State prosecutor orders police to question more before indicting the murder suspects in court

[Carrerakiss]

If I were religious, I'd say "I pray" this atrocity and obvious possible cover-up has finally awoken the wider world to the unacceptable corruption that, some say, plagues the RTP and possibly/probably beyond.

Justice is an inherent desire in us all.

It's as intrinsic a desire/need to our human makeup (and almost as necessary) as air, water, food and sleep.

It's as important to us as is freedom (because another word for Justice is Freedom, with all the responsibilities that such freedom demands, such as the very Justice which invoked that Freedom in the first instance).

Without justice, Thailand can never truly claim to be a free society.

Certain Hi-So heads need to, metaphorically, roll over this afair.

We....not just the family and friends of these victims and those other unavanged victims who have gone before, although they more so, NEED to see proper justice served, in this matter.

The world needs to see it done.

"I pray" it comes to pass.

Couldn't agree with you more but we have Farang heads and were brought up to believe in justice, respecting the laws of our country and the inherent desires that go with those teachings. After a good few years of living here i can barely detect any wish in Thai society for the same values that we hold. It's a much more me,me and me culture and as long as 'my family' is doing ok then i don't give much of a stuff what happens to other people, be it Thai's or Farang. The only time 'the people ' will protest about anything is when they are being paid to do so or being promised some sort of huge carrot afterwards. There is no popular movement for justice that is noticeable, at least on the public surface, because any serious call on the authorities for transparency where it involves the rich or people of so called 'High So ' standing is met by threats of death to individuals and even whole family's. There is no 'cure' for these problems other than the complete re-education of an entire population and sadly i can't see any sign of that happening in the near or distant future.

I think you are wrong.

I think many Thais want justice, for cases generally. However, they know that if this was a Thai murdered and two Myanmar accused, no amount of campaigning, complaining or demonstrating, would make any difference. It would be a closed case and nothing to be done, so why bother.

But this case has international attention. And Thais are using it as a flashpoint for them to campaign, complain, and demonstrate (online anyway). Finally they see a chance of fighting back against an injustice and if they can do it in this case, maybe it can be a catalyst for future cases.

In short, don't confuse hopelessness with apathy.

[jaywalker]

Remember the news story recently where the cops sent their case to the prosecutors for the second time, after being asked to clean it up, and they then said their case was now "perfect"?

Humm, I guess not.

Yeah that was the first thing that popped into my mind when I read this headline.

If the DNA indisputably matches the accused to the victims, then what is there to question aside from BS by the BiB.

Didn't the cops just say recently they were 'done' with the case & it was up to the prosecutor's office now?

If the prosecutor still thinks it stinks, then drop the case against the accused & go get DNA from Nomsod Numbnutspornoapachasongongsomtamsomnamna.

Which brings up yet another question...... Cops can raid a bar & force everyone to urinate in a cup with no warning, but some clown related to 'Influential People' can refuse a DNA test in a freaking DOUBLE MURDER INVESTIGATION??????????????????

Just pop a drug test on ole Nomsod & whoever else refused a DNA test.

CRIMONY! put a couple plain-clothes cops on surveillance & grab a ciggie butt or soda can he just discarded.

This whole "investigation" has stunk from day one, and like a rotten egg, it just gets smellier every day.

[DennisF]

Damn, does this mean its not a perfect case for our Bib heroes????

Som Nam Na

[JLCrab]

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

more substantial than a dna match and confession?!

is that evidence not rock solid anymore then?

I think the Brits have told the Thais that they have done their own DNA check and there isn't a match. You're now seeing the Thai side scrambling around for some kind of face save.

First thing is to buy some time by delaying the court case and passing it back to the responsibility of the police. Look for some announcements in coming days of technical problems with the machines used to do the DNA check plus some kind of other development that couldn't possibly have been foreseen by the police.

So a new conclusion might be reached, but of course it's not the fault of the police that they accused the wrong men and the changed result is due to their own efforts, nothing to do with the public or the Brits.

