Koh Tao murder trial reconvenes in Koh Samui

[bamukloy]

So far, this trial has been a non-event - as is today. The main prosecution case relates to the DNA evidence that hasn't been mentioned to date. Can they validate their assertions that the B2 profiles match the female victim? Surely that's priority?

Instead we have a 'confession' since retracted, an unlawful (following the retraction) 're-enactment' and today, a 'phone' that may or may not belong to the male victim. Plus a guy who said he interrogated one of the B2, presumably to gain the 'conviction'.

There's always tomorrow...

And the prosecutor sent the case back how many times? 3? 4?

It does make one wonder, I know. The realities in Thailand is that people in positions of authority do not get challenged by the populace (even if they know it's B/S). It is culture, reinforced by education that one does not question authority. Thais do NOT complain in public, apart from political demonstrations. Thus if the RTP say they did it, they don't have to provide proof. This case has been a cultural shock to them, and they're foundering.

This is the beast we have now ripped the mask off and exposed to be true. For people like me, I once was not sure if it was all just internet hearsayers.

Now we know.

The question is what will be the reaction?

What % of the 100,000 petition signers in the UK will scrap LOS as a tourist destination?

And of those 100k that do still come here, how many will definately rule out Koh Tao?

I have the feeling that these foreigners that are expecting an acquittal are in for a rude rude shock.

It is Thailand, they can do what they like, and no better time than this to display it.

"The U.N is not my father" and " I dont respect (the opinion of) foreigners" are just a few of the attitudes that bolster this.

Sadly, i feel it will all blow over.

Kho Tao will probably even attract a few farang ghouls who will go there just to gawk around where it all happened.

[bamukloy]

So far, this trial has been a non-event - as is today. The main prosecution case relates to the DNA evidence that hasn't been mentioned to date. Can they validate their assertions that the B2 profiles match the female victim? Surely that's priority?

Instead we have a 'confession' since retracted, an unlawful (following the retraction) 're-enactment' and today, a 'phone' that may or may not belong to the male victim. Plus a guy who said he interrogated one of the B2, presumably to gain the 'conviction'.

There's always tomorrow...

And the prosecutor sent the case back how many times? 3? 4?

It does make one wonder, I know. The realities in Thailand is that people in positions of authority do not get challenged by the populace (even if they know it's B/S). It is culture, reinforced by education that one does not question authority. Thais do NOT complain in public, apart from political demonstrations. Thus if the RTP say they did it, they don't have to provide proof. This case has been a cultural shock to them, and they're foundering.

This is the beast we have now ripped the mask off and exposed to be true. For people like me, I once was not sure if it was all just internet hearsayers.

Now we know.

The question is what will be the reaction?

What % of the 100,000 petition signers in the UK will scrap LOS as a tourist destination?

And of those 100k that do still come here, how many will definately rule out Koh Tao?

I have the feeling that these foreigners that are expecting an acquittal are in for a rude rude shock.

It is Thailand, they can do what they like, and no better time than this to display it.

"The U.N is not my father" and " I dont respect (the opinion of) foreigners" are just a few of the attitudes that bolster this.

Sadly, i feel it will all blow over.

Kho Tao will probably even attract a few farang ghouls who will go there just to gawk around where it all happened.

[IslandLover]

10 hours in a Thai courtroom. No notetaking, no recording of testimony of any kind - what a drag. And there's the uniformed disciplinarian who skulks around inside - berating anyone who is so rude as to cross his/her legs or arms - or otherwise not show sustained respect for the court.

I take it you are attending the trial then ?

He got the information from someone who was/is at the trial.

He doesn't have to be there:

"I can picture the senior police inspector explaining to the judges what's going on. Something like.... "

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/849310-koh-tao-murder-trial-reconvenes-in-koh-samui/?view=findpost&p=9760695

The story about the uniformed disciplinarian is apparently true, as is the story about the pesky fly.

[loonodingle]

Breaking News

Koh Tao murder trial: Defendents did not have representation during interrogations, court hears

Thai Police have confirmed the two defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial did not have any legal representation when they were confessing to the killings of Norfolk student Hannah Witheridg.e and fellow British backpacker David Miller.

