Suspects in Koh Tao backpacker murders retract confessions, says official

[phil2407]

Seems a bit odd that the 2 accused withdraw their confessions and then police say they think they might commit suicide - even though police said about suicide first ( maybe they already knew confessions had been withdrawn ) Get them in isolation ASAP and on cctv 24/7

I can see what's gonna happen - they will die in jail and case closed - then back to normal but I sincerely hope not

[catweazle]

Now, with the case derailing, DNA claims still only mentioning a cigarette bud, suspects retracting their confessions, international media questioning the investigative procedures, etc... where are ThaiJohnThai, stuttering Dodo and cronies?

[Commerce]

Mr Banana Pancake the Rohingya 'interpreter' who participated in the beating and confessions in action from the Irrawaddy FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=853663321344488

At 4:00 Mr Pancake asserts that that Wyn started off the killing spree by hitting David over the hit with a large wine bottle. So that's another murder weapon. He also says Hannah and David were having sex, in spite of no DNA evidence supporting that theory.

He speaks Thai with a heavy Indian accent. I wonder what his Burmese sounds like and how good is written Thai was to read back and translate the Thai confessions they were forced to sign. I also wonder what his work permit and visa look like, since Rohingya's are stateless.

I like how they report at the end that a some undercover police officers walked up to them as they were doing the interview and " listened " in. You can see the moment the police officer may have arrived when you see the interpreter's face light up like a Xmas tree at the 3 minute mark.

He has a very shifty look about him as he lies and embroiders. No way he could pass a polygraph test. I am surprised he is giving interviews that must be embarrassing for the police. I am imagine they will soon find a new pancake man and deport him as an illegal immigrant before he causes any more embarrassment.

No top professional lawyer/interpreter/representative of any type of law wears a fn lumberjack shirt, to begin with, in any country.

Phone set up, as admitted by RTP, is automatically case thrown out of court..... but there's a lot more to get the case thrown out of court.

The latter being the clear payment to RTP by the local mafia boss not to have his son or brother DNAd for the measly sum of 1M Baht....

This is all media recorded and reported..... case out!

[Commerce]

Now, with the case derailing, DNA claims still only mentioning a cigarette bud, suspects retracting their confessions, international media questioning the investigative procedures, etc... where are ThaiJohnThai, stuttering Dodo and cronies?

Probably on holiday on Khao Tao.

[transam]

Now, with the case derailing, DNA claims still only mentioning a cigarette bud, suspects retracting their confessions, international media questioning the investigative procedures, etc... where are ThaiJohnThai, stuttering Dodo and cronies?

Back in their police station.......?

[A1Str8]

What a strange happening. The cops said they didn't use scapegoats. And that everybody who says otherwise will be charged. Now the scapegoats decided to tell the truth. What now?

[Dogmatix]

Local mobster assisting police with their enquiries at the crime scene.

Wonder what the Thai police regulations are about sealing off crime scenes from the general public or are mobsters regarded as jv partners not the general public.

[Commerce]

This case will provide a realisation of sorts -

Thousands are cancelling as we speak-

Really. Who is cancelling? Most people are not following this case that closely

Can't say if they are thousands cancelling as we speak BUT

During last years October and November Full Moon Party days I had 286 beds/nights

booked and paid for. Not a single cancellation or "no shows".

For the first November week in 2013 I had an occupancy rate of 82%

During this years October and November Full Moon Party I had bookings for 27 beds/nights

From the 27 beds/nights bookings, I had 8 nights cancelled and 12 just didn't turn up.

For the first November week in 2014, I have an occupancy rate of 26%

Now I'm lucky, we are only a small resort with a pretty good reputation and still have

some customers, mainly Holiday people or People attending Yoga and dive courses

but NO party tourists. Those resorts without a decent reputation or the ones who rely

on Party Tourists, are having a hard time.

No problem for me personally, just gives me a well deserved rest but for others running

businesses here, times have become pretty tough for the small or medium businesses

here on the island as many of them have taken out loans to expand their places whilst

there was a tourist boom. Now, they can't pay back their debts to, .... well guess.