I have looked at and posted on this Forum UK procedural documents for both murders of UK citizens abroad as specific to Thailand and for the FCO worldwide in general. In no document that I have seen is there any mention of securing DNA prior to embalming in the country where the death occurred. If the bodies were embalmed prior to repatriation to UK there is almost no chance according to the scientific pathology literature that DNA of other persons could be recovered from the victims as it is difficult to recover and identify DNA from the victim's body at all.

So while it has been repeatedly said on here that the UK investigators have produced DNA other than from the victim's after the bodies were returned to UK, there is no indication in any UK document that that would or could have occurred.

Edited October 21, 2014 by JLCrab

[godden]

The water tight case has sprung a leak.

[chooka]

how many times does the prosecution have to throw it back at the idiots to fix?

[Sviss Geez]

You and the poster above don't know the DNA matches. The witnesses have been unreliable. The Burmese-and-cop show of the reenactment was a farce, with a photo even showing how the Burmese had to be coached to get the facts right. The confessions were said to have been made under duress and there is mountains of evidence over the years that this is a regular occurrence, it could be called common knowledge thus confessions in MANY countries including the USA and Thailand are very often suspect. Never mind that confessions are traded for leniency and intimidation regarding punishment is also used.

Do you think the hundreds of thousands of people who are suspicious of the conclusions about this case are daft? Conspiracy theorists?

I notice the ratio of doubters to true believers on this forum is huge, though the post count thanks to the trolls and possible shills is nearly even! But

the momentum is on the side of getting to the real bottom of this so carry on with your unfounded certainties but if justice is eventually served you'll be in for a surprise.

"Do you think the hundreds of thousands of people who are suspicious of the conclusions about this case are daft? Conspiracy theorists?"

Quite possibly.

If you think that the fact that sheer numbers of people who have expressed an opinion matter then you also have to consider the billions who have not expressed their opinion and are not suspicious, daft or conspiracy theorists. Outnumbered.

[Carrerakiss]

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

more substantial than a dna match and confession?!

is that evidence not rock solid anymore then?

I think the Brits have told the Thais that they have done their own DNA check and there isn't a match. You're now seeing the Thai side scrambling around for some kind of face save.

First thing is to buy some time by delaying the court case and passing it back to the responsibility of the police. Look for some announcements in coming days of technical problems with the machines used to do the DNA check plus some kind of other development that couldn't possibly have been foreseen by the police.

So a new conclusion might be reached, but of course it's not the fault of the police that they accused the wrong men and the changed result is due to their own efforts, nothing to do with the public or the Brits.

I have looked at and posted on this Forum UK procedural documents for both murders of UK citizens abroad as specific to Thailand and for the FCO worldwide in general. In no document that I have seen is there any mention of securing DNA prior to embalming in the country where the death occurred. If the bodies were embalmed prior to repatriation to UK there is almost no chance according to the scientific pathology literature that DNA of other persons could be recovered from the victims as it is difficult to recover and identify DNA from the victim's body at all.

So while it has been repeatedly said on here that the UK investigators have produced DNA other than from the victim's after the bodies were returned to UK, there is no indication in any UK document that that would or could have occurred.

Maybe this is a first due to the special circumstances and future documents will be amended? Or maybe if something is written down then nothing changes from that for the next 100 years?

Sometimes things progress you know.

[joebrown]

There are so many conflicting reports and opinions in this particular case that make it so difficult to fully comprehend. For myself I only consider what I believe to be solid evidence which would prove anywrong doing on the part of the 2 accused. Having seen the photos of the police on the beach standing next to their bar owning friends with the bodies on show, I must conclude that any so called forensic evidence (DNA) is immediately compromised by the presence of non-police individuals. I understand the murder weapon (the hoe) has no fingerprints of the accused on it, otherwise the police would have said so. The 'running man' in the CCTV clip is clearly neither of the accused, and looks remarkably like someone else who featured in the investigation. There are no independent witnesses to the murders (non identified so far by the police). If the only evidence being used is 'forensically compromised' DNA, then everything else is circumstantial. I think it would take a lot of convincing for the prosecutors to convict on anything more than a charge of rape. Yes, they may have confessions, but there is serious doubt as to how and where these were obtained. I hope justice is seen to be done. I live in hope, but as I know TIT!

