Thailand agrees to British police help over murders

[ScubaPhuket]

OH YEAA

This is what we wanted all along, objective reached.

BIG thanks to everyone who made a fuss and helped get the word out.

For once its one up to the good guys.

It's not over till the fat lady sings!

Well, the mother in law was singing this morning!

the UK police are to arrive within weeks...may all be too late by then!

If I know Britain.. & I do..

It won't be 'weeks' wherever you've got that idea from, they'll be in thailand within the next few days.

The UK foreign office stated 'UK police stand ready' & the FCO does not piss about.

Edited October 18, 2014 by ScubaPhuket

[wackybacky]

Has anyone seen any photos of this meeting between Prayuth and Cameron. The general is desperate for international recognition at this Milan get together with loads of pics with him and the usual suspects from SE Asia. That he has had a meeting with a G7 leader yet no photos have been released speaks volumes.

I beg to differ.... There are pictures already last night on pantip.com with Cameron and Prayuth together.

Probably before he was dragged into a private room for a 'quick chat'.

Thailand needs Britain more than Britain needs Thailand..... Just look at the direction the money flows.... Trade, tourism, investment etc etc.

It's a big 'arm twister'.

[Franky Bear]

Even though this is a good sign, showing that people and social media can make a difference, reading between the lines tells me they only want to check the DNA match and do a flimsy check on mistreatment. Firslty, 5 weeks or so should have been enough time to mess about with the samples and swap them to get a match; secondly, the rape could have happened post mortem what means the killer and the rapists are two pair of shoes. The article does not mention the shallow stab wounds on David's body, Sean with the bloody guitar and similar stab wounds is not mentioned, the fat bloke with the shark tooth ring is not mentioned, etc... I fear the case will continue to go south, because the questions that should have ben asked were not mentioned by the "diplomatic source" whoever that is...

Why would the Cops tell the media each and every minute details of what they are going to do?

[Oziex1]

Do the Thais have what it takes to understand that if this is not played by the rules the resulting negative publicity will be extremely damaging to their already tarnished image.

Ramp up the travel warnings again.

[Prbkk]

That is the first time I have EVER seen David get his balls out.

I would imagine he dropped a few hints about how much pressure he was getting from the public and media, so you better play ball with me.... so to speak.

I don't know just how cooperative the RTP are actually going to be.... But one thing is for sure.... Somyat must be crapping his pants if he knows there has been a cover up.

Agree with the sentiment but the image is rather scary

[slipperylobster]

Hit them in the pockets. Get the word out. Embargo.

[minikev]

Run Nomsod run....

Thus far still just words.. Keep at them people.... You local islanders out there who truly know what happened keep e-mailing and spreading the word. Here's your chance.

There's plenty more that needs looking into. We should start a list.

Firstly all the missing CCTV footage.

Everybody's phone records that day. No doubt Nomsod used his FROM THE ISLAND.

Keep them coming people that's just a start..

I think this is a good idea: to make a list of discrepancies for the British police to look into. But we need to find a way to get such a list to the investigators. We can't just rely on hoping that they will read it here on Thai Visa. Can someone find out how people with information / ideas can contact these investigators directly? It would be good if they would set up some kind of "hotline". Just a dedicated email address for the case would be sufficient.

I think you can be fairly sure anything posted on this site is seen by both of the police forces.

[slipperylobster]

Pressure... pressure. Push this along.

[Orac]

No conformation from Prayuth that he is allowing UK police to investigate....

@Thai_Talk: MT @WassanaNanuam PM says UK PM asked to take care of Koh Tao case; UK PM asked 20 Qs; he could answer all 20, to satisfaction of UK PM.1/2

@Thai_Talk: TR @WassanaNanuam 2/2 [Gen Prayut]:... [uK PM] asked not to let it [Koh Tao murders] happen again; said Brits like to travel to Thailand.

[ScubaPhuket]

Even though this is a good sign, showing that people and social media can make a difference, reading between the lines tells me they only want to check the DNA match and do a flimsy check on mistreatment. Firslty, 5 weeks or so should have been enough time to mess about with the samples and swap them to get a match; secondly, the rape could have happened post mortem what means the killer and the rapists are two pair of shoes. The article does not mention the shallow stab wounds on David's body, Sean with the bloody guitar and similar stab wounds is not mentioned, the fat bloke with the shark tooth ring is not mentioned, etc... I fear the case will continue to go south, because the questions that should have ben asked were not mentioned by the "diplomatic source" whoever that is...

