Myanmar Leader Asks Thai PM for ‘Fair’ Probe on Tourist Murders

[SeaVisionBurma]

Yangon. Myanmar’s president has asked Thailand’s visiting premier to ensure a “clean and fair” investigation for a pair of Myanmar nationals charged with murdering two British tourists, an official said Friday.

By Agence France-Presse on 07:28 pm Oct 10, 2014

The comments came after reports the accused were tortured into confessing — an allegation Thailand has strongly denied.

The high-profile murder case was discussed during talks between President Thein Sein and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is visiting Myanmar on his first overseas foray since seizing power in a coup.

The charges of murder and rape against the two Myanmar men were filed last week after police said the undocumented migrant workers had confessed to killing the British holidaymakers on the southern Thai island of Koh Tao in September.

But reports in Myanmar and Thai media have said the accused told a lawyer that they confessed to the crime after being tortured, prompting rights groups to demand a probe into their treatment.

“If they are guilty, action should be taken according to the law. However, the investigation needs to be clean and fair,” said Thein Sein during talks with Prayut in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw on Thursday, according to a senior source at the president’s office.

Read the full article here: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/international/myanmar-leader-asks-thai-pm-fair-probe-tourist-murders/

[LivinginKata]

If they are guilty, action should be taken according to the law. However, the investigation needs to be clean and fair, said Thein Sein during talks with Prayut in Myanmars capital Naypyidaw on Thursday, according to a senior source at the presidents office.

Like many others I have a stong scepticism of this legal case.

[RichCor]

I do wonder what Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha was thinking when he heard the President Thein Sein say this.

I had high hopes that the Prime Minister would eventually take this on personally, as he seems to have done with many other issues, and start cleaning house and building a new team that lead by example.

Unfortunately it's possible his power base is not strong enough to go against the establishment as he still needs the support of the armed portion of the government to keep and maintain order.

Even if the BIB tactics were designed to find the true people responsible, it was those tactics that have turned this into a completely unbelievable and total farce. If the world had a voice and were able to vote I believe it would reveal a 100% No Confidence result in this matter.