Thailand to 'allow' second DNA test for British murder accused

[webfact]

Thailand to 'allow' second DNA test for British murder accused
Bangkok, Thaïland | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's premier said Wednesday that police will allow two Myanmar men accused of killing a pair of British tourists on a Thai island to have another DNA test, as questions mount over the murder probe.

Thai police hailed a breakthrough in their investigation of the double murders after claiming DNA from the accused migrant workers matched samples taken from the body of one of the victims and that the men had confessed.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, after the tourists' battered bodies were found on the southern island of Koh Tao on September 15.

But last week the men, both in their 20s, retracted their confessions, alleging they were obtained under duress.

Criticism of the police handling of the case has swirled both in Thailand and overseas.

"We will allow suspects to take another DNA test," Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting. "If they think that the previous tests were unfair we will conduct a second test."

It was not immediately clear if the accused had requested a second DNA test.

Thai authorities have strongly denied using the pair as scapegoats, insisting the case is built on solid evidence showing the DNA of the accused from initial tests matches samples taken from Witheridge's body.

British police have been allowed to observe the investigation after the UK expressed concerns and offered to help with the probe.

Before the murders, Thailand was already struggling to restore its tarnished image as a tourist haven after a May coup saw martial law imposed across the country.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-10-29

[Briggsy]

A second test to compare with what. That is the key thing. No-one is doubting the tests. Everyone is doubting the samples which they were compared with. Where did these samples come from?

[AleG]

Why "allow" in quotes?

[Boxclever]

But who will do the DNA analysis? Same Thai (government) laboratory as before? or will they allow the British to do independent tests?

[peptidebomber]

What will a second test prove if the first one was fabricated?

Are they saying that the lab got it wrong?

Or are they looking for a way out?

Edited October 29, 2014 by peptidebomber

[Rimmer]

Why "allow" in quotes?

No point to ask on here, please contact AFP they surely will be able to tell you

[scorecard]

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

A second test to compare with what. That is the key thing. No-one is doubting the tests. Everyone is doubting the samples which they were compared with. Where did these samples come from?

And where / who will conduct the second gathering of saliva or whatever from the two Myanmar boys, who will be present, will the media be present.

And who will be there to guarantee that it's not swapped or whatever in the laboratory?

For credibility it would be better if the officers from UK were present at every step. Will it happen? Will the UK police or the UK Gov't speak up and insist on being present? It's also an opportunity for them to try to get a clearer picture / get some (not all) answers.

Where's Khunying Porntip?

Edited October 29, 2014 by scorecard

[Costas2008]

It seems they are confident.

The British have the DNA from the victims and they will be able to compare.

Let's hope the truth comes out and stop the speculation.

[wilcopops]

The provenience of the DNA needs to be verifiable too - If the collection of the DNA is unverified then any results will be worthless.

[partington]

A second test to compare with what. That is the key thing. No-one is doubting the tests. Everyone is doubting the samples which they were compared with. Where did these samples come from?

Exactly. This is meaningless without a supervised retest of the original DNA sample that was verifiably taken from the victim. Hopefully the UK police will request this, otherwise it's merely a publicity stunt.

What's at issue here is not any individual test, but the exact matching of any possible suspect DNA with the post-mortem samples from the victim. It's the match that is critical.

But they have already announced there was a match, so you have to wonder what is going on.

Typically ( with undegraded uncompromised DNA samples) a DNA fingerprint involving 10 markers (as done in the UK) is declared a match with an estimated probability of 1 to 50 million to one in a billion of being from someone other than the suspect. With the US marker set (13 markers), a matching profile would typically involve probabilities of tens of billions to trillions to one (that is, for the matching DNA to be from someone other than the suspect, you would have to test a population greater than that of the earth for the same profile to come up by chance).

Even if the DNA samples are badly degraded or a difficult mixture, a report always contains the estimated probability of the match occurring by chance to a person other than the suspect.

Just from the apparent uncertainty of the prosecution, it is difficult to believe they have credible DNA evidence at this stage...

[p_brownstone]

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

A second test to compare with what. That is the key thing. No-one is doubting the tests. Everyone is doubting the samples which they were compared with. Where did these samples come from?

And where / who will conduct the second gathering of saliva or whatever from the two Myanmar boys, who will be present, will the media be present.

And who will be there to guarantee that it's not swapped or whatever in the laboratory?

For credibility it would be better if the officers from UK were present at every step. Will it happen? Will the UK police or the UK Gov't speak up and insist on being present? It's also an opportunity for them to try to get a clearer picture / get some (not all) answers.

Where's Khunying Porntip?

Far too busy desperately endorsing fake Bomb Detectors already comprehensibly denounced by Governments worldwide and the "manufacturers" jailed and fined.