Police Colonel Prathoom Ruangtong, who initially took charge of the investigation, after the bodies of the pair were found on Sairee Beach in Koh Tao, last September, confirmed the two Burmese immigrant workers had not been provided with their own lawyers.

Zaw Lin and Wei Phyo, both aged 22, are alleged to have confessed separately to the crimes, but they both maintain they were threatened and tortured to admit their guilt. They both retracted their confessions after they were charged.

Trial judges on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui, have been hearing evidence from prosecution witnesses since early July, and it will be the turn of the pro-bono defence lawyers to present their evidence from next week.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Good post, another glaring contradiction is that an RTP witness a few weeks back claimed to have not checked the pier CCTV whereas this other RTP witness yesterday claimed they did check it and it showed nothing.

This is outrageous, which one is it? Either one or both of them are lying, also I agree with some later posts about david's phone. Just a verbal claim that it was from a nameless person who can't be contacted to verify. Pathetic

Its called keeping your options open.

Remember only 50 % is a lie. So its not all so bad.

[bamukloy]

Why would you NOT check this for finger prints and DNA of the murderer??

11742872_1115220505161425_1299960809751499108_n.jpg

Sir, you are right in what you say. But i do recall reading that the gardener first found the (his) hoe, and took it back and cleaned it up.

Mon then later instructed him to put on gloves and take it back to the scene.

Yes, no excuse, but after the cleaning and further handling who knows what would have remained.

Actually come to think of it, in many other countries, the gardener probably would have been the first person to be heavily interrogated.

[IslandLover]

https://twitter.com/Atomicalandy/with_replies

[Dogmatix]

I am now wondering if the defence could request or could have requested an English court to hand over the reports of the 4 English regional police forces that interviewed potential witnesses. These reports are not part of the observation trip by British police to Thailand and cannot be deemed subject to the confidentiality agreement condition imposed on it by RTP. They were in no position to impose any conditions on investigations undertaken by British police in the UK. The British police illegally entered into agreements with foreign police to help them in a death penalty case and the results of these investigations have been made available to the prosecution but not the defence.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Dogmatix

[seahorse]

Breaking News

Koh Tao murder trial: Defendents did not have representation during interrogations, court hears

Thai Police have confirmed the two defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial did not have any legal representation when they were confessing to the killings of Norfolk student Hannah Witheridge and fellow British backpacker David Miller.

Police Colonel Prathoom Ruangtong, who initially took charge of the investigation, after the bodies of the pair were found on Sairee Beach in Koh Tao, last September, confirmed the two Burmese immigrant workers had not been provided with their own lawyers.

Zaw Lin and Wei Phyo, both aged 22, are alleged to have confessed separately to the crimes, but they both maintain they were threatened and tortured to admit their guilt. They both retracted their confessions after they were charged.

Trial judges on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui, have been hearing evidence from prosecution witnesses since early July, and it will be the turn of the pro-bono defence lawyers to present their evidence from next week.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Thank goodness for the Eastern Daily Press. At least someone is reporting this farce.

This case should have been thrown out before coming to trial, yet it is now in full swing. The prosecution haven't produced any evidence whatsoever even though it's their last day today, yet the case still hasn't been thrown out. This does not bode well for these two Burmese guys.

I'm wondering why the defence team brought up the green towel.

The defence lawyers also pointed out that a green towel had been photographed on Miss Witheridge’s body but was not included in the prosecution’s evidence and had apparently not been tested for DNA.

Any ideas?

[rudy h]

This case simply makes no sense at all to me.

The theory is David and Hanna were on the beach in the wee hours of the morning exhibiting behavior that not only sexually aroused these two maniacs but it drive both of them into such a rage they felt it was justified in the moment of heat not only to rape and murder, but then took it a huge step further by disfiguring the two victims?

I saw the horrific photos, it was a murder with an exclamation point. There has to be intent and motive for such a raging brutal double murder. For the accused to be so pissed off to feel they were compelled to commit this act in such fashion makes no sense whatsoever.

The current theory is so very weak.

What ever happened to Sean Mcanna?

So what? completely irrelevant

What/who is irrelevant? Mcanna? Or the weak theory they have presented, be clear.

[thailandchilli]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Thank goodness for the Eastern Daily Press. At least someone is reporting this farce.

