Party funeral for British tourist murdered in Thailand
London | AFP | Friday 10/10/2014

Family and friends staged a party funeral on Friday to bid farewell to Hannah Witheridge, one of two British tourists murdered on a Thai holiday island.

The funeral in her home village of Hemsby in Norfolk, eastern England, was marked by bright colours, cheering and applause.

The 23-year-old's parents had asked people to dress brightly for what they called "Hannah's Party", rather than grieve over her killing.

The village church was packed out and around 50 people listened to the service outside on speakers, while locals lined the funeral cortege route to pay their respects.

The battered bodies of Witheridge and David Miller, 24, were found on the popular resort island of Koh Tao on September 15, rocking the small community.

Two Myanmar nationals have been charged with murder and the country's president has asked Thailand's premier to ensure a "clean and fair" investigation.

Earlier this week, the Witheridge family paid tribute to Hannah, saying she would be "sorely missed by all who knew her".

They added: "She was dedicated, ambitious and would have made an amazing difference to the lives of many families through her chosen career as a speech and language therapist.

"As a family we hope that the right people are found and brought to justice."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-10-11

I hope you are resting peaceful, dear young lady, and the worthless scoundrels that did this to you be found out and squashed like flies!

So her ambition was to be a speech and language therapist and make lives better for others.

What a waste!

RIP Hanna .

Let's hope this thread doesn't turn into DNA and phones etc.

There are plenty of them already going around!

Tragic loss of life resulting from lack of respect for others and the law. No business awareness, no concern for security and safety. Tragic and shameful follow up and blatant cronyism and gangstering in the aftermath.

A beautiful person sent on her way with great dignity by her parents.

A beautiful person sent on her way with great dignity by her parents.

Well said bertty. You could even see the beauty and dignity in the Daily Mail's coverage of the funeral. May time heal this great loss.

Lovely way to remember her. Respects to her family and friends. RIP.

I hope that eventually they are left with only joy of the memory of one they loved, and who loved them.

It must have been a very hard decision to make the funeral a party. I hope it has in some way helped with their pain. Lets hope they get the closure they so deserve.

A beautiful person sent on her way with great dignity by her parents.

Well said bertty. You could even see the beauty and dignity in the Daily Mail's coverage of the funeral. May time heal this great loss.

"...beauty and dignity in the Daily Mail's coverage..."

Surely not?

A decent funeral for a happy and decent girl R.I.P.

Great way to remember her. We all hope that justice is eventually found for these two. R.I.P.

Hannah's farewell party conceived by her loving parents and her close friends is truely striking and memorable. I seldom seriously well-up; but, having been on an emotional roller coaster since reading all the posts from the start, Hannah's final farewell really overwhelmed me. So long Hannah!

It is good to celebrate her life, but also mourn that it was way too short. You touched the hearts of many, many people. RIP Hannah

I would have expected at least one Thai representative to attend this funeral.

May be not the Thai ambassador in the UK but any lower official would suffice.

RIP Hannah.

Let's keep the bickering to the multiple other threads eh chaps? Keep this one about paying respect please.

Rest in Peace Hannah, our prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.

Bad things seem to happen to good people. Why ?

An inflammatory post has been removed. Another post which was rather disrespectful has been removed as well as the well out replies.

RIP Hannah

Let's do something good in memory of Hannah and David.

With a lttle help from every good people we can make the world a better place.

I would have expected at least one Thai representative to attend this funeral.

May be not the Thai ambassador in the UK but any lower official would suffice.

RIP Hannah.

Sorry, but they're all working hard on tourism - too much to expect respect from that bunch of clowns.

RIP Hannah - May your parents find peace after finally laying you to rest.

"Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that, in truth, you are weeping for that which has been your delight."

Kahlil Gibran - 'The Prophet'.

May this all come to a fruitful and honest end.

Let's keep the bickering to the multiple other threads eh chaps? Keep this one about paying respect please.

Agreed........but let's also not let this be some kind of closure lest we forget and hence not press on

for true justice in the ongoing case.....I'm sure Hannah would have agreed to that.

Let's keep the bickering to the multiple other threads eh chaps? Keep this one about paying respect please.

Agreed........but let's also not let this be some kind of closure lest we forget and hence not press on

for true justice in the ongoing case.....I'm sure Hannah would have agreed to that.

With so much scrutiny there's a glimmer of hope that the crooked Thai authorities won't get away with this stitch up job. Here's hoping!

World wide people have shared your grief- and admire your bravery.

She will be deeply always remembered -

I hope Justice is done for her .

And future travellers who should not have this fate.

RIP

The service was beautiful and such a tear jerker! Poor girl, her poor sisters, her poor parents. His as well. Ugh. I cannot imagine their grief. RIP Hannah and Dave.

Thais will never understand the way that funeral was done. It was beautiful. The hearses, the colours, the music.

I remember 23 just starting out.

Hannah had such a lot to contribute , and like her parents say would have made such a difference in many peoples lives. You can see she would have been a wonderful speech therapist.

Sleep little Hannah.

You will not be forgotten around the world.

Hundreds attend “Hannah’s Party” in Hemsby as murdered Hannah Witheridge is laid to rest


The funeral service of Hannah Witheridge from Hemsby. Picture: James Bass

A white horse-drawn hearse with a mounted police escort took the body of the 23-year-old on a short final journey from her family home in Hemsby to the village’s St Mary The Virgin church.

Hannah, who went to Langley School in Norwich, worked in local holiday camps and was a well known animal lover and horse rider, was murdered on Koh Tao alongside fellow holidaymaker David Miller, 24, of Jersey, on September 15.

Scores of people, many in tears, arrived for the funeral service, billed as “Hannah’s Party”, with many arriving in bright clothes to celebrate her life, as her family had asked.

So many people came to pay their respects that around 50 listened to the service by the Rev Charles Powles on speakers in the churchyard.

Read More:http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/video_hundreds_attend_hannah_s_party_in_hemsby_as_murdered_hannah_witheridge_is_laid_to_rest_1_3801142

--Great Yarmouth Mercury 2014-10-11

Rest in peace Hannah

You were obviously a wonderful girl that did not deserve to die in this tragic way.

Many people will carry on the fight for justice that is due to you and your family.

RIP Hannah and David Though your gone those of us left behind will not rest till there is justice. The eyes ,ears and mouths of the world will see to it.