Suspects in Koh Tao backpacker murders retract confessions, says official

[webfact]

Suspects in Thai backpacker murders retract confessions, says official
More doubts raised over forensics and statements of Burmese pair held for Hannah Witheridge and David Miller killings
Peter Walker and Kate Hodal

LONDON: -- Further doubts have emerged about the police investigation into the murder of two British backpackers in Thailand, after a Burmese official said the two migrant workers arrested for the crime had now retracted the confessions that were “beaten out of them”.

Amid a confusing picture fresh doubts have also been raised about forensic evidence supporting the case.

Thailand’s most prominent forensic investigator has questioned why an expert in the area was not used to collect samples following the discovery on 15 September of the murdered Britons, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, on Koh Tao island.

On Thursday reports said that a Burmese embassy official, Aung Myo Thant, described as a lawyer, had now formally retracted the statements of the Burmese suspects, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21. He had reported the concerns to the Burmese embassy, the Bangkok Post said, citing Burma’s 7Day newspaper.

Full story: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/09/thailand-backpacker-murders-suspects-confession-retract

-- the guardian 2014-10-10

[casindonet]

What will RTP do now?

[daveAustin]

Now get them into protective custody, i.e. away from the police.

[Fred Flinstone]

This case will provide a realisation of sorts -

Thousands are cancelling as we speak-

[anon7867763]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thailand-beach-death-parents-convinced-4410135

Another one

[MJP]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thailand-beach-death-parents-convinced-4410135

Another one

How many from other countries?

[englishoak]

No surprise there.

Well its looking more likely the killers could still be out there, while the BIB are deciding what to do next,

May I suggest the possibility this may not be such a unique event as first portrayed, others have been raped and even killed on KT recently

Time to start digging and looking for any other deaths, suicides, drownings rapes or serious beatings etc on Koh Tao and surrounding Islands over the years.

Watch the reports of rapes over this months full moon party or anything else of late like people winding up dead,

I reckon its worth looking into, a pattern may emerge.

[NextStationBangkok]

I am very surprised that Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan now saying this before rope in at the crime scene.

"Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, head of Thailand’s forensic science institute, reportedly asked why an expert was not used to collect samples following the murders and why qualified experts seemed not to have been involved in the case, which involved police are were also relying on DNA evidence."

She is award winning forensic scientist, she resolved many murder cases in Thailand, should have volunteered to investigate the case to save the Thai's reputation. Probably someone don't want her to be investigating the case ? This raises million questions. Now I would be surprised if they can prove the right culprit ??? or case is now compromised after two guys commit suicide after the Thai police predictions now ?? It is time for Interpol to take this case by asking a report through International Human Rights commission.

[thesetat2013]

What will RTP do now?

They will charge the bermy men with making the RTP look bad

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

[anon7867763]

RTP in a corner now , some interesting developements coming in.

[MrJohnson]

Has this made the Thai press yet?

[JOC]

Does that mean that the headman will get his money back from the police??

[Bluespunk]

"Thailand’s most prominent forensic investigator has questioned why an expert in the area was not used to collect samples following the discovery on 15 September of the murdered Britons, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, on Koh Tao island."

So are they saying the DNA evidence is not valid?

[BritTim]

It is difficult to imagine a worse time for this than during Prayut' s visit to Myanmar. Whatever the public statements might be, this surely must cast a shadow over the talks.

[coobah666]

Start to have a look at all the police in KT bank accounts and I think that it could give a independent investigator the real lead into the disgraceful handling of this.

IF IT SMELLS LIKE SHYT IT USUALLY IS !!!!!!!!! MONEY BUYS EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY

[englishoak]

"Thailand’s most prominent forensic investigator has questioned why an expert in the area was not used to collect samples following the discovery on 15 September of the murdered Britons, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, on Koh Tao island."

So are they saying the DNA evidence is not valid?

That looks to me like what what the lady effectively just said yes.

i dont see how it can be anything than invalid if it wasnt handled under strict expert forensic supervision when collected

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Police new "Suicide hotline" was timely installed!

[JOC]

.

She is award winning forensic scientist, she resolved many murder cases in Thailand, should have volunteered to investigate the case to save the Thai's reputation. Probably someone don't want her to be investigating the case ? This raises million questions. Now I would be surprised if they can prove the right culprit ??? or case is now compromised after two guys commit suicide after the Thai police predictions now ?? It is time for Interpol to take this case by asking a report through International Human Rights commission.

Apart from being an Award winning forensic scientist, she is also another corrupt Thai official!!

She made a substancial amount of money by giving the green light for the useless "bombdetectors" bought for the South!!

She couldn't care less if this case is solved or not, but is lured out of the woodwork for another 15 minutes in the limelight.

And why come forward after almost 3 weeks??

Edited October 10, 2014 by JOC

[baboon]

Has this made the Thai press yet?

Apparently so, yes, according to Mrs. Baboon.

[KarenBravo]

The RTP are so used to backing their version of events with threats and intimidation against any questioning of their actions and statements, that they are at a complete loss as to what to do now.

How do you threaten and intimidate mass media from all around the world?

Whatever the outcome of this case, you are going to see an improvement from the RTP when it comes to potential high profile investigations concerning citizens of other countries.

That maybe the only good thing to come out of this farce.

[NextStationBangkok]

ILO(International Labor Organization ) should take this case as an best of mistreatment of migrant labors to expose Thailand in the international society.