This case should have been thrown out before coming to trial, yet it is now in full swing. The prosecution haven't produced any evidence whatsoever even though it's their last day today, yet the case still hasn't been thrown out. This does not bode well for these two Burmese guys.

I'm wondering why the defence team brought up the green towel.

The defence lawyers also pointed out that a green towel had been photographed on Miss Witheridge’s body but was not included in the prosecution’s evidence and had apparently not been tested for DNA.

Any ideas?

Every time the prosecution takes the stand more confusion, more contradictions more lies and more contempt for any form of a real justice system that relies on authentic evidence based facts. This report from yesterdays hearing is just the latest testimony of the complete balls up of the prosecution case.

Whereabouts of the green towel unknown, not tested despite it being put on the victims head to cover the horrific sight. We all know where the towel came from and know doubt thats where it was returned, the 'intouch resort' owned by Mon.

Lies about the RTP viewing cctv of the port area. Who to believe, the officer who said it was not viewed because they said it was not relevant despite boat/s with passengers having left in the early hours of the 15th, or the officer yesterday who said they were viewed. Who's lying and why? There's a reason and it cannot be one of "i don't know"

Then the phone farce which has now been exposed as more unverified evidence with no reports just hearsay.

Whats to come of todays final stab by the prosecution?

Edited August 28, 2015 by thailandchilli

[thailandchilli]

10 hours in a Thai courtroom. No notetaking, no recording of testimony of any kind - what a drag. And there's the uniformed disciplinarian who skulks around inside - berating anyone who is so rude as to cross his/her legs or arms - or otherwise not show sustained respect for the court.

I take it you are attending the trial then ?

He got the information from someone who was/is at the trial.

He doesn't have to be there:

"I can picture the senior police inspector explaining to the judges what's going on. Something like.... "

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/849310-koh-tao-murder-trial-reconvenes-in-koh-samui/?view=findpost&p=9760695

Correct Boomer does not have to be there when there are people there who can give first hand accounts which he can then relay. This is indeed a true story from inside the court. There's actually a few more tit bits but they've been deleted from the threads.

Edited August 28, 2015 by thailandchilli

[frank83628]

Why would you NOT check this for finger prints and DNA of the murderer??

11742872_1115220505161425_1299960809751499108_n.jpg

Sir, you are right in what you say. But i do recall reading that the gardener first found the (his) hoe, and took it back and cleaned it up.

Mon then later instructed him to put on gloves and take it back to the scene.

Yes, no excuse, but after the cleaning and further handling who knows what would have remained.

no, the hoe was there the whole time covered in blood, it was not cleaned and put back as you have read, it was about 20 m from the bodies, the police took it away after they removed the bodies

Edited August 28, 2015 by frank83628

[seahorse]

This case simply makes no sense at all to me.

The theory is David and Hanna were on the beach in the wee hours of the morning exhibiting behavior that not only sexually aroused these two maniacs but it drive both of them into such a rage they felt it was justified in the moment of heat not only to rape and murder, but then took it a huge step further by disfiguring the two victims?

I saw the horrific photos, it was a murder with an exclamation point. There has to be intent and motive for such a raging brutal double murder. For the accused to be so pissed off to feel they were compelled to commit this act in such fashion makes no sense whatsoever.

The current theory is so very weak.

What ever happened to Sean Mcanna?

So what? completely irrelevant

What/who is irrelevant? Mcanna? Or the weak theory they have presented, be clear.

I think cumgranosalum is referring to Sean McAnna being irrelevant. I'm not so sure. Why did Mon and his policeman buddy chase him into the minimart and where was Sean's own phone at the time?

The theory the police / prosecution have presented is so weak that this case should never have made it to court. Whoever did that to Hannah had a personal grudge against her.

[stephenterry]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Thank goodness for the Eastern Daily Press. At least someone is reporting this farce.

This case should have been thrown out before coming to trial, yet it is now in full swing. The prosecution haven't produced any evidence whatsoever even though it's their last day today, yet the case still hasn't been thrown out. This does not bode well for these two Burmese guys.

I'm wondering why the defence team brought up the green towel.

The defence lawyers also pointed out that a green towel had been photographed on Miss Witheridge’s body but was not included in the prosecution’s evidence and had apparently not been tested for DNA.

