Koh Tao murder suspects tell rights commission they were beaten

[webfact]

KOH TAO'S MURDERS
Suspects tell rights commission they were beaten
The Nation


File Photo

But police say three examinations found no sign that myanmar men were assaulted

BANGKOK: -- THE TWO Myanmar suspects accused of killing two British tourists on Koh Tao told National Human Rights Commission members who visited them in prison that they were assaulted after being arrested.

"They said that they were assaulted, but we don’t know if the assault was really committed, as they had alleged," NHRC member Nirand Pitakwatchara said yesterday.

But police spokesman Lt-General Prawuth Thawornsiri has denied the suspects' claim, saying that the men underwent three medical examinations and showed no sign of being physically assaulted.

Nirand said the examinations were carried out before their detention court hearing at Surat Thani and were conducted at the provincial prison and then on Koh Tao. The final examination was carried out by the police's Institute of Forensic Medicine.

He said his statement was based on reports from NHRC subcommittee members who travelled to the island and visited the men at Koh Samui Prison.

Nirand said there was nothing in the men's statement that pinpointed when the alleged beatings took place, adding that the NHRC did not interfere with police investigations.

The allegations were combined with information from noted forensic scientist Khunying Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand.

The methods of the alleged assaults, according to the two suspects, were beating the body and covering their heads with plastic bags.

Nirand, a medical doctor, said an medical examination of one of the suspects found a bruise, which hurt when pressed, on his chest. It was unclear whether it was a chest bone or muscle injury.

An NHRC sub-committee would soon contact the prison where the men were being held so x-rays could be taken to determine if they had any injuries.

Nirand stressed that NHRC's role was to protect the men's rights and find out whether their assault claims were true - not to make a judgement on whether they committed the crimes.

He had earlier quoted a statement by the chief of Pha Ngan police, Colonel Prachum Ruengthong, who insisted that there were no beatings and the suspects were represented by lawyers in accordance with criminal procedural law.

A morning meeting between the NHRC and the police investigators involved in the case was held yesterday to discuss the suspects' allegation.

Meanwhile, national police chief General Somyot Poompanmoung said that British police detectives invited by Thai police to the Kingdom would maintain an observers' role in the case, while Myanmar was welcome to |dispatch observers as well.

Tourism police, tour operators and community leaders on Koh Tao yesterday held a meeting over what to do to boost tourist safety and provide better services.

The proposals included encouraging tourists to dress properly when not swimming or sunbathing, ask them not to commit intimate acts in public, as well as regulate taxi services and publishing do's and don'ts about Thai |culture on leaflets and in other media.

Meanwhile, the Thai embassy in Myanmar has issued visas for the families of the suspects, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said. They applied for the visas yesterday.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Suspects-tell-rights-commission-they-were-beaten-30245910.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-21

[wackybacky]

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah......

Everyone knows they are innocent, so how did you extract confessions and get them to re-enact a crime they didn't commit?

Threaten to strangle a puppy in front of them of what?

Strange they confess then retract and then you claim they retracted the retractions. Yep.... I reckon I can get that out of them just by telling them they were going into general population and they would be murdered in their sleep if they didn't play ball.... also if they plead 'not guilty' they would deffo get the death sentence.... plead guilty and you may be out in 10 years...... duh!

Whipped with wet towels while having a plastic bag over your head..... minor marking but quite painful, young kids will shed any marks deffo within 3 weeks easily.

Dummies.

I can guarantee they will tell their parents the truth when they get there.... Your parents ALWAYS know when their kids are lying. If anyone has kids, they will agree.

[thesetat2013]

How many weeks have passed now since they claim to have been beaten?

How long does anyone think a bruise will show?

My guess is their claims of torture will be a waste of time since no proof will be obtained due to the length of time it took to get anyone to try to verify it.

I did think I read that the Myannmar lawyer who first talked to them and got their statement of abuse took and took pictures of their bruises though. Yet I had only read it once and have not seen or read about those pics anymore? Lost in translation?

[santa1000]

"Tourism police, tour operators and community leaders on Koh Tao yesterday held a meeting over what to do to boost tourist safety and provide better services.

The proposals included encouraging tourists to dress properly when not swimming or sunbathing, ask them not to commit intimate acts in public, as well as regulate taxi services and publishing do's and don'ts about Thai |culture on leaflets and in other media."

Is Thailand new Saudi arabia??

Koh Tao 2015

[Tokay]

Innocent or not, they will be found guilty of this crime.

[phrisco17]

"Tourism police, tour operators and community leaders on Koh Tao yesterday held a meeting over what to do to boost tourist safety and provide better services.

The proposals included encouraging tourists to dress properly when not swimming or sunbathing, ask them not to commit intimate acts in public, as well as regulate taxi services and publishing do's and don'ts about Thai |culture on leaflets and in other media."

Is Thailand new Saudi arabia??

Koh Tao 2015

Again blame the victims! Morons! Why not educate Thai's on the cultures of other countries instead! Oh, I get it now, then they would actually know something of the real world!!!!

[MikePhuket1970]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

You could very well be right , I never noticed before.

[alantheembalmer]

"An NHRC sub-committee would soon contact the prison where the men were being held so x-rays could be taken to determine if they had any injuries."

Do you think they might be the first prisoners to die from alleged radiation sickness?

