Koh Tao murders: NGO appeals for funds to ensure justice

[berybert]

Nope, I tend to like Burmese people as well. However, I have no pity available for the 2 Burmese defendants. The right people are on trial in this case.

So, yet again, you get it wrong each and every time you ascribe qualities to me

You say the right people are on trial for the crime. So you were there and you saw what they did. This is the only way you can be as certain as you are they are the right people.

I look forward to seeing you give evidence.

[berybert]

What you have to realize with AleG and jdinasia is they are from the school of 'if I say it often enough surely people will believe me'

That happens with Thai people. Are any Thai people on this tread ?

Mention a phone often enough then add extras like the Burmese said they had it (which i have never read before) then that means the Burmese had it.

They are like lawyers who lie to keep killers out of jail, then if their killers kill again they can make more money defending them again.

[jdinasia]

What you have to realize with AleG and jdinasia is they are from the school of 'if I say it often enough surely people will believe me'

That happens with Thai people. Are any Thai people on this tread ?

Mention a phone often enough then add extras like the Burmese said they had it (which i have never read before) then that means the Burmese had it.

They are like lawyers who lie to keep killers out of jail, then if their killers kill again they can make more money defending them again.

If you have not read the reports, you have only yourself to blame.

However, I am not "like lawyers". I am simply someone who thinks that the 2 Burmese defendants are the killers.

[jimmybkk]

Lots of iPhones found it seems, and possibly several groups of 3 Burmese drinking near the murder scene:

"The focus on the suspect seen in the video footage came after police tried in vain Tuesday to identify the killer, detaining six Myanmar workers for questioning for possible involvement in the crime. Each was released without charges.

Police said three of the Myanmar migrant workers were seen drinking near the beach where David William Miller, 24, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, 24, were found dead on Monday, a police source said Tuesday.

Pol Maj Gen Kiattipong Khawsamang, Surat Thani police chief, said the six Myanmar nationals worked for a resort called In that, just 300m from the crime scene, and lodged in nine rooms there.

The six were detained after a pre-dawn search of their rooms uncovered four iPhones, two of which had shattered screens, along with a bloodstained pair of jeans, Pol Maj Gen Kiattipong said.

DNA samples were collected from the six and another four people for analysis, he said. Although the six men were colleagues and lived as neighbours, they appear not to have been together on the night of the murders.

The three men seen drinking near the crime scene were believed to be the prime suspects in the murders of Miller and Witheridge. But police have yet to press any charges against them pending an investigation outcome, Pol Maj Gen Kiattipong said.

They were freed after two rounds of interrogation by the police. The other three suspects were released earlier in the day after investigators could not link them to the murders, said Pol Col Prachum Ruangthong, chief of Koh Phangan police station."

Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/this-urban-jungle/cctv-video-shows-prime-suspect-in-murders-of-british-tourists-in-thailand

Similar report here: http://liverpoolinnews.com/police-hunting-killers-of-2-british-backpackers-murdered-in-thailand-focus-on-6-migrant-workers/

A little searching reveals that these are the 3 that were first released:

Seems to me that if anyone could prove that the 2 accused lived in the same place as these 3 guys, then the police report confirms that the 2 accused were in fact questioned, DNA tested and then released within a few days of the murders occurring, regardless of those 4 iPhones that were found...

[Linky]

What you have to realize with AleG and jdinasia is they are from the school of 'if I say it often enough surely people will believe me'

That happens with Thai people. Are any Thai people on this tread ?

Mention a phone often enough then add extras like the Burmese said they had it (which i have never read before) then that means the Burmese had it.

They are like lawyers who lie to keep killers out of jail, then if their killers kill again they can make more money defending them again.

If you have not read the reports, you have only yourself to blame.

However, I am not "like lawyers". I am simply someone who thinks that the 2 Burmese defendants are the killers.

Funny how you base your thinking on hearsay but denigrate anyone else doing the same thing.

Yes, it is hearsay until it comes into evidence, if allowed.

[berybert]

What you have to realize with AleG and jdinasia is they are from the school of 'if I say it often enough surely people will believe me'

That happens with Thai people. Are any Thai people on this tread ?

Mention a phone often enough then add extras like the Burmese said they had it (which i have never read before) then that means the Burmese had it.

They are like lawyers who lie to keep killers out of jail, then if their killers kill again they can make more money defending them again.

If you have not read the reports, you have only yourself to blame.

However, I am not "like lawyers". I am simply someone who thinks that the 2 Burmese defendants are the killers.

Funny how you base your thinking on hearsay but denigrate anyone else doing the same thing.

