GUILTY Thailand - David Miller, 24, & Hannah Witheridge, 23, Koh Tao, 15 Sep 2014

[DeDee]

Maybe a hit to the back of a tourist's head, is standard in a Thai beach robbery ?
Hope this guy makes a full recovery..

Oct 18 2014
http://www.thestar.com/life/health_..._for_dad_paralyzed_by_attack_in_thailand.html
"Channon, a humanitarian aid worker, was hit in the back of the neck, likely with a steel pipe, as he was wandering along a beachfront trail in Koh Lipe on the evening of Aug. 14.

He regained consciousness as he was being dragged to a dark, isolated part of the beach by his attacker.

His feeble cries for help went unanswered by nearby beach revelers. Channon spent an entire night lying on the sand, unable to move, while mosquitoes and fire ants gnawed his flesh and stray dogs licked his face.

The attack left the father of three an “incomplete” quadriplegic, which means it’s possible that, through intense rehabilitation, he could regain movement."

Your words read like something frightening from a fictional thriller only it is real, dreadfully real. The old "unyielding weapon on the back of the neck while on an exotic island" modus operandi. My limbs literally ache for the victim.

WSs has that nasty murder of the lovely Chicago socialite done in by her own selfish daughter and the daughter's boyfriend while vacationing on the island of Bali. Apparently there was a heavy [glass ashtray] object or two that she was struck with then her body was stuffed inside a suitcase. Truth is much more scarier than fiction could ever be.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ound-in-suitcase-Daughter-boyfriend-charged-3


MOO OMO and all that jazz

 

[imjustagirl123]

Thailand Beach Party Ban After Briton Murders

http://news.sky.com/story/1361203/thailand-beach-party-ban-after-briton-murders

 

[imjustagirl123]

Yes!!! Finally

Thailand Deaths: Suspects In New DNA Tests

http://news.sky.com/story/1362607/thailand-deaths-suspects-in-new-dna-tests

 

[zwiebel]

In a stunning example of warped priorities, Thailand's police chief has now announced that anyone speculating about the murders on social media will be jailed for up to five years.

It's obviously okay for us who don't live there, but I feel sorry for people in Thailand. Social media has actually (imo) done a lot to highlight failures in the investigation, and has often had more acccurate reports than Thai media. I suppose foreign tourists who have used social media to discuss the case might want to be careful though, and maybe think twice about visiting the country, especially if they've criticised the police chief.....

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29834046

 

[jellybeanz]

Thailand is an utter farce of a country.

 

[gia2]

Thailand Authorities Ban Beach Parties in Wake of Murders

Village leader's son is forced to undergo DNA test

 

[CoverMeCagney]

UK police are returning from their investigation in Thailand and will be filing a report showing their findings:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29999735

This will be interesting...

 

[ellie b]

he wasn't forced, the dna test was paid for by his father. Can't say much about....I'm in Thailand at the moment.

 

[zwiebel]

In my opinion, a private DNA test paid for by the father of the person wanting to demonstrate his innocence, isn't worth the paper it is written on. Who will verify the authenticity/sampling/soundness of the testing? Who will then compare the results to the samples held by police? If the test was carried out privately, they will then have to ask police for samples of DNA taken at the crime scene, to compare.

Do police have the legal right to release DNA samples to private individuals/groups?

If not, the only other way will be for the private sample to be submitted to the police, for comparison. But no reputable forensic dept would accept a sample for testing they hadn't taken for themselves - there'd be no way to verify who it was from.

So, absolutely useless, in my opinion.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I think it's fair to say there is still a killer loose on that island. A killer with lots of friends and family who will lie for him.

I absolutely love Thailand, some of the best months of my life were spent there..... but I hate this shady side of things and it would make me think twice now!

 

[Yoda]

Figures released by the British government showed that between 2011 and 2012 there were 296 British deaths in Thailand.
In the 12 months up to April 1, 2013 there were 389 British deaths in Thailand, while in the same period up to April 2014 there were 362 deaths and 267 hospitalisations of British tourists.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2833369/Thailand-one-dangerous-tourist-destinations-Earth-Ex-pat-investigation-lifts-lid-dark-Land-Smiles.html

 

[zwiebel]

In a completely separate case on Koh Tao, the body of missing Swiss tourist Hans Peter Suter is believed to have been found. It sounds as though no foul play was involved as he was caught on cctv walking into the water to go snorkelling. What I did find relevant to this case is that he disappeared from the same beach where Hannah and David were murdered.

It made me wonder why those same beach cameras didn't seem to be in operation the night of the murders? I haven't seen any video released of the beach and water itself that night, just the road and the shops. It would be interesting to know if that entire stretch of beach is covered by cctv, and if so, what the footage from that night might show.

'Mr Hanspeter disappeared at Sairee beach, where British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found murdered in September.

Police on Koh Tao said today that security camera showed Mr Hanspeter walking into the water.'

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/body-missing-swiss-tourist-believed-thailand-21398/

 

[zwiebel]

It's been 'confirmed' that the body is Suter's, though I'm not certain the friend?? has identified him or any coroner's results have been released yet, I think I should add.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gen...eter-body-found-on-beach-in-chumphon-thailand

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Perhaps the CCTV has been installed since H&D were killed?

The stats for deaths of Brits in Thailand seems high - an average of one a day?? I wonder if it's a similar number in other countries.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Burmese suspects plead for help from UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-30154357

 

[zwiebel]

Heck, it's really unusual for murder suspects to call for more investigations into their cases. I don't know what to say, really, except I'm not certain at all about the guilt of those who have 'confessed'.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I know! I just can't understand why the UK police couldn't have got samples from the Burmese men (or from their relatives) to test directly against the DNA found in the UK autopsy.

Surely that would clear things up instantly, or am I over simplifying it?

I wonder when the report is coming out from our officers who went over there. This case bugs me.

 

[zwiebel]

'authorities will indict Zaw Lin, 21, for the murder of Mr Miller, the rape and murder of Ms Witheridge, illegal entry into Thailand and staying in the country without permission.

Win Zaw Htun, also 21, faces the same charges and an additional count of stealing a mobile phone and sunglasses from Mr Miller.'

http://www.itv.com/news/story/2014-12-04/burmese-pair-charged-with-british-tourists-murder/

 

[gia2]

The family of Hannah Witheridge issued a statement saying they are confident of the investigation carried out by both British and Thai police into her death. David's family have also expressed that they back the police investigation.

"[the family] want to remind both press and public that they do not have the full facts to report and make comment on at this stage"

 

[CoverMeCagney]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30359459

Interesting that David's family say "From what we have seen, the suspects have a difficult case to answer. The evidence against them appears to be powerful and convincing"

Given that they're privy to the UK police reports it would suggest the forensics match up to the Burmese boys. They must have got DNA from them (or their parents) to test against DNA found on Hannah, right?