[JLCrab]

The body would require a certificate of embalming prior to transport and release to UK officials. At a certain point what this case is about over the UK FCO's responsibilities to some 200 some countries just isn't that special.

[stephen terry]

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

more substantial than a dna match and confession?!

is that evidence not rock solid anymore then?

I think the Brits have told the Thais that they have done their own DNA check and there isn't a match. You're now seeing the Thai side scrambling around for some kind of face save.

First thing is to buy some time by delaying the court case and passing it back to the responsibility of the police. Look for some announcements in coming days of technical problems with the machines used to do the DNA check plus some kind of other development that couldn't possibly have been foreseen by the police.

So a new conclusion might be reached, but of course it's not the fault of the police that they accused the wrong men and the changed result is due to their own efforts, nothing to do with the public or the Brits.

While I salute your optimism, Car, I feel it is the prosecutor who is protecting his back. In a Thai court a confession, or indeed a retraction, counts for nothing if the submitted evidence doesn't support a guilty verdict.

And I keep reading about 'a DNA match' that has been reported by the RTP. If that is factual, is forensically sound, and links the victim to the suspects, it only links them to the scene (or vicinity) of the rape crime, not the murder. More evidence is needed, as non of the witnesses already testified by a judge have placed the B2 at the scene.

Opinion only.

And then there's the motive - lust is not rage. Rejection can lead to revenge. Tactics in Thailand are gang rapes, gang attacks, gang killings - which is my opinion here. B2 doesn't fit into this profile as the re-enactment scene shows. Nor does the son of the headman, on his own. Whoever committed these dreadful killings is part of a gang.

And that's why, in my opinion, the RTP has been requested to carry out more interviews with possible witnesses/suspects.

[stephen terry]

The body would require a certificate of embalming prior to transport and release to UK officials. At a certain point what this case is about over the UK FCO's responsibilities to some 200 some countries just isn't that special.

Unless the Brit coroner has requested it wasn't to be the case - as in suspicious circumstances. Isn't that true?

[JLCrab]

The body would require a certificate of embalming prior to transport and release to UK officials. At a certain point what this case is about over the UK FCO's responsibilities to some 200 some countries just isn't that special.

Unless the Brit coroner has requested it wasn't to be the case - as in suspicious circumstances. Isn't that true?

No. According to all documents on Murder of UK Citizens Abroad a UK-based coroner has no such authority. If people on here want to hypothesize as to what might have occurred, that is up to them. I am only commenting on documented UK Police investigator procedure.

Edited October 21, 2014 by JLCrab

[TTom911]

seems I can't stop "wish-dreaming"...

but, if they are smart, THIS could be the avenue to "save face - saving face through PROPER ACTIONS (not a cheap "just let me get away with it" kinda face saving...)

Let the prosecutor press for better, OBJECTIVE, INCLUSIVE investigations... If the Thai don't want to allow the British police to take the "glory" for straightening a botched "investigation"

HERE they can do it all by themselves and show to the world that there is actually a judicial process, deserving the name...

I know, I am still wish-dreaming...

[DennisF]

If I were religious, I'd say "I pray" this atrocity and obvious possible cover-up has finally awoken the wider world to the unacceptable corruption that, some say, plagues the RTP and possibly/probably beyond.

Justice is an inherent desire in us all.

It's as intrinsic a desire/need to our human makeup (and almost as necessary) as air, water, food and sleep.

It's as important to us as is freedom (because another word for Justice is Freedom, with all the responsibilities that such freedom demands, such as the very Justice which invoked that Freedom in the first instance).

Without justice, Thailand can never truly claim to be a free society.

Certain Hi-So heads need to, metaphorically, roll over this afair.

We....not just the family and friends of these victims and those other unavanged victims who have gone before, although they more so, NEED to see proper justice served, in this matter.

The world needs to see it done.

"I pray" it comes to pass.

