Koh Tao: Suspects found guilty of murdering British backpackers

[ianf]

How horrific.

Just horrified that the real murderers can get away with this and allow others to be sentenced to death for something that they clearly did not do. Horrified. Just don't know what to say. How can anyone believe anything in Thailand any more??????????

[juice777]

Any one who is Interested tune into lbc radio in the UK they will be have a phone in about it very soon

[condo bought]

Face is more important than 2 penniless Burmese migrants.

Thainess.

[WaiLai]

Come April I will be voting with my heels and wallet in opposition to this farcical place of usery, deceit , conceit and corruption.

Someone else can take my seat in this 3 ring "cluster - <deleted>"

My first few years here were lovely but what it was has gone down the sewer drain now.

This verdict and the past 2 years of chaos, incompetence and empty promises has left me feeling impotent and "dirty by association".

It will be good riddance come April.

[DoctorG]

The complete lack of law and order/justice is the main reason that I no longer live in Thailand.

I cannot understand why the rest of you are still there.

[juice777]

Any one who is Interested tune into lbc radio in the UK they will be have a phone in about it very soon

http://www.lbc.co.uk/

It's a good radio station I listen to it all the time it might have some good points

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[lucky11]

Luck11 said,

" "If DNA from B2 were found inside Ms. Witheridge, it would seem they had sex; which, of course does not prove rape"

I think, if I was you, that I would edit this while you have the chance, otherwise it will surely draw ridicule!!

Why don't you read what you wrote again and try to see the errors in your words."

Lucky, you seem a bit confused. Are you saying a man's DNA evidence inside a woman means rape? If that were the case my poor ill-informed friend, almost all sex would be rape.

No!! I am not saying that at all. I am questioning how having found the B2's DNA (semen) inside Hannah Witheridge that it didn't necessarily constitute or amount to rape - in this partcular case!! Do you think that it was consensual sex? Please don't say "well, it it is possible".

[Mosha]

Expert witness Dr Porntip's statement, that the police's DNA evidence was flawed and therefore unreliable, was not taken into account. According to Jonathon head on BBC.

[StealthEnergiser]

What a farce.

The farce was especially the performance by armchair detectives say true or false without any concrete evidence.

The height of absurdity was far exceeded by the petition with tens of thousands of people all equally ignorant of the details of the case.

The evidence we read everything and anything on the net

Proof that petitions can be treated with contempt

.

Shame for those who have asserted the Innocence 2 B on the core principle that they were not the heads of murderers.

The shame for all those who have sullied the Thai authorities simply because they detest this country they have chosen nevertheless.

Needless to mention their names, They will recognize.

Oh please. These two men were convicted on nothing at all but circumstantial evidence. DNA evidence which is used up and can't be submitted as evidence, and which was denied to the defense team on those terms. The only DNA actually submitted, did not match. Hundreds of CCTV cameras which apprently didn't work. Discrepencies everywhere and holes in the case. That not speculation. That is fact.

If these kids commited the crime, by all means they should be in prison for the rest of their lives. The problem is there is next to no evidence to support that they were involved. You have to take the police's word for it. The prosecution's didn't have a case. Yet here is a conviction. I'm not asserting their innocence. But I'm certainly not remotely convinced of their guilt. How could you be unless you are a blind supporter?

Happy Joe won't answer any posts just likes to flame.

[iReason]

"Pol Lt-Gen Panya Mamen identified the first suspect as Mon."
"He is the brother of a village headman in Koh Tao."

"He was arrested after evidence which police collected were examined and proved he was involved, he said."

"The police have gathered enough evidence to implicate them in the murders."

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/one-tourist-murder-suspect-now-arrested-another-run

[TheFishman1]

No DNA NOTHING terrible unbelievable just my two cents

[stoffel45]

No surprise there.

Another travesty of justice in LOS.

SHAME on Thailand.

SHAME on the travesty of a Justice System.

SHAME on the Police.

SHAME !

Let the sanctions begin.

[Somtamnication]

Would like to see the judges' rationale on how they arrived at the verdict.

Rationale? In Thailand?

[saplaieelee]

my heart sunk when I read the outcome, these boys and their family stepped into a real rat trap that for so many of us who have followed this knew where it was headed. clearly now is a watershed moment for thai courts ahead, not behind. how will thai people respond, what leaders will emerge. sure there may be a long history of this, but so was there in my country of birth, US. clear cut cases of wrong were happening in plain view for decades unababed until lawyers like thuragood marshal stepped up to be a force to reckon with. Grab this moment, so if appeals fail, this terrible travisty will be a true turing point.

[Cereal]

I've lived in Laos for over a decade now. Being a communist country, corruption is expected and it arrives as promised. The difference being, everyone knows it's coming, everyone knows how it will be presented, and everyone knows how to deal with it if possible.

In Thailand, which espouses to be a democracy, corruption is all over the place but it is claimed by one and all involved to not exist.

Thailand is a freaking dungheap. Why, in the name of all the Gods in all the heavens, would anyone want to live there when Laos is right next door?

It can't be the beaches, no farangs I know who have been long term ex-pats there hang at the beaches.

Thailand sucks.

On second thought, there's too many whack job farangs in Thailand. Stay there, Laos doesn't want ya!

FYI: Those two poor bastards are &lt;deleted&gt; innocent! The entire world knows it.

[mick01827]

No, it appears the evidence of sex supports the case of murder--at least in the eyes of the court.

If DNA from B2 were found inside Ms. Witheridge, it would seem they had sex; which, of course does not prove rape. However, DNA evidence could have been eliminated from the hoe handle and the DNA found may be that of the authorities who handled the hoe afterward, rather than the DNA of the actual murderer.

