/44781

In the same release by the same man:

The defendants kept repeating that they were very drunk that night. Based on what we have been told, it seems to us like this case is a set-up and not based on hard facts.

From the same news article: "When asked for further details, they said they bashed the victims two or three times each with the blunt end of a hoe, but not with the sharp end. They said they did it because they were drunk but did not intend to kill the couple."

Two things wrong with this contrived statement: #1: Police have consistently said there was none of David's blood on the hoe. #2. If the Burmese did any of this (which I completely doubt) then they bludgeoned the girl's head to a pulp. Hardly the actions of people who do not intend to kill.

"The embassys Htun Aye said the team requested a copy of the investigation report from Koh Samui police but were refused." Boomerangutang's comment: speaks volumes about how Thai officialdom is going to do everything they can to cement the frame-up. Expect more of the same, particularly when it comes to DNA.

[HollyT]

So far I've just been reading these posts without commenting, but Coconuts Bangkok have reported that the Burmese have recanted their confessions. Haven't seen about this anywhere else?

[JohnThailandJohn]

Beer and wine?

Migrant workers?

Is wine cheap on Koh Tao?

I know in Bangkok the cheapest wine is about 350 Baht a bottle. Surely these people won't spend a days wage on a bottle of wine.

For people down here wine is the same as spy classic, red, black.

weak as pxss and a girlie drink I have honestly never seen any asian male drinking this stuff and it is not relativley cheap either. Wine in 7/11 is 299 for mont clair, or lately Berri Estates which is stronger, never seen a poor Asian bloke drinking this either. Asian males drink mainly leo and any spirit they call whisky, it would be more convincing if they had said lao khow

Maybe in addition to being murderers and rapists they lie too. Because God knows the case comes down to the public needing to know before the court case begins the type of alcohol they consumed, where they consumed it and what they did with their empties.

Ignore the actual evidence including the DNA and repeated confessions to their own advocates and focus on complete utter BS details of things that have not been shared, at least at this point.