Again, the "Cream de la cream" have nothing to worry, if it's not tourist money flowing

into their pockets, then it's money or land from failed businesses.

If so, and I don't really believe you, but if so, how much do you pay the locals and BIB for caretaking YOUR business???????????????

[Dogmatix]

What a strange happening. The cops said they didn't use scapegoats. And that everybody who says otherwise will be charged. Now the scapegoats decided to tell the truth. What now?

Death by hanging.

[Pundi6446]

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

Might be too late for that, Police said they might try suicide, maybe we'll read tomorrows headlines, "Murder suspects commit suicide", then it'll be too late, the cops will say, see they were guilty after all the killed themselves.

Hope it's not too late for someone to do something fast here.

[SupermarineS6B]

Story time again..... This might shed some light on the lack of conviction in pursueing the murder case in Koh tao. Every few weeks i go to Soi 3 to an old friends Arabic restaurant, i like to have a coffee and sometimes a Sheesha, a little habit i picked up when i worked in the middle east. When i asked my friend for a sheesha, he informed me that the BIB had been round and confiscated his tabacco, and he was waiting for the outcome........ Anyway a week later i came back, and to my surprise there's the sheeshas in full view..... I asked him what had happened ? Well he said, the BIB confiscated the baccy, he was a bit upset as he had been paying the BIB the princely sum of 15,000 bht a month for the privalidge of selling it. Then he proceeded to tell me that the Army had come round the next day and informed him that the price was the same (15,000 bht pm) just he had to pay it to a different greasy palm, namely the Army............. Imagine the amount of Arabic restaurants in Soi 3 selling sheesha, and times that by 15,000 bht a month...... Pretty good money for sitting on yer arse ! There must be some serious coin changing hands at the moment between the BIB and the Army........... Stinks more than a Chinese squat toilet !

[smokie36]

I have no idea whether those in custody did it or not. But I think of the crash of the Concorde at de Gaulle Airport in 2000. I was watching the TV news and in the early reports they suggested: You know who flies on the Concorde -- Henry Kissinger, Madonna, Mick Jagger, etc.

I remember noting that the American TV news had a look of disappointment when they realized it was a group of German dentists who had chartered the flight so they could make a cruise connection in NYC.

If this turns out NOT to be a high level conspiracy involving bribes and blackmail and other perverse qualities it seems there will be a whole bunch who will be disappointed.

If they find the culprits and convict them on solid evidence then I am sure the vast majority of us will be satisfied regardless of their status.

[empireboy]

Honestly.... I think many self respecting intelligent people at least wondered if it were any different..

[Number 3]

Does somebody knows WHY we dont hear nothing from Sean MacAnna ? from what i saw he wrote on his facebook that he was in danger because of mafia and " AC bar owner did it ".

If what he wrote was really from him , why the hell this guy isnt talking , he is not in thailand anymore. Why UK police doesnt interview him ???

He posted on Soundcloud three times this morning, just after midnight. (There is a whole load of spam from a couple of idiots)

https://soundcloud.com/seanmcanna/johnny

"To everyone commenting. I never said I knew the killers. I said that if I died that night it was the guy from in touch who "did it". anybody with half a brain knows it would always be blamed on Burmese. I'm gutted for everyone involved, but there's really nothing I can do. I'm sorry the newspapers lied to you. Believe me, they lied about a lot of things. They just like a story."

"I think he knew who it was and needed a scapegoat. It would have been enough for me to "hag myself" in order for them to point the finger at me. My sister directed me to a Thai forum from a week before this all happened which I didn't know about at the time. It said I would be framed and so would the guy living in the cave in Samui. So somebody knew about this before I did."

I had that wound from the 9th. There are plenty of people who seen me with the cut every day in restaurants, bars and dive shops. When I left the message on his facebook a few days after (When Dave's name was released), I only meant that I knew the type of person he was. He was a great guy who would stand against wrong in any situation.

Make of that, what you will.....

Stumped that Sean breathed the same air as David let alone actually knew someone personally of such stature.

Mate ask yourself what would David have done for you ?

Not bothered what you smoked or injected in the past.

Self centred idyllic lifestyle has made you a small, sad man.