Why would the Cops tell the media each and every minute details of what they are going to do?

Thai police have a well known reputation for warning local mafia when they are about to visit an area to conduct 'investigations' so that their paid accomplices have time to quiet down, clear out or cover their tracks.

NB. I do wish that thai visa would get rid of their crappy US spellcheck system. Seem to recall repeated mod posts asking for English.

Edited October 18, 2014 by ScubaPhuket

[Oziex1]

I expect the Brits will not be bothered too much about the RTP's investigation probably have a casual glance at it then just hit the bars like every tourist does. Great work if you can get it.

Of course hitting the bars is where they will learn everything they need to know.

[TTom911]

Very good! This is not a loss of face, but a gain I respect. Thailand is finally acting smart. The Thai police can even learn something. British investigators are some of the best in the world and most police forces around the world can learn from them. Thailand needs more skill and technology transfer in most areas, and should never say no to the opportunity. S-Korea and Japan built their early success on learning from the United States. Now look where they are.

I can't believe this naivety...

[robblok]

Hit them in the pockets. Get the word out. Embargo.

Yes make all Brits leave Thailand, great embargo more girls for the rest of us

[slipperylobster]

I expect the Brits will not be bothered too much about the RTP's investigation probably have a casual glance at it then just hit the bars like every tourist does. Great work if you can get it.

Of course hitting the bars is where they will learn everything they need to know.

Reminds me of stuff in the early 70's. Fat russian tourists in the bar asking me how many guys we had on the base (un-named but now closed anyways) somewhere, on some island in Greece.

Edited October 18, 2014 by slipperylobster

[TTom911]

Even though this is a good sign, showing that people and social media can make a difference, reading between the lines tells me they only want to check the DNA match and do a flimsy check on mistreatment. Firslty, 5 weeks or so should have been enough time to mess about with the samples and swap them to get a match; secondly, the rape could have happened post mortem what means the killer and the rapists are two pair of shoes. The article does not mention the shallow stab wounds on David's body, Sean with the bloody guitar and similar stab wounds is not mentioned, the fat bloke with the shark tooth ring is not mentioned, etc... I fear the case will continue to go south, because the questions that should have ben asked were not mentioned by the "diplomatic source" whoever that is...

Why would the Cops tell the media each and every minute details of what they are going to do?

In their twisted way they DO report to the media on a regular basis... they clearly tell in almost every public statement how they are messing around... it's just a little "unconventional communications"...

[AGareth2]

Was it actually confirmed the DNA sample went to Singapore?

not as far as I have read

[BoristheBlade]

There will be plenty of speedboat activity when Scotland Yard's finest are approaching.

I hope the missing two minutes of CCTV is still alive and well.

The Police bum guns will be taking a battering today.

Edited October 18, 2014 by BoristheBlade

[wackybacky]

After the endless, complicated and contradictory developments and comments concerning this case, it seems to me that it all boils down to one very simple FIRST action, at this stage, for the British investigators to perform : take a DNA sample from the two Burmese guys, with enough witnesses around so that the authenticity of the samples cannot later be questioned, and then compare them with the DNA that the British investigators have taken in Britain from the body.

The only question is : did the British perform such a sampling or did the body of this poor girl go untouched after entering British soil ? I don't recall reading anywhere, clearly, that British authorities had made such a move after recovering the body.

If the DNA of the Burmese guys is compared with samples provided by the Thai police, there will be no end to suspicion of foul play.

The whole system of evidence based on DNA works on the assumption that no one tampers with the samples because the people who perform the sampling are trustworthy and eager to serve true justice. If and when the people in question become suspicious in the eyes of the public and/or the press, then the whole process amounts to nothing, and so called evidence is rightly seen as potential manipulation.

I think you will find it a matter of standard procedure that post mortems are performed with every death in the UK... Especially in the case of a crime.