They are trying hard to find the ghost boats carrying 1000's of Burmese and Cambodian forced labors used for fishing and other hard jobs in Thailand. Even US and EU planning to ban the seafood import from Thailand. It is time for every international organization to rope in at this crisis and take charge to bring the better working conditions for labors. Most of them have to pay monthly bribes to police and treated like dogs.

This is a big catch for the human rights activists, if they are bold enough to come to Thailand to investigate this case. I afraid they may disappear as well with Thai Police protection.

It is a wake-up call for Thailand.

[siampolee]

This matter is slowly becoming an international affair and the multitude of ongoing concerns many have about the dubious standards of the police farce force here in Thailand are becoming more apparent each day..

For many a year the police farce force here have lined their pockets by colluding with criminals and lining their (the police farce force) pockets with incentive payments to modify criminal matters and also the condoning of outright fraudulent practices.

Now the account is being rendered for the resultant expense of perverting and obstructing the course of what masquerades as justice here.

At last the truth albeit it minuscule is beginning to emerge and the stinking carcass of the endemic corruption so entrenched in this society is starting to annoy others.

The world is a small village now and the truth cannot be contained and caged as it has been the case so often before.

[webfact]

State prosecutor advises police to fix some flaws in the tourist murder case before court trial



BANGKOK: -- The state prosecutor of the Eighth Prosecution Region has advised the police to find more information on some points which remain sceptical in the tourist murder case file before prosecution in the court.

The chief prosecutor Mr Thawatchai Siengjaew said he has received the murder case file from the prosecutor in Surat Thani province and has looked through all the file in details.

After studying the case file, he said there are some flaws in the file which are sceptical and needed to have more information.

He said he would send these sceptical points to the police to collect more information today to make the case more sold to proceed in the court.

He made clear that the request for more investigation did not mean the prosecutor returned the case file to the police, but was merely a recommendation to question more to make it solid.

The police are required to complete their findings on these points, which he said are not much, within seven days so prosecution could proceed.

He declined to elaborate the suspicious points but said it would be crucial for making decision whether to or not to prosecute the suspects in court.

Meanwhile The Telegraph daily of the UK reported today that the two migrant workers accused murdering two British tourists were reported to have retracted their confessions.

It said Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, were arrested last Friday for the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller whose disfigured bodies were dumped on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao on September 15.

The Telegraph said Aung Myo Thant, who has been described as a lawyer with connection to the Burmese embassy in Bangkok, met the accused men on Monday and, in interviews with Thai and Burmese media, said they claimed to have been beaten and threatened with electrocution in order to confess.

“They said they didn’t do it, that the Thai police beat them until they confessed to something they didn’t do,” he was quoted as saying by Myanmar’s 7Day Daily newspaper, the UK papers quoted the Bangkok Post as reporting.

“They were a really pitiful sight,” he added. “Their bodies had all sorts of bruises.”

Mark Kent, the UK ambassador in Bangkok, received a two-hour briefing on those allegations from human rights activists on Wednesday afternoon and Foreign Office officials, who initially offered support to Thai police, now say they are “concerned” about the alleged mistreatment of the accused men.

In a statement, the family of Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old from Great Yarmouth, also hinted at their concerns over the investigation.

“As a family we hope that the right people are found and brought to justice,” the statement, released ahead of Ms Witheridge’s funeral on Friday, said.

The father of Win Zaw Htun, one of the accused men, told Burmese media he did not believe his son was capable of murder.

“My son is helpful and friendly,” U Tun Tun Hteik told Myanmar’s Mizzima News website. “He is not a wild guy.”

“I think he will be released if the investigation into this case is fair and systematic.”

(Photo : Thai PBS File)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/state-prosecutor-advises-police-fix-flaws-tourist-murder-case-court-trial/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-10

[Elmer Gantry]

What has begun to amaze me is that posters on here are coming together.Before this tragedy we would infight with each other about the daily events in Thailand. ( Too many subjects to list ).Can we all be wrong about this topic?

[love1012]

The Prime Minister has gone to Myanmar today - i wonder what deal he will offer to Myanmar top brass in order to remove Myanmar opposition to RTP actions, convict the two and get the case closed

[love1012]

What has begun to amaze me is that posters on here are coming together.Before this tragedy we would infight with each other about the daily events in Thailand. ( Too many subjects to list ).Can we all be wrong about this topic?

...................and how together we have staved off the unwelcome attentions of JTJ

[ParadiseLost]

"Thailand’s most prominent forensic investigator has questioned why an expert in the area was not used to collect samples following the discovery on 15 September of the murdered Britons, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, on Koh Tao island."

So are they saying the DNA evidence is not valid?

Rational people have been saying there was reasonable doubt. I would say she confirmed doubt.

Edited October 10, 2014 by ParadiseLost

[KissMyAxe]

All this media attention is digging up a full can of worms at Koh Tao!

Thailand beach death: Parents convinced son murdered – and his killing covered up to protect tourism

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thailand-beach-death-parents-convinced-4410135#ixzz3FiLsnw5Z

[Elmer Gantry]

The Prime Minister has gone to Myanmar today - i wonder what deal he will offer to Myanmar top brass in order to remove Myanmar opposition to RTP actions, convict the two and get the case closed

They are no different from our pricks ( sorry that should read politicians ).great thing about the internet is that you can keep up with the news from your own abode.How bare faced liers they are.

[toybits]

The next step should be to punish in the most severe possible way the people responsible for "protecting" the safety of the two incarcerated Burmese suspect. Should they "die" while in custody of the Police, the station commander or prison chief should be held responsible and given the harshest of punishment. Perhaps, they would think about moving them elsewhere - where it is much safer for the two suspects.