It is possible B2 had casual consensual sex with Ms. Witheridge and she was later murdered with Mr. Miller by parties whose DNA resides on the hoe.

Of course, all of this only proves one thing; we do not have enough evidence to make a decision.

There was also the possibility the hoe in evidence was not the original murder weapon pictured on the beach. These pics show one having a missing corner (original) while the second, introduced as evidence was intact...

HoeA.jpg HoeB.jpg

This is the last post I make here, this verdict is filling me with intense anger as I believe a terrible injustice was done today and I am ashamed that I have called this place home for so long. That cannot continue for me.

Are you saying your going to make a stand and pack up and leave Thailand forever?

[Baerboxer]

Expert witness Dr Porntip's statement, that the police's DNA evidence was flawed and therefore unreliable, was not taken into account. According to Jonathon head on BBC.

Sadly, neither is she.

[lucky11]

No DNA NOTHING terrible unbelievable just my two cents

No DNA NOTHING!! - this was the main grounds of evidence that sent them down - their 7 defence witnesses failed to challenge this (because they were not able to). So, contrary to what you write, this was their undoing and it proved to be the key evidence resulting in their conviction. So, your two cents worth is probably worth a few dimes at most!!

[mankondang]

Honestly, this trial is a shame for Thailand and I hope lot of countries and associations will show their deception about this masquerade

It is one more sad day for Thailand.... my thought go to the convicted, <deleted>.ed country

Whilst not detracting anything you've said, I'd just like to add,

That my thoughts are also with the victims, and the victims families who receive this news on the eve of Christmas day. I'm not religious, but I have been brought up in Christian country, and cannot begin to realise what suffering the family and friends feel with their loss and all the hype and controversy surrounding the case. My condolences.

[joebrown]

What a pity the good general only got as far as reforming the price of the Lottery tickets. I'm now waiting to read the results of the next (junta sponsored) poll that'll tell us that 99% of the world (and their dogs) are satisfied with the Koh Tao verdict. It's sad that he actually believes this stuff, and then says the 1% don't understand.

[Toscano]

I appreciate that there was a lot of bungling on the part of the police ; DNA from the semen of both young men was found inside the victim .

I do not think that was faked . The young men had been working in the bar where the couple had been that evening , my guess is that the young men were drinking too .

I think the confessions were probably right , we never saw any evidence that the young men had been beaten or tortured . I guess the lawyers put them up to saying that .

[mick01827]

Come April I will be voting with my heels and wallet in opposition to this farcical place of usery, deceit , conceit and corruption.

Someone else can take my seat in this 3 ring "cluster - f"

My first few years here were lovely but what it was has gone down the sewer drain now.

This verdict and the past 2 years of chaos, incompetence and empty promises has left me feeling impotent and "dirty by association".

It will be good riddance come April.

You obviously don't feel that strongly about things if your waiting until April.

[tingtongfarang]

If the Miller- family really thinks, that this is a fair verdict and they are happy with it, my sympathy for them just dropped significantly!

Its much easier for the family to believe these guys were guilty, easier to move on. If not guilty their nightmare would continue. Maybe this is part of it.

Cant imagine the pain this family has suffered, but are you suggesting they opted to accept this verdict as a grasp at some kind of closure? if so i think they are fooling themselves,

Considering the whole mess of the so called investigation and reports of torture their acceptance does seem strange.

[mihalis]

No surprise there.

Another travesty of justice in LOS.

So innocent people aren't jailed elsewhere....

[mihalis]

Come April I will be voting with my heels and wallet in opposition to this farcical place of usery, deceit , conceit and corruption.

Someone else can take my seat in this 3 ring "cluster - f"

My first few years here were lovely but what it was has gone down the sewer drain now.

This verdict and the past 2 years of chaos, incompetence and empty promises has left me feeling impotent and "dirty by association".

It will be good riddance come April.

You obviously don't feel that strongly about things if your waiting until April.

Funny shit, waiting till April.. seems your blaming Thailand for your own mess

[brewsterbudgen]

No surprise there.

Another travesty of justice in LOS.

So innocent people aren't jailed elsewhere....

No, it would seem it's a uniquely Thai problem!

[mihalis]

No surprise there.

Another travesty of justice in LOS.

So innocent people aren't jailed elsewhere....

No, it would seem it's a uniquely Thai problem!

Really, iv read a few have in USA, jailed more than 20 years only to be released... You must only read Thai news

[mihalis]

No surprise there.

Another travesty of justice in LOS.

So innocent people aren't jailed elsewhere....

No, it would seem it's a uniquely Thai problem!

Really, iv read a few have in USA, jailed more than 20 years only to be released... He was lucky death sentence wasn't given... You must only read Thai news

[stickylies]

I am living in se Asia since 1997: Thailand Burma Thailand. I'm not shocked, saddened, ashamed, etc. I'm realistic and know the show must go on. The west has injustice, corruption, incompetence, forgery, scapegoats, etc. too. No hope for the human race.

[smedly]

Expert witness Dr Porntip's statement, that the police's DNA evidence was flawed and therefore unreliable, was not taken into account. According to Jonathon head on BBC.

look the bottom line is that the judges "believed" (for reasons unknown) the police evidence and statements as reliable, an expert for the defence was not allowed to testify, Dr Porntip it seems was ignored, so what expert did the judges rely on to guide them to this verdict ? - I honestly have no clue as the judges are not experts either, this is why experts in various fields are called to courts in the west to give evidence - because they know what they are talking about and have the education and experience to do so

I hope in the coming days that the autopsy results and report from the UK on both victims will now be fully disclosed, there is now no reason for this to be withheld any longer