[JLCrab]

If, in fact, the 2 in custody are pronounced as guilty by a Thai court, then all those tales about how this unfortunate incident is an instance of corruption and indifference endemic in Thai society will have been for naught.

[Krenjai]

OK, case solved, dozens of anonymous emails from Koh Tao point to Warot Tuwichian + a buddy as the killers; Warot Tuwichian is the son of Montriwat Tuwichian, who is the owner of the AC bar, who refused a DNA test & is also the brother of Voraphan Toovichien, a local mafia politician & ra ra ra ra .. the Mayor of Koh Tao!

Only new DNA tests will either clear them of all these accusations or will show the truth IMHO, they better be quick since I fear we will read very soon the Burmese boys hanged themselves in their cell. If you were accused, what would you do to clear your name? Refuse DNA testing or volunteer DNA testing?

[Graham8888]

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

The anouncement that the police were to be rewarded as soon as the arrests were made - have the rtp officers already had this reward???!!!

[freedom4life]

I have no idea whether those in custody did it or not. But I think of the crash of the Concorde at de Gaulle Airport in 2000. I was watching the TV news and in the early reports they suggested: You know who flies on the Concorde -- Henry Kissinger, Madonna, Mick Jagger, etc.

I remember noting that the American TV news had a look of disappointment when they realized it was a group of German dentists who had chartered the flight so they could make a cruise connection in NYC.

If this turns out NOT to be a high level conspiracy involving bribes and blackmail and other perverse qualities it seems there will be a whole bunch who will be disappointed.

If they find the culprits and convict them on solid evidence then I am sure the vast majority of us will be satisfied regardless of their status.

Find them? They know who they are..they just won't touch them...yet?

[Number 3]

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

The anouncement that the police were to be rewarded as soon as the arrests were made - have the rtp officers already had this reward???!!!

The reward is applicable to catching the Burmese crooks.

Not the actual Thai crooks with army links !

Get that straight!

[Local Drunk]

...meanwhile in Africa women are being raped and murdered by "militia" in horrific civil war disputes, by the hundreds or thousands. When it happens to a tourist in Thailand it's world news. Not to be insensitive....

Not at all insensitive, more like off topic...

[Kan Win]

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.

Hopefully there was post-mortem made in the UK as well.

Rest in Peace both of you.

Win

[SupermarineS6B]

This case will provide a realisation of sorts -

Thousands are cancelling as we speak-

Really. Who is cancelling? Most people are not following this case that closely

Can't say if they are thousands cancelling as we speak BUT

During last years October and November Full Moon Party days I had 286 beds/nights

booked and paid for. Not a single cancellation or "no shows".

For the first November week in 2013 I had an occupancy rate of 82%

During this years October and November Full Moon Party I had bookings for 27 beds/nights

From the 27 beds/nights bookings, I had 8 nights cancelled and 12 just didn't turn up.

For the first November week in 2014, I have an occupancy rate of 26%

Now I'm lucky, we are only a small resort with a pretty good reputation and still have

some customers, mainly Holiday people or People attending Yoga and dive courses

but NO party tourists. Those resorts without a decent reputation or the ones who rely

on Party Tourists, are having a hard time.

No problem for me personally, just gives me a well deserved rest but for others running

businesses here, times have become pretty tough for the small or medium businesses

here on the island as many of them have taken out loans to expand their places whilst

there was a tourist boom. Now, they can't pay back their debts to, .... well guess.

Again, the "Cream de la cream" have nothing to worry, if it's not tourist money flowing

into their pockets, then it's money or land from failed businesses.

If so, and I don't really believe you, but if so, how much do you pay the locals and BIB for caretaking YOUR business???????????????

I believe the owner, and i sypathise with his plight, and his comment of people who have taken out loans with (Well guess) i well understand. But what worries me more is that these people (The locals) look on foreign businesses as something that will probably end up in their hands one way or another, depending on their desire to own what they did not build or work for...... Thailand is littered with these stories, and a lot of them involve violence..... Everyone pays in Thailand, some with money, and some with their life........ I was given a piece of good advice 25 years ago in a bar, " Take it from me mate, don't have anything you can't pick up and run away with in SE Asia" Good advice, becoming more relevant day by day..........