Any ideas?

As it says. Casts another doubt on the evidence submitted. The RTP don't care because they know this case will not be thrown out. And if the defence prove beyond reasonable doubt that the prosecution's case is flawed, it still won't matter because the prosecution will appeal. That is what's going to happen.

My take is whatever the verdict there will be an appeal, and if granted by the appeals court, the case will drag on, until it gets to the supreme court. By that time many years could have passed. These threads will dry up, the B2 will remain incarcerated, life on Koh Tao and elsewhere will go on, but neither the victims families or the suspects families will have any closure or satisfaction that justice was seen to have been done.

[StealthEnergiser]

Why would you NOT check this for finger prints and DNA of the murderer??

11742872_1115220505161425_1299960809751499108_n.jpg

Sir, you are right in what you say. But i do recall reading that the gardener first found the (his) hoe, and took it back and cleaned it up.

Mon then later instructed him to put on gloves and take it back to the scene.

Yes, no excuse, but after the cleaning and further handling who knows what would have remained.

no, the hoe was there the whole time covered in blood, it was not cleaned and put back as you have read, it was about 20 m from the bodies, the police took it away after they removed the bodies

Police tried to manipulate Koh Tao witness, court told

Police on Koh Tao tried to persuade a witness at the Witheridge-Miller crime scene into saying that he had wiped blood off an alleged murder weapon, according to Aung Myo Thant, a lawyer for the defence team.

Speaking to DVB on Thursday evening, the lawyer said the court heard testimony from a Burmese migrant named U Oh, who was a garbage collector on Sairee Beach during the period in September 2014 when British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered.

“U Oh confirmed he was the owner of the garden hoe, which is alleged to have been used as the murder weapon in the case,” Aung Myo Thant said. “A police officer had earlier testified that the hoe was used to murder the victims, then the blood-stained tool was placed under a bag and discarded on the beach.”

https://www.dvb.no/news/police-tried-to-manipulate-koh-tao-witness-court-told/54664

[IslandLover]

Breaking News

Koh Tao murder trial: Defendents did not have representation during interrogations, court hears

Thai Police have confirmed the two defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial did not have any legal representation when they were confessing to the killings of Norfolk student Hannah Witheridge and fellow British backpacker David Miller.

Police Colonel Prathoom Ruangtong, who initially took charge of the investigation, after the bodies of the pair were found on Sairee Beach in Koh Tao, last September, confirmed the two Burmese immigrant workers had not been provided with their own lawyers.

Zaw Lin and Wei Phyo, both aged 22, are alleged to have confessed separately to the crimes, but they both maintain they were threatened and tortured to admit their guilt. They both retracted their confessions after they were charged.

Trial judges on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui, have been hearing evidence from prosecution witnesses since early July, and it will be the turn of the pro-bono defence lawyers to present their evidence from next week.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Good post, another glaring contradiction is that an RTP witness a few weeks back claimed to have not checked the pier CCTV whereas this other RTP witness yesterday claimed they did check it and it showed nothing.

This is outrageous, which one is it? Either one or both of them are lying, also I agree with some later posts about david's phone. Just a verbal claim that it was from a nameless person who can't be contacted to verify. Pathetic

Apparently Andy Hall does have the name of the person at the British Embassy in BKK who supplied the phone details. There seems to be a lot of collusion by the British Government in withholding any and all information to the Defence. First the High Court in London denies them access to the MPS report, now this.

[IslandLover]

I am now wondering if the defence could request or could have requested an English court to hand over the reports of the 4 English regional police forces that interviewed potential witnesses. These reports are not part of the observation trip by British police to Thailand and cannot be deemed subject to the confidentiality agreement condition imposed on it by RTP. They were in no position to impose any conditions on investigations undertaken by British police in the UK. The British police illegally entered into agreements with foreign police to help them in a death penalty case and the results of these investigations have been made available to the prosecution but not the defence.

I get the feeling that the British Government is preventing the British Police from providing any information to the Defence. I presume the Norfolk Coroner is not subject to these restrictions though.

[stephenterry]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Good post, another glaring contradiction is that an RTP witness a few weeks back claimed to have not checked the pier CCTV whereas this other RTP witness yesterday claimed they did check it and it showed nothing.