Couldn't agree with you more but we have Farang heads and were brought up to believe in justice, respecting the laws of our country and the inherent desires that go with those teachings. After a good few years of living here i can barely detect any wish in Thai society for the same values that we hold. It's a much more me,me and me culture and as long as 'my family' is doing ok then i don't give much of a stuff what happens to other people, be it Thai's or Farang. The only time 'the people ' will protest about anything is when they are being paid to do so or being promised some sort of huge carrot afterwards. There is no popular movement for justice that is noticeable, at least on the public surface, because any serious call on the authorities for transparency where it involves the rich or people of so called 'High So ' standing is met by threats of death to individuals and even whole family's. There is no 'cure' for these problems other than the complete re-education of an entire population and sadly i can't see any sign of that happening in the near or distant future.

I think you are wrong.

I think many Thais want justice, for cases generally. However, they know that if this was a Thai murdered and two Myanmar accused, no amount of campaigning, complaining or demonstrating, would make any difference. It would be a closed case and nothing to be done, so why bother.

But this case has international attention. And Thais are using it as a flashpoint for them to campaign, complain, and demonstrate (online anyway). Finally they see a chance of fighting back against an injustice and if they can do it in this case, maybe it can be a catalyst for future cases.

In short, don't confuse hopelessness with apathy.

Good post.

Most Thai people I know are friendly, warm generous and oppressed.

Many see this as an opportunity to change the status quo and get real justice for non hiso people at the same time.

It could indeed be the beginning of good things happening in Thailand.

That would be a great epitaph for David and Hannah, bless them.

[Bleacher Bum East]

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

more substantial than a dna match and confession?!

is that evidence not rock solid anymore then?

I think the Brits have told the Thais that they have done their own DNA check and there isn't a match. You're now seeing the Thai side scrambling around for some kind of face save.

First thing is to buy some time by delaying the court case and passing it back to the responsibility of the police. Look for some announcements in coming days of technical problems with the machines used to do the DNA check plus some kind of other development that couldn't possibly have been foreseen by the police.

So a new conclusion might be reached, but of course it's not the fault of the police that they accused the wrong men and the changed result is due to their own efforts, nothing to do with the public or the Brits.

I have looked at and posted on this Forum UK procedural documents for both murders of UK citizens abroad as specific to Thailand and for the FCO worldwide in general. In no document that I have seen is there any mention of securing DNA prior to embalming in the country where the death occurred. If the bodies were embalmed prior to repatriation to UK there is almost no chance according to the scientific pathology literature that DNA of other persons could be recovered from the victims as it is difficult to recover and identify DNA from the victim's body at all.

So while it has been repeatedly said on here that the UK investigators have produced DNA other than from the victim's after the bodies were returned to UK, there is no indication in any UK document that that would or could have occurred.

I agree that if Hannah and David's bodies were embalmed in Thailand before being returned to the UK (which from what some posters have said is required by commercial airlines before transportation) then there is little chance that the perpetrator's DNA could have been recovered from the bodies back in the UK.

This US Dept. of Justice website has a clear explanation of many issues re DNA gathering, handling, transportation and testing that are relevant to this case:

http://nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/dna/basics/pages/identifying-to-transporting.aspx

However, this case was high profile and controversial right from the beginning. I would guess (and it is a guess) that the British embassy was involved at the outset, and may have arranged themselves for transportation of the remains back to the UK, where there could have been DNA (to whatever extent possible and including touch DNA), forensics, and toxicology testing. My guess is that everything that could have been tested at that point was, including an examination to see whether anyone attempted to remove evidence from the bodies (which is hard to do without detection).

So the UK authorities know quite a bit at least, the question is how much and what it shows. They have been completely tight-lipped in public about what they know or don't know, which is exactly as as it should be for an in-process investigation.

BTW, it's interesting that (to my knowledge) not one UK citizen (or any foreigner for that matter) who was a visitor on Koh Tao the night of the murders has said anything publicly about the case. My guess is that most of them have been interviewed by UK authorities and some of them had relevant information about what happened on Koh Tao before Hannah and David arrived at the beach, and how they came to be there. So the UK investigators probably have that information in hand as well (and have asked the people they have interviewed not to say anything publicly about the case).