Yes, it is hearsay until it comes into evidence, if allowed.

Yes Linky, As i said jd is just like a lawyer.

[bunglebag]

Nope, I tend to like Burmese people as well. However, I have no pity available for the 2 Burmese defendants. The right people are on trial in this case.

So, yet again, you get it wrong each and every time you ascribe qualities to me

How can you be so sure the right people are on trial?

Also, the Thai officials themselves said that there were 3 different sets of dna linked to the female victim at a news conference previously, so who/where is suspect number 3?

and even if there is a dna match to these 2 (genuine or not) how does that actually prove they were the murderers unless there is some of their dna on the weapons also. This whole thing is a farce.

How did some people get ruled out via an alleged dna test that got results in 8 hours when the Thai Forensic lab in Bangkok doing the testing said it takes a minimum of 24 hours to get a result?

Just my opinion, and everyone's got one as we well know, but for me these 2 don't fit well. The body language doesn't fit and IMO they didn't have the right motive to do everything that happened that night to both victims. Those were the actions of one or more sociopaths / psychopaths.

Personally I feel that some of the other suspects move in circles that could contain people with much better matching profiles.

Not possible I know but I'd love to see a bunch of folk (including the 2 current suspects and the other people who came under suspicion) undergo independent lie detector tests* as to whether they know more than they're telling. * yes these are not 100% but high 90s and doing a whole bunch of people may throw up some interesting results or patterns. Sometimes I think this sort of thing should be used in a supplemental way when lives are at stake, either to cast doubt or to back up witness / suspect stories.

[berybert]

Don't need the accused to take a lie test. Get the copper in charge of the case to take a test. Stand well back and watch the machine explode

[jaidam]

Did I hear that Win's father had died recently due to stress brought on by his son's scapegoat status? If so that is murder as far as I'm concerned, those responsible for the coverup have even more blood on their hands now.

[JLCrab]

Did I hear that Win's father had died recently due to stress brought on by his son's scapegoat status? If so that is murder as far as I'm concerned, those responsible for the coverup have even more blood on their hands now.

Revised: On Andy Hall's Twitter account that happened about 2 weeks ago:

Father of Koh Tao accused dies http://yangon.coconuts.co/2015/05/14/father-koh-tao-accused-dies …

Died from a bran tumor according to this report.

[JLCrab]

Apologies. Brain tumor.

[jimmybkk]

What you have to realize with AleG and jdinasia is they are from the school of 'if I say it often enough surely people will believe me'

That happens with Thai people. Are any Thai people on this tread ?

Mention a phone often enough then add extras like the Burmese said they had it (which i have never read before) then that means the Burmese had it.

They are like lawyers who lie to keep killers out of jail, then if their killers kill again they can make more money defending them again.

If you have not read the reports, you have only yourself to blame.

However, I am not "like lawyers". I am simply someone who thinks that the 2 Burmese defendants are the killers.

"If you have not read the reports, you have only yourself to blame."

What a ridiculous statement to make... but very interesting how some posters are prepared to discredit themselves in their support for the prosecution of the 2 Burmese lads.

If a poster makes a claim about some piece of evidence and presents it as fact, if they haven't done so already, then when questioned on the accuracy of their claim they need to be able to provide the links, references or citations in support of that claim, otherwise it should be discarded.

And when the person or persons making/supporting the claim have a track record of making similar claims which, when scrutinized, turned out to be completely false, it is advisable to discount the claim as complete nonsense until proven otherwise.

And then to further fan the flames of suspicion, when one of the supporters of the claim comes out with a statement such as the above... well, the alarm bells should be ringing at full volume that something is definitely amiss.

I'm thinking these "reports" may simply be scraps of paper with scribbled notes that have passed back and forth between you and AleG. You can't criticize me for thinking that in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, right? Now, am I really to blame for not having read them? Or are you or AleG to blame for not having made them public?

Come on guys - it's time to stop keeping these "reports" to yourselves and level the playing field a bit methinks...

[IslandLover]

Did I hear that Win's father had died recently due to stress brought on by his son's scapegoat status? If so that is murder as far as I'm concerned, those responsible for the coverup have even more blood on their hands now.

He died of a brain tumour actually, but I imagine the stress of his son's predicament made his health worse.

[JohnThailandJohn]

M.W.R.N (established in March 2009 to promote Rights of Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand) is certainly doing all they can to exploit these two defendants, the gullible and those with an ax to grind for their own gains.

[englishoak]

Thailand backpacker murders: DNA evidence 'lost' - police

Crucial DNA evidence in the case of the murder of two British backpackers cannot be retested because it no longer exists, Thai police have told the BBC.