[Somtamnication]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

Sorry, what's the name of that weed again you're smoking?

[Johnsen]

Why aren't the police made to explain a bit more about this SAFE HOUSE they were taken to..... How normal is that to take supposed crims with matching DNA (according to the bib) to a safe house.... Why would they need to do that. Bags over there heads. Those 2 young boys must have been absoluting frightened beyond words.... Can you just imagine the treatment they have had since then.... I'm actually amazed they r still alive...

What about this meeting by the islanders.... Wouldn't you think somewhere in that meeting they might suggest not employing illegal aliens with no I'd... I mean isn't that the problem here. What a joke. They don't even have the smarts to talk about their cover up to make the offenders look guilty. No mention of better CCTV footage. I think the meeting might have been held and chaired by students of the local kindergarten...

[chainarong]

These two need to only speak through the UN Human rights representatives or their appointed lawyers, the police should not get embroiled in a this and that tit for tat comments and the RPT should try to learn from the UK team, if and when it gets to Thailand, the RTP have issued enough false comments on this case to give every learned person the sense that they handle the truth rather carelessly.

[Chupup]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

Mate,you watch to many soap opera's

[inzman]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

Sorry, what's the name of that weed again you're smoking?

it's called "reality"

[Fred Flinstone]

Yes , i feel sorry for the poor mothers having to see their sons facing death for a Crime not committed by them.

The botched case will see Thailand perceived as not having a creditable reputation.

[coma]

Beaten or not. They need to make the accusation. With the whole world on their side they are apparently quite believable. And the BIB are not.

[JLCrab]

From Post #7 above: Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

As Wendall (played by Willie Nelson) put it in The Electric Horseman:

Wendall: I'm gonna get me a bottle of tequila and find me one of them Keno girls that can suck the chrome off a trailer hitch and just kinda kick back.

[morrobay]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

While I agree with the last 8 lines above, how about some examples on the first 2 lines ? Thais dont care whatsoever what foreigners think about them. And their actions show that.

[alfalfa19]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

i believe that what you say is true. But I think that in addition to police and army henchmen, there are individuals with commercial business interests on the island, who disseminate a bunch of nonsensical BS on here, in order to try and make everybody think things are hunky dory. I think some of these characters have interests which run parallel to the scumbags who perpetrated this crime, and the cartoonish cover up as well.

[geronimo]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

I don't think it's impossible but the hardest part is getting it off the ground. Prayud seems to have done that.

[hellyes2oo2]

'The police chief of Pha Ngan insisted there were no beatings and that the suspects had been represented by lawyers in accordance with Criminal Procedural Law"

So is he saying that there were lawyers present during the interrogation, because the National Police Chief said a while back that they didn't have lawyers at the interrogation because they never asked for lawyers. So once again conflicting qoutes from different police chiefs. You would think by now that these idiots could at least agree on some part of the lies they are telling.

[kurnell]

Pathetic. Did they get the same police that administered the beating to check whether to 2 suspects had any evidence of being beaten?

[Jim walker]

Well if Lt-General Prawuth Thawornsiri says they were not beaten then we can take that as gospel, I think not.

[wilgoster]

Hey, nothing wrong with beating and pain to get the truth. Works every time on me. First the truth comes out. Then, when the beating continues, I tell them what they want to hear. Truth and satisfaction - win-win, wouldn't you say? :-^

[templedog]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

Sorry, what's the name of that weed again you're smoking?

it's called "reality"

I agree, although his rant is hardcore, he is right. Too late for change.

Furthermore, there are signs of infiltrators here to disrupt, confuse,

and change public opinion....it happens a lot when social media gets involved

in a high profile 'anything'. It's an old CIA, MI5 tactic....infowars!!

[mihalis]

They were tortured (Beaten) iv never seen pic, proving so...

[templedog]

Sorry but thai visa forum is infiltrated by the mafia,that means police and army henchmen.

Censorship and people on the payroll of the mafia are here and sabotage constantly this forum.

Very disturbing but what can you do against multi millions of dollars

Thailand´s system is incurable sick.

And no,this is not off topic.

This desease of corruption is everywhere and will prevail in this country,its just too deep in the society.

Really sad but there is no solution.

To install normal society in this country its too late,

Too many generations of greed army and police at work already

Impossible to repair,its just irreparable

I don't think it's impossible but the hardest part is getting it off the ground. Prayud seems to have done that.

Prayuth is all smoke and mirrors....business as usual. Sorry.

[templedog]

I'm waiting for someone to set those fools up....ya know, have a bunch of hidden cameras, or just passerbys with camera phones, then stir up a little trouble, maybe say..."Hey, I know your mafia family killed those two Brits!". Then record the whole thing....problem is, someone will have to die for it.

[loonodingle]

When torturing suspects it's very important to leave no signs. So plastic bag on head is a good one. Or maybe take a leaf out of the USA book of tortures and waterboard them. There's ma y great ways to get a confession that will never show up on X ray's.

[jamhar]

they found "a bruise" and "we were assaulted" doesn't make for a compelling story

"the bruise hurt when pressed" brought up images my daughter saying, "my owie hurts"

Of course they are going to claim that. What have they got to loose?

and what are they supposed to say, "We're really enjoying our stay here in this 5 star hotel!"

I have no dog in this fight, so bring on the DNA confirmation and let me move on.