[Globeman]

"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?

Probably saying that according to Pornthip, the DNA evidence might be compromised. DNA collection and testing is not a simple process that just any clown can handle properly.

[McQwaid]

With some notable exceptions, Thai police are generally poorly educated and not very bright but their careers start with paying bribes to pass the police entrance exams. Those who get promoted to regional commands continue this trend but must also be aggressive and hungry with proven track records of passing enough money up the pyramids. They have to pay for plum jobs, followed by monthly fixed retainers. Jobs in tourist resorts are especially lucrative and command a premium. It is said that the Pattaya police chief job is worth B20 million a month in gross income before payment of the fixed retainer, so you can imagine how much the upfront premium might be for that job. Koh Tao and Koh Phangnan, which supervises Koh Tao, are not in the league of Pattaya, Phuket and Samui but they must also be lucrative posts. In addition to the daily crime busting work seen by the public police have responsibility to supervise a number of important businesses in partnership with local mafias, including protection rackets, illegal aliens, taxi scams smuggling of licquor, tobacco and oil, drug distribution, illegal lotteries and other forms of gambling, forest reserve encroachment, distribution of illegal cut wood etc etc.

Can you wonder that they are cosy with local mafias and resent being forced to do regular police work along with the intrusion of social media in their perfect little world?

It must be quite stressful paying all that money up front and passing bribes up the pyramid in the hope of getting into profit one day. They can't all end up at the top of the dung pile either, so spare a thought for those poor police recruits with their futures ahead of them!

I think the police "system" is a key part into looking deeply into Thailand's corruption problem and unsolved crime.

I great international media article could be helpful.

Expose the "system". Ask head people if they ever paid for a promotion or a post. Ask the head guy if he ever did.

Imagine working deep in this system as a cop/lawyer/politician and being confronted with a murder case like Khoa Tao. Concealing your past promotional maneuvers will rise to the forefront of your efforts. Human nature says so!

Genuine effort towards solving the case is in direct contrast to the system they work within. Their position has been bought and is not based on merit! Truly Solving the Khao Toa murder case(es) would expose themselves in many regards! Sincere efforts towards the case is like working against yourself. They all work within a delicate house of cards that requires loyalty to their promotional corrupt system. Nobody wants to Rat themselves out and work towards an effort that exposes them no matter how cool it would be to be the cop that solved the case.

Western cops/lawyers/officials have this motivation. They are in a (mostly) merit based system .... thank God.

"PROMOTIONS ARE BOUGHT AND ITS EFFECTS ON JUSTICE" - c'mon big time international media. Tie this headliner into the mysterious tropical island unsolved murder cases

[kingstonkid]

I am sorry for the families

BUT

WHAT IS WITH THE HOLIER THAN THOU ATTITUDE??????

How many tourists are killed in the UK? Are all the cases solved?

How many tourists in NYC or LA are killed and the murders not solved.

This whole put pressure on the Thais is crap.

I think the main reason that this is getting so much hype is that the News wants to try to stay away from local issues and give the people sensationalism.

There are Thousands if not millions of murders committed around the world that never get solved.

Why do the Thai's have to do something that Scotland Yard or the FBI with al their resources have trouble doing?

[catweazle]

He can try to downplay this as much as he likes, the ball is rolling, heads will follow soon!

[heyexile]

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.

Held responsible by whom? The Supreme Commander of the Police Dept (PM) and his friend, Police Commissioner General Somyut who is in charge of this case? Maybe by Social Media, which PM accuses of causing his govt `problems`

"Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Social media?.

[Doc46]

No comment,,,,,,Just not Rite

[kaobang]

This whole put pressure on the Thais is crap.

its not.

maybe some murders are not solved as you say in UK and US

however,the investigation is not crap like in thailand for this case

just tell me that a suspect is free to walk on the crime scene with the police as the pics prove in UK or US ..or the suspects are free to refuse to give a dna sample

[jamiesilver]

Here's a thought!

THAKSIN!

He and his crew have been awfully quiet this last few months, but if anything will bring down the new Junta some global corruption charges might!
Nothing would suprise me in the land of fake smiles...