Patrick

[JOC]

How very strange that happens on the very same day, that the Headmans son has agreed to give his DNA!!

Anyone else smell a rat here??

Edited October 29, 2014 by JOC

[Rimmer]

Troll post removed

[JOC]

A way to save face (not that there is much left to save) for the Thai police??

"The lab made a terrible mistake"

Hopefully this is good news for the two Myanmar guys!!

[BritTim]

How very strange that happens on the very same day, that the Headmans son has ageed to give his DNA!!

Anyone else smell a rat here??

I am reserving judgment. It is possible that this is the start of a process aimed at putting the real perps behind bars. It is also possibly an attempt to lend legitimacy to the original flawed investigation.

[searcher22]

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

Why "allow" in quotes?

No point to ask on here, please contact AFP they surely will be able to tell you

And no point in trying to contact AFP, I've tried before, they don't answer.

If the quotes are justified, then it means "under certain conditions." That's what I am afraid of.

[BKKBrit]

It seems they are confident.

The British have the DNA from the victims and they will be able to compare.

Let's hope the truth comes out and stop the speculation.

I didn't know that. Are you sure the British authorities ran DNA tests on Hannah's and David's bodies when they were returned to the UK? I haven't seen that confirmed anywhere.

[Kru Baa]

Oh they're going to allow them to test them again? Does this mean they are going to allow the most likely real murderers to refuse to give their DNA again as well? What's the point of doing the same test on the same people again?

[rwdrwdrwd]

A second test to compare with what. That is the key thing. No-one is doubting the tests. Everyone is doubting the samples which they were compared with. Where did these samples come from?

Indeed, especially given that those accussed had their dna taken on day 1 of the investigation, but no match that time - only when they were tested again 3 weeks later...

[Kru Baa]

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

How very strange that happens on the very same day, that the Headmans son has ageed to give his DNA!!

Anyone else smell a rat here?? width=18 alt=w00t.gif>

I am reserving judgment. It is possible that this is the start of a process aimed at putting the real perps behind bars. It is also possibly an attempt to lend legitimacy to the original flawed investigation.

They fixed it! Again! 55555555

[Oscar2]

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

A second test to compare with what. That is the key thing. No-one is doubting the tests. Everyone is doubting the samples which they were compared with. Where did these samples come from?

And where / who will conduct the second gathering of saliva or whatever from the two Myanmar boys, who will be present, will the media be present.

And who will be there to guarantee that it's not swapped or whatever in the laboratory?

For credibility it would be better if the officers from UK were present at every step. Will it happen? Will the UK police or the UK Gov't speak up and insist on being present? It's also an opportunity for them to try to get a clearer picture / get some (not all) answers.

Where's Khunying Porntip?

Far too busy desperately endorsing fake Bomb Detectors already comprehensibly denounced by Governments worldwide and the "manufacturers" jailed and fined.

Patrick

O.K. so that was rubbish and she clearly was wrong but don't take away from her credibility as a forensic pathologist.

[Suffinator]

But who will do the DNA analysis? Same Thai (government) laboratory as before? or will they allow the British to do independent tests?

And that's the whole issue most people have. They should allow a joint test to be done - British and Thai and then compare the results.

[iReason]

I think it's a safe bet that these new tests were not instigated by the Thai...

[JOC]

How very strange that happens on the very same day, that the Headmans son has ageed to give his DNA!!

Anyone else smell a rat here??

I am reserving judgment. It is possible that this is the start of a process aimed at putting the real perps behind bars. It is also possibly an attempt to lend legitimacy to the original flawed investigation.

OR

With 3 new tests going to the lab at the same time, a "mistake" could so easily happen!!

A swap of the swabs!! (Makes sense?)

Edited October 29, 2014 by JOC

[minikev]

Wey Hey progress!

[Orac]

Doesn't make much sense unless there is some problem with the previously done tests. The profile isn't going to change no matter how 'unfair' the taking of the sample was - sounds more like the prosecutors are not happy with the records/details of the first tests which is why they are saying the case is not complete yet.

[kkup]

The case is weak, the prosecutors still require more solid evidence from the police. Something is very wrong and I think the PM knows it. I'm hoping the British Police have more up their sleeve than we know.

[chongtak]

It seems they are confident.

The British have the DNA from the victims and they will be able to compare.

Let's hope the truth comes out and stop the speculation.

I hope the British have the original samples and not something taken from the probable scapegoats.

[jspill]

Why "allow" in quotes?

A subtle nod to the farcical nature of everything surrounding this case. Earlier news articles put 'confession' in quotes.

[JOC]

JTJ and jdinasia!! Please come around and explain this one to us!!