The evidence is central to the prosecution case against two Burmese migrants on trial for killing David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk.

The defence had wanted it re-examined.

source BBC

Just where is the court coverage on TV ?

[davehowden]

Thailand backpacker murders: DNA evidence 'lost' - police

Crucial DNA evidence in the case of the murder of two British backpackers cannot be retested because it no longer exists, Thai police have told the BBC.

The evidence is central to the prosecution case against two Burmese migrants on trial for killing David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk.

The defence had wanted it re-examined.

source BBC

Just where is the court coverage on TV ?

I have to agree with ENGLISHOAK, the lack of coverage here on TV is "interesting" to say the least!

[Johnniey]

Yeah, they admitted it then changed their minds. They are guilty;

[Luang]

Thailand backpacker murders: DNA evidence 'lost' - police

Crucial DNA evidence in the case of the murder of two British backpackers cannot be retested because it no longer exists, Thai police have told the BBC.

The evidence is central to the prosecution case against two Burmese migrants on trial for killing David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk.

The defence had wanted it re-examined.

source BBC

Just where is the court coverage on TV ?

Link? I don't see anything on the BBC site.

[Luang]

Got ithttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33457038

[Luang]

So, what do the protectors of the real murderers have to say now? I guess this 'used up' and 'losing' evidence is all perfectly normal and up to international standards, right?!

You should all hang your heads in shame!! Maybe a few months in a temple will serve your souls well.

[davehowden]

Seems a couple of Brits are now in the frame!

[Luang]

Seems a couple of Brits are now in the frame!

Sure, why not. Anybody but the real perps!

[somo]

No problem. The Thai police have everything written down and remember everything so the evidence is not lost. The judge will not stand for the defence implying the police might have conveniently disposed of inconvenient evidence and will convict on their say so. After all everyone knows they are 100% honest.

[gerryBScot]

Thailand backpacker murders: DNA evidence 'lost' - police

Crucial DNA evidence in the case of the murder of two British backpackers cannot be retested because it no longer exists, Thai police have told the BBC.

The evidence is central to the prosecution case against two Burmese migrants on trial for killing David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk.

The defence had wanted it re-examined.

source BBC

Just where is the court coverage on TV ?

So the RTP cannot safeguard DNA samples for independent testing, a fairly standard process that most defendants would want and which would be part of the normal forensic process: the prosecution cannot simply stand up and say, Look, Judges, we've got the reports. The Defence must be allowed to have this evidence independently tested. I would expect someone in the RTP would have a real interest in ensuring DNA evidence was preserved for independent verification as it would point incontrovertibly to guilt. And now in its absence I can only infer someone in the RTP wanted to destroy all evidence of DNA because they knew it would be unhelpful to the prosecution, in all likelihood proving the defendants' innocence. However the RTP wants to introduce the reports, their own reports that is, as evidence of guilt. And the reports cannot any longer be verified independently due to lack/loss of DNA.

This ain't right.

This is the most high profile murder case in Thailand in a generation. It sounds as though the case against the defendants should be thrown out without further delay. Truly beggars belief ....... I feel for the defendants and the victims' families.

[smoggie]

Thailand backpacker murders: DNA evidence 'lost' - police

Crucial DNA evidence in the case of the murder of two British backpackers cannot be retested because it no longer exists, Thai police have told the BBC.

The evidence is central to the prosecution case against two Burmese migrants on trial for killing David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk.

The defence had wanted it re-examined.

source BBC

Just where is the court coverage on TV ?

I have to agree with ENGLISHOAK, the lack of coverage here on TV is "interesting" to say the least!

There's a thread in the "Local News" forum, in the "Koh Samui" section. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/838898-Koh-Tao:-Trial-opens-for-2-accused-of-killing-British-tourists

[Bluespunk]

BBC reported yesterday they were removed from court to "make room for families". Were let back in but told no photographs, phones or writing anything down.

[Luang]

Oh and Sky News' Thai translator has told them she can no longer work for them as she has been warned off! Utterly disgusting all round! Where's the J's today? Hanging heads in shame?!

http://news.sky.com/story/1515906/backpacker-murder-dna-setback-for-defence

[Luang]

And where's the TV story on this latest crucial and telling development? It's been in the international press for several hours now.

[Artisi]

Don't worry, it's an odds-on-bet that Thainess will prevail and all will be good.

[lildragon]

jdinasia and JTJ. Your beloved Thai police have 'lost' the DNA evidence.

How so utterly, utterly convenient.