I think the UK authorities and the Thai authorities are at this point well aware of everything that is being discussed on TVC and other social media forums, plus so much more. So unless someone on any of these forums has some new revealing information, we can wait and watch how it plays out one way or the other.

Nobody knows exactly what happened that night other than the real killers. Nobody knows what the UK investigators know other than the UK authorities. And we may or may not find out the answers to both questions in due time.

But one thing I do believe: The UK government would not have escalated the matter to the level of a publicly reported discussion between Cameron and the Thai PM (or a summoning of the top Thai diplomat for that matter) if they didn't know something significant.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Bleacher Bum East

[heyexile]

It's time the PM sacrificed some high ranking cops. Thailand knows the case is a cockup, the Western world knows it's a cockup, he still has time to regain the publics support while saving face.

Yes, good idea but where to start eh?

Maybe with his hand-picked appointee, the good Police Commissioner General Somyos who personally took charge of the perfect investigation?

Or maybe with the Supreme Commander of the Police Department who also said the investigation was perfect? No, wait a minute, that would be the good general PM.

Forced resignations or self movement to inactive posts might be tricky. Tick tok, tick tok.

http://nationwidemultimedia.com/opinion/Koh-Tao-case-a-time-bomb-for-Thailands-reputation-30245085-html

[TTom911]

It's time the PM sacrificed some high ranking cops. Thailand knows the case is a cockup, the Western world knows it's a cockup, he still has time to regain the publics support while saving face.

"It's time the PM sacrificed some high ranking cops"

ABSOLUTELY ! NOW !!!!

[Eirene]

My apologies if anyone finds this offensive....I am sick to death regarding this saving face BS...how about justice for the two young people who's parents can no longer gaze upon theirs!!

[JLCrab]

From #106 I would guess (and it is a guess) that the British embassy was involved at the outset, and may have arranged themselves for transportation of the remains back to the UK ...

Of course this case may have deviated from every established procedure in the book and Rupert Murdoch might have sent one his private jets to handle the repatriation However, from UK FCO Document "Death Overseas":

Where there is evidence of suspicious circumstances concerning the death, we can give you support and suggest the best way to raise concerns with the local authorities ... But in some countries, the investigating authorities and the courts refuse to answer enquiries from third parties, including British consular staff.

We cannot

> investigate deaths ourselves

> give legal advice

> pay burial or cremation expenses

> pay for the return of bodies to the UK

> pay any debts that may be outstanding or pay any other expenses.

However, again as noted, this case is special.

[alantheembalmer]

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

more substantial than a dna match and confession?!

is that evidence not rock solid anymore then?

I think the Brits have told the Thais that they have done their own DNA check and there isn't a match. You're now seeing the Thai side scrambling around for some kind of face save.

First thing is to buy some time by delaying the court case and passing it back to the responsibility of the police. Look for some announcements in coming days of technical problems with the machines used to do the DNA check plus some kind of other development that couldn't possibly have been foreseen by the police.

So a new conclusion might be reached, but of course it's not the fault of the police that they accused the wrong men and the changed result is due to their own efforts, nothing to do with the public or the Brits.

I have looked at and posted on this Forum UK procedural documents for both murders of UK citizens abroad as specific to Thailand and for the FCO worldwide in general. In no document that I have seen is there any mention of securing DNA prior to embalming in the country where the death occurred. If the bodies were embalmed prior to repatriation to UK there is almost no chance according to the scientific pathology literature that DNA of other persons could be recovered from the victims as it is difficult to recover and identify DNA from the victim's body at all.

So while it has been repeatedly said on here that the UK investigators have produced DNA other than from the victim's after the bodies were returned to UK, there is no indication in any UK document that that would or could have occurred.