This is outrageous, which one is it? Either one or both of them are lying, also I agree with some later posts about david's phone. Just a verbal claim that it was from a nameless person who can't be contacted to verify. Pathetic

Apparently Andy Hall does have the name of the person at the British Embassy in BKK who supplied the phone details. There seems to be a lot of collusion by the British Government in withholding any and all information to the Defence. First the High Court in London denies them access to the MPS report, now this.

The only reason I can think of, is that to help discredit another country's police force, is not a wise diplomatic move. In other words it's the bigger picture syndrome being played out here. However, right now, I'm not proud to be British, and I'll never return..

On a point of accuracy the high court judge offered an appeal to his verdict, but it wasn't taken up.

[frank83628]

Why would you NOT check this for finger prints and DNA of the murderer??

11742872_1115220505161425_1299960809751499108_n.jpg

Sir, you are right in what you say. But i do recall reading that the gardener first found the (his) hoe, and took it back and cleaned it up.

Mon then later instructed him to put on gloves and take it back to the scene.

Yes, no excuse, but after the cleaning and further handling who knows what would have remained.

no, the hoe was there the whole time covered in blood, it was not cleaned and put back as you have read, it was about 20 m from the bodies, the police took it away after they removed the bodies

Police tried to manipulate Koh Tao witness, court told

Police on Koh Tao tried to persuade a witness at the Witheridge-Miller crime scene into saying that he had wiped blood off an alleged murder weapon, according to Aung Myo Thant, a lawyer for the defence team.

Speaking to DVB on Thursday evening, the lawyer said the court heard testimony from a Burmese migrant named U Oh, who was a garbage collector on Sairee Beach during the period in September 2014 when British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered.

“U Oh confirmed he was the owner of the garden hoe, which is alleged to have been used as the murder weapon in the case,” Aung Myo Thant said. “A police officer had earlier testified that the hoe was used to murder the victims, then the blood-stained tool was placed under a bag and discarded on the beach.”

https://www.dvb.no/news/police-tried-to-manipulate-koh-tao-witness-court-told/54664

i do not know the owner of the hoe, i have not heard anything form dvb news…i was replying to the poster bamukloy...

i can assure you the hoe was there the whole time, covered in blood in a patch of garden under a tree 20m from the victims until the police removed the bodies.

[Dogmatix]

Now we read about RTP's incredible technological break through in successfully isolating the DNA of the suspected Bangkok bomber's DNA on banknotes he allegedly gave to a tuk tuk driver, despite the fact that the banknotes must have been handled by hundreds or thousands of others immediately prior to the suspect.

If Thai police are now that cutting edge in forensics, it is a mystery why they didn't use this capability to find the DNA of the person who wielded the hoe or any of David's DNA from blade of the hoe used to bludgeon his head repeatedly. The same applies to the condom which must have had the wearer's skin cells inside it as well as, very likely, some semen or pre-ejaculatory fluid. Then, what about the green towel? Wouldn't police have made strenuous efforts to recover this vital piece of evidence for analysis by the super capable Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok?

Edited August 28, 2015 by Dogmatix

[AleG]

Oh Yeah Solly Nah... I forgot he like thai polee mun Vely much.

You want evidence hey!!!!!!!!

Yeah I called them up I did.. Trust me.. I called them and they said yep its his.... I said well that's good enough for me.. Would you like it in writing a fax and email. Perhaps on embassy paper. Signed as certified like I do for the other papers... I said Nahh it ok M8.. I will tell them its all sorted.

Yeah right PMSL if it wasn't so serious

It would very little effort for the defense to prove the witness to have committed perjury, since that is a very serious offense, until that happens I will take the statement from the witness as being true; in spite of the protestations of people hell bent on ignoring any evidence that doesn't fit with what they want to believe.

[StealthEnergiser]

Follow

Andy Hall‏@Atomicalandy

Day 12 Koh Tao trial and final day of prosecution witnesses for the case. Witness 1 expected to be senior police investigation official.

[IslandLover]

i do not know the owner of the hoe, i have not heard anything form dvb news…i was replying to the poster bamukloy...

i can assure you the hoe was there the whole time, covered in blood in a patch of garden under a tree 20m from the victims until the police removed the bodies.