No matter where it is committed, the autopsy is done and evidence is collected. That is standard procedure.

There is also an investigation opened even if it is out of their jurisdiction. British people were murdered and the police must open an investigation even if they can do nothing hands on and no matter how limited it is, evidence must be collected. That is also standard procedure.

I also read that a team of murder investigators have already been appointed weeks ago... This was mentioned in the UK press covering Hannah's funeral.

I also read at the time the repatriation of the bodies was being reported that police forensics would be taking DNA samples.

As already mentioned.... It is difficult to sanitise a body totally to remove all DNA traces... It is almost impossible to remove and replace with misleading random DNA to throw police off the scent without it showing up to the trained forensic eye. They are too well trained.

But the thing that will be a problem for the BIB if there is indeed a cover up... The bodies were released after just a few days and repatriated immediately.... At that time, police were looking for farangs if you remember?

There had been no mention about Sean McCanna or Village Headsmen's family members, or anything else that would have triggered a cover up. That came about a week after the bodies already left Thailand.

So at the time there was very little need to tamper with DNA...... But a lot happened after that. Now it is widely suspected of a cover up, and to be quite honest..... I don't think the RTP have a snowball's chance in hell of keeping it going let alone 'credible'.

I can really see a lot of people fleeing not only the island, but Thailand itself.... Including police..... and they do.

[BSJ]

Made famous in America some years back was a chap on a horse calling out "The British are coming. the British are coming"....fast forward to the 20th century in Thailand, on the island of Tao and imagine a BIB on an elephant calling out the same in Thai. Nah, doubt it would happen! He couldn't afford to feed it!

[marcusd]

I don't think the thai police have the brains to play this game with the British. They will shoot themselves in the foot with every answer they give, every excuse/piece of evidence they produce & they won't even know they've done it until the British inquest is complete.

I hope the THAI authorities have access to cable television. Then they can watch CSI and actually LEARN that in other nations we do things with PROPER evidence and science and not a thump in the head and a gun in the face.

The boom gates of their incompetence are about to be revealed.

[BoristheBlade]

Where did the DNA samples go that proved the dna inside Hanna was from Asian men?

I am certain in went to a different lab than the Burmese samples

Edited October 18, 2014 by BoristheBlade

[andy the man]

The British police need to be vey careful.....remember what happened to the Saudi Diplomats the Saudi government sent to Thailand to investigate the diamond theft and cover up. They were murdered all 4 of them plus a Thai family.....a Thai police man was convicted of the murder of the family. STILL no convictions of anyone who murdered the Saudi diplomats......the Saudi government say it was the Thai police .

GOOGLE......'the saudi blue diamond and thai police'.

[slipperylobster]

After the endless, complicated and contradictory developments and comments concerning this case, it seems to me that it all boils down to one very simple FIRST action, at this stage, for the British investigators to perform : take a DNA sample from the two Burmese guys, with enough witnesses around so that the authenticity of the samples cannot later be questioned, and then compare them with the DNA that the British investigators have taken in Britain from the body.

The only question is : did the British perform such a sampling or did the body of this poor girl go untouched after entering British soil ? I don't recall reading anywhere, clearly, that British authorities had made such a move after recovering the body.

If the DNA of the Burmese guys is compared with samples provided by the Thai police, there will be no end to suspicion of foul play.

The whole system of evidence based on DNA works on the assumption that no one tampers with the samples because the people who perform the sampling are trustworthy and eager to serve true justice. If and when the people in question become suspicious in the eyes of the public and/or the press, then the whole process amounts to nothing, and so called evidence is rightly seen as potential manipulation.

I think you will find it a matter of standard procedure that post mortems are performed with every death in the UK... Especially in the case of a crime.

No matter where it is committed, the autopsy is done and evidence is collected. That is standard procedure.

There is also an investigation opened even if it is out of their jurisdiction. British people were murdered and the police must open an investigation even if they can do nothing hands on and no matter how limited it is, evidence must be collected. That is also standard procedure.

I also read that a team of murder investigators have already been appointed weeks ago... This was mentioned in the UK press covering Hannah's funeral.

I also read at the time the repatriation of the bodies was being reported that police forensics would be taking DNA samples.