Just a quick note on embalming. I have received many cadavers that were "embalmed" in foreign lands in the mortuary I worked in. All were in an appalling state and not fit for viewing by the next of kin. Furthermore, it is a requirement of international transportation that embalming is performed, and a certificate issued. However, the body is then sealed into an airtight metal box before being transported, so Customs do not inspect the remains, even if they were inclined to do so. The term "embalming" has a somewhat loose definition, and can mean anything from a top job that can be seen in the UK and USA, to simply immersing the body in a bath of formaldehyde before being exported.

It should also be remembered that in a crime case the post mortem examination is extensive and invasive, and any tissue or material, (including whole organs), that maybe helpful to the police or courts is removed and kept.

My apologies if the above is a bit too graphic, but it might put the problems that the UK investigators are facing into some perspective.

[JLCrab]

Thank you alan. I have read pathologist reports that, once embalmed, one of the most reliable means of identifying a victim is relegated to eyebrow hair and that is solely to identify the victim.

[Thai at Heart]

Confessions, DNA and witnesses aren't enough?

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

Otherwise, "hey, the guys we picked up are Burmese nobodies, so just sentence them to death quickly and be done with it."

Presumably the DNA evidence isn't quite as compelling as they thought.

[hobz]

Man from The Yard "Can we have a look at the chain of custody of the DNA samples?"

Man from the RTP "The what?"

After weeks of translation RTP will have a comeback: "Here in Thailand we simply trust eachothers, there's no need for a elaborate and complicated "chain of custody" .. We have something better TRUST" ;D

[hobz]

My apologies if anyone finds this offensive....I am sick to death regarding this saving face BS...how about justice for the two young people who's parents can no longer gaze upon theirs!!

No offense, but this is not only about saving face.. It's about protecting mafia families and the police officers that protect them.. If the truth came out,, many people (not only the real killers) would face jail time / loss of job / etc

[Bleacher Bum East]

Prosecutors everywhere in the world absolutely hate to be handed cases in which the likelihood of their winning is not at least 90%, and the case of Hannah and David's murder is no exception. I believe that the Thai prosecutor realizes that it will be difficult to prove that any of the primary items of evidence he has been handed are reliable "beyond a reasonable doubt", and so he sent the case back to the police to gather more evidence (hence the investigation is now re-opened).

What is unusual about this case is that the Thai prosecutor (and his bosses all the way up the line) now realize that in order to "win" this case they have to do two things:

First, they have to prove to the judge that the evidence is reliable and the accused are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, in order to gain a conviction.

Second, they have to prove to the observers who will be watching in the courtroom that the evidence is reliable and the accused are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, or the Thai government will not be able to put this case to rest and remove the national and international spotlight and criticism it is experiencing.

Neither the prosecutor nor the judge wants to be publicly hung out to dry by pushing a conviction based on evidence that is not reliable beyond a reasonable doubt in a case where they themselves will be under the spotlight. They know the accused now have good defense lawyers who will be able to demonstrate this. So they have sent the case back to the police once again.

My guess is that the problem for the Thai police investigators will be that most or the remaining circumstantial evidence (including regarding the murder weapon, location and condition of the bodies, etc. etc.) will actually cut in favor of the accused rather than the prosecution's case--this is of course a guess based on publicly available information that I have personally read about.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Bleacher Bum East

[hobz]

"He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

more substantial than a dna match and confession?!

is that evidence not rock solid anymore then?

I think the Brits have told the Thais that they have done their own DNA check and there isn't a match. You're now seeing the Thai side scrambling around for some kind of face save.

First thing is to buy some time by delaying the court case and passing it back to the responsibility of the police. Look for some announcements in coming days of technical problems with the machines used to do the DNA check plus some kind of other development that couldn't possibly have been foreseen by the police.

So a new conclusion might be reached, but of course it's not the fault of the police that they accused the wrong men and the changed result is due to their own efforts, nothing to do with the public or the Brits.

While I salute your optimism, Car, I feel it is the prosecutor who is protecting his back. In a Thai court a confession, or indeed a retraction, counts for nothing if the submitted evidence doesn't support a guilty verdict.

