In your opinion, do you believe that the two Burmese suspects who were accused of the Koh Tao murders are guilty?

Please feel free to leave a comment, but exercise care in your posts however, keep this rule in mind when posting:

You also agree not to post negative comments criticizing the legal proceedings or judgments of any Thai court of law.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881256-koh-tao-suspects-found-guilty-of-murdering-british-backpackers/

unable to comment

No and this has been covered at length in the other thread.

The real killers are still walking free. Their freedom bought and paid for.

I don't know whether or not they were guilty but by American Standards of "guilt beyond a reasonable doubt", they should have been acquitted, since there was so much contradictory evidence. By Thai standards of "saving face" over administration of justice they were a convenient scapegoat.

There should be another option for 'who da hell knows anymore'...

Why only yes and no? What about doubt?

I believe the BiB botched up the investigation and nobody will ever know for sure.

Not guilty.

Well considering the issues of the security of preserving the crime scene by those that should know better, then followed by numerous statements by police naming people then retracting statements, followed by so-called DNA evidence linking the two suspects to the weapon allegedly used, then counter claims by experts stating the DNA is NOT that of the accused, Well It's full of holes and that is the fault of the so-called experts that some could say failed in their duty at almost every level possible.

The only way one could make an educated guess is if the EVIDENCE NOT CONJECTIRE AND THEORY was published so that the case can be closed once and for all.

I believe they are guilty...DNA is hard to dispute.....

However botched the investigation turned out to be DNA does not lie....

Should you all not be a little more circumspect concerning the questioning of the decision of the Thai judge and the judicial system here/?

There are draconian penalties for such matters should they be viewed as a criticism of the judiciary and the judicial system in genral.

I believe they are guilty...DNA is hard to dispute.....

However botched the investigation turned out to be DNA does not lie....

The DNA would prove what? Rape? Certainly not murder.

I've voted 'No' but really mean 'Not proven'

Until the statement by the Miller family, I would have naturally said no. That statement changed everything. If they can clearly and categorically say that after all they've been through and all the evidence they must have combed through and along with advice they must have received from the UK police, I have to say the same thing. GUILTY.

I believe they are guilty...DNA is hard to dispute.....

However botched the investigation turned out to be DNA does not lie....

The DNA would prove what? Rape? Certainly not murder.

So the DNA proves rape...OK so those boys raped and someone else came along and killed the two...

I guess it is possible...

You also agree not to post negative comments criticizing the legal proceedings or judgments of any Thai court of law.

That precondition somehow limits our freedom of speech.......................

I believe the BiB botched up the investigation and nobody will ever know for sure.

The B2 know for sure.

The police involved know for sure.

Unnamed witnesses/perps know for sure.

David and Hannah know for sure.

The investigation got off to a good start:

"The police have arrested a suspect in the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao and are still hunting for a second suspect who has escaped into Bangkok."

"He said both suspects were captured by CCTV cameras and the police have gathered enough evidence to implicate them in the murders"

"The southern police chief also assured the public that there was no arrest of scapegoats in this murder case as it now is a focal attention of the world.

He also dismissed any suggestion of local mafias or influential people that could twist the investigation with promise that local influence would pose no obstacle to the police investigation."

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

But soon turned into a farce. The real killers are still having their merry way out there…….

The OP headline says found guilty, should say declared guilty.

unable to comment

That ought to be true for everyone. Any opinion formed by the vast majority of TV posters is based on a cursory reading of some news reports and/or simply reflects the poster's prejudices.

Every country's judicial system produces some cases of innocent people who are wrongly arrested & convicted and every prison is filled with inmates protesting their innocence despite knowing full well that they are guilty. Deciding the guilt or innocence of someone is often difficult enough for those in possession of all the evidence and virtually impossible for those who just read snippets in the news that have been filtered through the mind of some reporter.

I couldn't vote or comment on the question asked and can only hope the judgment was the correct one.

You also agree not to post negative comments criticizing the legal proceedings or judgments of any Thai court of law.

That precondition somehow limits our freedom of speech.......................

Your freedom to speak in not limited. Freedom of speech does not mean every news outlet is obliged to print, broadcast or publish everything you feel like saying.

The press has a terrible record for misreporting, either through ignorance or malice, with little to no accountability.

I presume the knowledge of TV posters comes from the press? Did any actually sit through the trial, and were in a position to analyze the evidence?

I believe there should have been an "I have no idea" option, not just "yes" and "no".

The investigation got off to a good start:

"The police have arrested a suspect in the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao and are still hunting for a second suspect who has escaped into Bangkok."

"He said both suspects were captured by CCTV cameras and the police have gathered enough evidence to implicate them in the murders"

"The southern police chief also assured the public that there was no arrest of scapegoats in this murder case as it now is a focal attention of the world.

He also dismissed any suggestion of local mafias or influential people that could twist the investigation with promise that local influence would pose no obstacle to the police investigation."

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

But soon turned into a farce. The real killers are still having their merry way out there…….

So according to the quote, scapegoats are okay if the world is not paying full attention. The hole in his premise may be his 'petard' since the world was not paying full attention until after they chose the B2 to be the sacrificial lambs.

Why on earth there is not a third possibility: I do not know?

Ah sorry we are on ThaiVisa vox populi prevail!

Anyway far as I'm concern I would not stake my life on it, for how could I know for sure?

You also agree not to post negative comments criticizing the legal proceedings or judgments of any Thai court of law.

That precondition somehow limits our freedom of speech.......................

Agreed.

"Negative"... I do not like that word, it's so...erm...negative. It's like the old school trick of saying someone is boring, as an attempt to shut them up and get the gang mentality on your side rather than focus on the actual argument.

Any comment can be spun to appear negative.

The press has a terrible record for misreporting, either through ignorance or malice, with little to no accountability.

I presume the knowledge of TV posters comes from the press? Did any actually sit through the trial, and were in a position to analyze the evidence?

I believe there should have been an "I have no idea" option, not just "yes" and "no".

1. The press are bound by strict censorship and defamation litigation even during elected government terms. During recent times, censorship and defamation look pretty good.
2. You presume wrong. International media deliver fact based reporting. Thaivisa is under the same censorship and defamation threats as other media and press.
3. Not having any idea should be an option? If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.

You also agree not to post negative comments criticizing the legal proceedings or judgments of any Thai court of law.

That precondition somehow limits our freedom of speech.......................

Agreed.

"Negative"... I do not like that word, it's so...erm...negative. It's like the old school trick of saying someone is boring, as an attempt to shut them up and get the gang mentality on your side rather than focus on the actual argument.

Any comment can be spun to appear negative.

Are you positive about that?

No and Never, these two Burmese are purely innocent, but seem to be guilty of committing crimes in the first place coming to works in Thailand.

I don't know whether or not they were guilty but by American Standards of "guilt beyond a reasonable doubt", they should have been acquitted, since there was so much contradictory evidence. By Thai standards of "saving face" over administration of justice they were a convenient scapegoat.

"By Thai standards of "saving face" over administration of justice ..."

If only American posters could apply the same standards of "guilt beyond reasonable doubt" before Thai bashing ...

I have no idea if they are guilty but the circumstances surrounding the crucial DNA evidence are so murky I don't see how reasonable doubt doesn't apply.