Senior police team to reopen death probe of Japanese girl in Sukhothai killed 8 years ago

[Baerboxer]

In fact they have reopened because of the unrelenting pressure from the family and the embassy. If not it would have been long forgotten. Let;s hope they can get the real culprit.

The important thing is it has been re-opened and they will be collecting more DNA samples, right?

News like this only has upside.

Sadly, no it doesn't. It only has an upside if they actually do their job properly. Given the propensity for ignoring the facts when it doesn't suit the desired outcome, the "upside" isn't guaranteed. Not by a long way.

Are you saying that the non-existant investigation will actually be made worse by being re-opened?

Amazing.

Would you consider it amazing if suddenly a patsy stooge was discovered?

I'd consider that worse than the initial not bothering as then the perp is still free and a someone innocent is fitted up.

Or do you actually believe the BiB have any credibility left?

[Baerboxer]

Don't let us forget that there's probably going to be some financial incentive to catch someone. My gut feeling is that the setting up of foreign workers will still be in the polices' minds. Think back to the War on Drugs. They were killing old people in their shops and generally terrorising themselves as they were told by someone it would be OK. In such an environment, where this was endorsed by most of the population---whilst they generally also take drugs, is always going to be a disaster. Lack of forward planning is another serious issue. They don't think about things in a strategic manner, but are highly reactionary. They're very bad at public relations and this doesn't help. In the Koh Tao case, they were denying the possibility of it being a Thai, whilst also claiming that tourists can't be wandering about with bikinis. Thailand's the only country on earth where the general consensus is that rape's a recreational activity, which is a bit of a laugh. Killing someone who wants to make a fuss is therefore blamed on them for being spoil sports.

Tom, what time today did you pop open your first brewsky?

Not as early as you by the look of things!

[webfact]

COLD CASE
DNA tests taken for 2007 murder
Mongkolchaowarat Thangmangmee
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- AS PART of the investigation into the murder of a Japanese tourist in the Sukhothai historical park, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and a forensic team yesterday collected DNA samples and fingerprints of 65 border police in Phitsanulok province.

They were at a camp nearby at the time of the 2007 murder.

DSI deputy director-general Pol Lt-Colonel Pongin Intarakhao said apart from these border patrol police officers, DSI investigators and forensic officials would also take DNA samples and fingerprints from 50 other people who were nearby at the time of the murder.

Tomoko Kawashita, 27, was found stabbed to death in an isolated wooded area near Wat Saphan Hin in the world heritage park on November 25, 2007, in Sukhothai.

The Japanese Embassy and the victim's father have called for a speedy investigation into the murder, which has resulted in the DSI picking it up as a special case.

The forensic team comprises officials from the Police Forensic Centre 6 and the Central Institute of Forensic Science.

He added that if those people were found to have passed on, the officials would collect DNA samples from their blood relatives. Pongin insisted that the people in question were not suspects and that the samples were being collected to rule out possibilities. He also revealed that a Bt500,000 reward was being offered for anybody who provides information leading to the killer's arrest.

DSI special adviser Pol General Jarumporn Suramanee said DNA samples had been collected from more than 200 people, but they had yet to find a match. He said the team was using FTA paper to collect DNA samples from inside the mouth, as it would be more accurate than stem-cell testing when it comes to matching samples.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/DNA-tests-taken-for-2007-murder-30271741.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-28

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

With the way Thai government and military personnel get shuffled around periodically, if one of them was the killer, what's the likelihood that the same person is going to be sitting there at the same camp or base 8 year later after killing a woman, and then even moreso, showing up to be DNA tested???

[ClutchClark]

The important thing is it has been re-opened and they will be collecting more DNA samples, right?

News like this only has upside.

Sadly, no it doesn't. It only has an upside if they actually do their job properly. Given the propensity for ignoring the facts when it doesn't suit the desired outcome, the "upside" isn't guaranteed. Not by a long way.

Are you saying that the non-existant investigation will actually be made worse by being re-opened?

Amazing.

Would you consider it amazing if suddenly a patsy stooge was discovered?

I'd consider that worse than the initial not bothering as then the perp is still free and a someone innocent is fitted up.

Or do you actually believe the BiB have any credibility left?

I do not give the BIB much credibility; however, I think they can be qyute effective at their job when it is profitable...and this is possibly one of those times.

Although I would agree with many posters here that this is more of a face-saving gesture towards the Japanese, the result will still be many new DNA samples now in a database for other past and future offenses.

Edited October 27, 2015 by ClutchClark

[NickJ]

Cold cases in Thailand are about in the same shape as the NZ ribeyes at Makro......

[Jai Dee]

A couple of personal attacks and replies have been removed from this thread.