And I keep reading about 'a DNA match' that has been reported by the RTP. If that is factual, is forensically sound, and links the victim to the suspects, it only links them to the scene (or vicinity) of the rape crime, not the murder. More evidence is needed, as non of the witnesses already testified by a judge have placed the B2 at the scene.

Opinion only.

And then there's the motive - lust is not rage. Rejection can lead to revenge. Tactics in Thailand are gang rapes, gang attacks, gang killings - which is my opinion here. B2 doesn't fit into this profile as the re-enactment scene shows. Nor does the son of the headman, on his own. Whoever committed these dreadful killings is part of a gang.

And that's why, in my opinion, the RTP has been requested to carry out more interviews with possible witnesses/suspects.

I think we can add a gang rape gone wrong to the list.... Gang drugs girl.. Gang rapes girl .. Male victim shows up.. Gang kills witnesses.

[CBR650]

My apologies if anyone finds this offensive....I am sick to death regarding this saving face BS...how about justice for the two young people who's parents can no longer gaze upon theirs!!

No offense, but this is not only about saving face.. It's about protecting mafia families and the police officers that protect them.. If the truth came out,, many people (not only the real killers) would face jail time / loss of job / etc

And all over two farangs.

Perish the thought of it.

There really needs to be a way for them to get our money without us actually being here. Us nasty foreigners making them lose face and causing them such problems.

Accountability isn't part of beautiful, superior Thainess.

[heyexile]

"At the same time, the state prosecutor of the Eight Prosecution Region, Mr Thawatchai Siengjiew, disclosed that the working group of prosecutors have ordered the police to probe into more issues and to question more witnesses and find more circumstantial evidence before the state prosecutor could prosecute them in the court.

He said that case needed to have substantial evidence as it is closely watched by people around the world."

So this investigation is then FAR from complete as stated. These are not minor details; all parts of the prosecutor's case need work.

++++++

"Human Rights Office officials said they received complaints that the two Myanmar suspects were beaten by the police during the interrogation.

They said from the interview with the suspects also confirmed they were beaten.

However a cross check of the suspects’ claim with Koh Pha-ngan police chief Pol Col Prachum Ruangthong showed there was no beating as claimed by the suspect. The officer confirmed no beating or torture."

So there are two contradictory "confirmations." Note that the Burmese can only make claims, while the Pol. Col. can "confirm" that beating them didn't happen. Isn't he just making a counter-claim?

You're correct in the staement just being a counter-claim. Thing is, Thailand is under Martial Law and anything said by the authorities eg, police, military (especially!) and judges must be treated as 'fact'.

Failure to do so could prove problematic for any member of the press. I'm no fan of the far right stance of the Thai press, but do they have any choice?

But, on the other side of the coin...

Interesting to see a few of the 'top brass' contradicting the General. Prayuth said it was ''...a perfect investigation''. He even congratulated the cops. Now, these guys are saying it's anything but perfect. We've had a top cop seemingly contradicting the General too. Even the papers have had a few critical entries on the General in recent days.The tourist board have been moaning about the General's decision not to end Martial Law. What next? Oh yep. A satirical Thai TV show has been getting really close to the bone on the political situation in Thailand in recent days. It's on youtube (the dude looks half farang and another chubby dude). I've seen the version with subtitles and...well....brave lads, is all I can say. At one point they seemed to be doing a fake ad for visiting Thailand. The gist of it was 'Amazing Thailand..we've got Martial Law..come on in!'' They also went close to bone about Ko Tao (regarding the cops/mafia).

They're all either very brave or sense something we don't. I don't think all this is a coincidence.

"sense something we don`t"? Maybe the prosecutors don`t want to go down with a sinking ship as they have no immunity (unlike the top brass), under the New Interim Constitution, from future `action`.

Some say resignations would be honorable.

Some say this case is a ticking time bomb for the military regime. See link.

http://nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Koh-Tao-case-a-time-bomb-for-Thailands-reputation-30245085-html

[Krataiboy]

find more circumstantial evidence

Like, er, to prove they were at the crime scene and not in bed asleep as their friend and erstwhile prosecution witness claims.