As already mentioned.... It is difficult to sanitise a body totally to remove all DNA traces... It is almost impossible to remove and replace with misleading random DNA to throw police off the scent without it showing up to the trained forensic eye. They are too well trained.

But the thing that will be a problem for the BIB if there is indeed a cover up... The bodies were released after just a few days and repatriated immediately.... At that time, police were looking for farangs if you remember?

There had been no mention about Sean McCanna or Village Headsmen's family members, or anything else that would have triggered a cover up. That came about a week after the bodies already left Thailand.

So at the time there was very little need to tamper with DNA...... But a lot happened after that. Now it is widely suspected of a cover up, and to be quite honest..... I don't think the RTP have a snowball's chance in hell of keeping it going let alone 'credible'.

I can really see a lot of people fleeing not only the island, but Thailand itself.... Including police..... and they do.

I don't know, but I have been told there is some extra VIP parking at the mall in singapore.

[empireboy]

Hard to imagine they'll out-sit the brits here... sane decent people only want the truth. Hopefully Thailand have achieved that. If they haven't, then they deserve what is coming.

[BoristheBlade]

Even PC Somchai is not that stupid, that would be an act of war, Herefords finest would invade Koh Tao before nightfall if that went down.

The British police need to be vey careful.....remember what happened to the Saudi Diplomats the Saudi government sent to Thailand to investigate the diamond theft and cover up. They were murdered all 4 of them plus a Thai family.....a Thai police man was convicted of the murder of the family. STILL no convictions of anyone who murdered the Saudi diplomats......the Saudi government say it was the Thai police .

GOOGLE......'the saudi blue diamond and thai police'.

[wackybacky]

For those who were asking

[minikev]

This must mean that the PM believes that the Burmese guys are guilty and they the Thai police have done a competent investigation otherwise there is no way he could he silly enough to let the UK come and do their own investigation, unless he thinks the UK are too stupid to find out the truth or that the case has been so corrupted that the UK cannot get to the truth i.e. If the original DNA from the victims has been replaced

I think it was a very wise move either way. If they are proved guilty the world stage will see he did the right thing and the Thai police will be praised for proving many people wrong.

If they are proved not guilty it gives the green light for a clear-out and he will be praised for showing the world he is intent on getting rid of corruption. He is not scared of admitting corruption here and asks people to report it so he can clean up. So win win.

[eeworldwide]

Make no mistake, the British Police involved will highlight and identify any and all inconsistencies regarding this case, and will make sure that they are ironed out. It won't matter if they get the run around, because all that will do is serve to underline any potential cover-up, and will make it worse in the long-run for Thailand.

I'm tremendously pleased at this result.

Praying that justice is finally served, and perhaps this will be watershed moment for Thailand's judicial system, throwing into the spotlight the need for transparency and balance without prejudice.

[ScubaPhuket]

There will be plenty of speedboat activity when Scotland Yard's finest are approaching.

I hope the missing two minutes of CCTV is still alive and well.

The Police bum guns will be taking a battering today.

Should have left the Hereford's finest bit where it was.

Oh... u did... Good lad

Edited October 18, 2014 by ScubaPhuket

[Living in a cartoon]

Even though this is a good sign, showing that people and social media can make a difference, reading between the lines tells me they only want to check the DNA match and do a flimsy check on mistreatment. Firstly, 5 weeks or so should have been enough time to mess about with the samples and swap them to get a match; secondly, the rape could have happened post mortem what means the killer and the rapists are two pair of shoes. The article does not mention the shallow stab wounds on David's body, Sean with the bloody guitar and similar stab wounds is not mentioned, the fat bloke with the shark tooth ring is not mentioned, etc... I fear the case will continue to go south, because the questions that should have ben asked were not asked by the "diplomatic source" whoever that is...

I must respectfully disagree. I believe that UK has thrown down the gauntlet. The UK likely knows full well the who the perps are and who is covering up for them. My guess is they have the evidence to provide a far more plausible explanation. They have seen this movie far too many times.

The diplomatic language is very adamant if you can interpret it. And to have the UK PM corner the General at an international gathering is very telling.

UK is quite a few chess moves ahead of their cornered Thai counterparts.