No it wasn't. The hoe was found under a tree, then it was moved to the enclosed patch of garden, then it was moved back under the tree again. This was stated in court testimony. The owner of the hoe is variously "U Oh", the gardener, or Mon, depending on which press report you read. Are you saying that the witness was lying in court?

Edited August 28, 2015 by IslandLover

[AleG]

Breaking News

Koh Tao murder trial: Defendents did not have representation during interrogations, court hears

Thai Police have confirmed the two defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial did not have any legal representation when they were confessing to the killings of Norfolk student Hannah Witheridge and fellow British backpacker David Miller.

Police Colonel Prathoom Ruangtong, who initially took charge of the investigation, after the bodies of the pair were found on Sairee Beach in Koh Tao, last September, confirmed the two Burmese immigrant workers had not been provided with their own lawyers.

Zaw Lin and Wei Phyo, both aged 22, are alleged to have confessed separately to the crimes, but they both maintain they were threatened and tortured to admit their guilt. They both retracted their confessions after they were charged.

Trial judges on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui, have been hearing evidence from prosecution witnesses since early July, and it will be the turn of the pro-bono defence lawyers to present their evidence from next week.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Good post, another glaring contradiction is that an RTP witness a few weeks back claimed to have not checked the pier CCTV whereas this other RTP witness yesterday claimed they did check it and it showed nothing.

This is outrageous, which one is it? Either one or both of them are lying, also I agree with some later posts about david's phone. Just a verbal claim that it was from a nameless person who can't be contacted to verify. Pathetic

Person A is asked if the saw the CCTV footage he says no, person B is asked if he saw the footage he says yes, therefore person A was lying?

Logic, it doesn't work that way.

[thailandchilli]

no, the hoe was there the whole time covered in blood, it was not cleaned and put back as you have read, it was about 20 m from the bodies, the police took it away after they removed the bodies

Police tried to manipulate Koh Tao witness, court told

Police on Koh Tao tried to persuade a witness at the Witheridge-Miller crime scene into saying that he had wiped blood off an alleged murder weapon, according to Aung Myo Thant, a lawyer for the defence team.

Speaking to DVB on Thursday evening, the lawyer said the court heard testimony from a Burmese migrant named U Oh, who was a garbage collector on Sairee Beach during the period in September 2014 when British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered.

“U Oh confirmed he was the owner of the garden hoe, which is alleged to have been used as the murder weapon in the case,” Aung Myo Thant said. “A police officer had earlier testified that the hoe was used to murder the victims, then the blood-stained tool was placed under a bag and discarded on the beach.”

https://www.dvb.no/news/police-tried-to-manipulate-koh-tao-witness-court-told/54664

i do not know the owner of the hoe, i have not heard anything form dvb news…i was replying to the poster bamukloy...

i can assure you the hoe was there the whole time, covered in blood in a patch of garden under a tree 20m from the victims until the police removed the bodies.

How can you assure anyone that you are correct when all credible reports indicate otherwise?

Also, before local police officers arrived at the crime scene at dawn on September 15, many locals had already messed up the evidence by moving the two murder weapons - a hoe and a wooden stick - and thereby affecting the fingerprints. Then there's the problem of finding the people whose DNA has been discovered on cigarette butts and looking to see if they have any links to the murders. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Investigation-into-Koh-Tao-murders-seriously-flawe-30244163.html

[StealthEnergiser]

i do not know the owner of the hoe, i have not heard anything form dvb news…i was replying to the poster bamukloy...

i can assure you the hoe was there the whole time, covered in blood in a patch of garden under a tree 20m from the victims until the police removed the bodies.

No it wasn't. The hoe was found under a tree, then it was moved to the enclosed patch of garden, then it was moved back under the tree again. This was stated in court testimony. The owner of the hoe is variously "O", the gardener, or Mon, depending on which press report you read. Are you saying that the witness was lying in court?

watch the video at 1.12

[happy Joe]

I get the feeling that the British Government is preventing the British Police from providing any information to the Defence. I presume the Norfolk Coroner is not subject to these restrictions though.

You are right.

There is a great conspiracy to convict the 2 B and British government is one.

[thailandchilli]

Breaking News

Koh Tao murder trial: Defendents did not have representation during interrogations, court hears

Thai Police have confirmed the two defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial did not have any legal representation when they were confessing to the killings of Norfolk student Hannah Witheridge and fellow British backpacker David Miller.

Police Colonel Prathoom Ruangtong, who initially took charge of the investigation, after the bodies of the pair were found on Sairee Beach in Koh Tao, last September, confirmed the two Burmese immigrant workers had not been provided with their own lawyers.

Zaw Lin and Wei Phyo, both aged 22, are alleged to have confessed separately to the crimes, but they both maintain they were threatened and tortured to admit their guilt. They both retracted their confessions after they were charged.

Trial judges on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui, have been hearing evidence from prosecution witnesses since early July, and it will be the turn of the pro-bono defence lawyers to present their evidence from next week.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/koh_tao_murder_trial_defendents_did_not_have_representation_during_interrogations_court_hears_1_4211590

Good post, another glaring contradiction is that an RTP witness a few weeks back claimed to have not checked the pier CCTV whereas this other RTP witness yesterday claimed they did check it and it showed nothing.

This is outrageous, which one is it? Either one or both of them are lying, also I agree with some later posts about david's phone. Just a verbal claim that it was from a nameless person who can't be contacted to verify. Pathetic

Person A is asked if the saw the CCTV footage he says no, person B is asked if he saw the footage he says yes, therefore person A was lying?

Logic, it doesn't work that way.

I see AleG spreading more misinformation

On Wednesday, Police Colonel Cherdpong Chiewpreecha told the court that nobody examined CCTV footage of a boat leaving the island around an hour after the presumed time of the murders. “We have the footage, but we never checked it,” he said, according to Sky News.

http://time.com/3970699/thailand-koh-tao-murders-hannah-witheridge-david-miller-latest/

[boomerangutang]

10 hours in a Thai courtroom. No notetaking, no recording of testimony of any kind - what a drag. And there's the uniformed disciplinarian who skulks around inside - berating anyone who is so rude as to cross his/her legs or arms - or otherwise not show sustained respect for the court.

I take it you are attending the trial then ?

I have attended trials in Thailand. And yesterday I read an account from a woman who was attending the trial, and she reminded me of the scenario I experienced within a Thai courtroom. There's an assigned man, part of his job is to shuffle around ensuring that everyone in the court shows the prescribed respect due the court. I had flip flops on, he frowned and wagged his finger at me to take them off. I did (are bare feet less offensive than flip flopped feet?). He brushed brusquely in to my shoulder to silently scold me for crossing my arms while seated. He did the same when he noticed I had crossed my legs. Thankfully, I've never been in a Thai court for more than 1 hour, and it felt like 5. I don't want to imagine what 10 hours feels like.

Incidentally, the court sessions I attended in northern Thailand, had a defendant dressed in light brown cheapo cloth and shackled, ankles and wrists. It sounds similar to how the 2 defendants in this KT are clothed and shackled. Meanwhile, the judges and the attorneys on both sides are dressed in black robes with white trim, and are on elevated platforms. There was a psychology study done at Stanford University years ago which had half a class's students dressed as wardens and half dressed in prisoner smocks - then the two groups were allowed to interact, unscripted. Very soon, things became stratified, and soon after, the experiment had to be called off because the well-dressed wardens abused the poorly dressed inmates.

Humans are only about 2% different than chimps and bonobos genetically (and mentally?). Hierarchy is reinforced often. A Chinese woman was recently interviewed in Singapore. She claimed that if she casually met another Chinese woman at a supermarket, and exchanged just a few words with her, she could ascertain in 1 minute where the woman was from, her level of education, her social status and pretty close to her net worth. She's probably right.

Edited August 28, 2015 by boomerangutang

[AleG]

Apparently Andy Hall does have the name of the person at the British Embassy in BKK who supplied the phone details. There seems to be a lot of collusion by the British Government in withholding any and all information to the Defence. First the High Court in London denies them access to the MPS report, now this.

So you are objecting at the UK government providing information that could help solve a murder case?

Say again, what were you campaigning for? Was it "Truth and Justice for Hannah Witheridge and David Miller" or "Let Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin Walf Free No Matter What"?