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

[CoverMeCagney]

Another young Brit found dead on Koh Tao, this time in a swimming pool. Luke Miller from IOW. Not sure if suspicious.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...nd-dead-on-Thai-backpacker-murder-island.html

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Hannah's sister, Laura, has posted a long public status on her FB page which has been reported here (the full post is a little longer):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rents-just-make-one-raped-killed-Koh-Tao.html

How awful, my heart aches for these people. I saw the photos of Hannah lying on the beach and they haunt me too, so god knows how her family can cope knowing she ended life like that. They were the most disrespectful and savage pictures I've seen and I feel sick knowing her sister saw them.

On the subject of visiting Thailand, I spent a couple of months travelling round there and it IS aesthetically beautiful and most of the people ARE lovely on the face of it. The beaches, food and weather truly do make you feel at ease and in paradise but as with many other places worldwide there are elements of needing to stay extra streetwise and keep a low profile. I didn't see it whatsoever, but there's evidently a nasty undertone and corruption makes it all the worse.

Not referring to this particular case, but the Thai people hate "losing face" more than anything, it's hugely offensive there to argue or make them look stupid in front of others. I imagine there are a few cases where foreigners (or "farang" as we're known there) end up dead after upsetting a local. Factor in connections to local law enforcement, family, friendships, favours, or even just general pecking order and you can see how things can be covered up by corrupt officials. Add the confines of a small island to that and that cover up is exactly what I think happened in Hannah & David's case, along with a couple of other deaths that seem suspect.

I strongly believe there is still a killer on Koh Tao - pulling rank and calling in favours. I also think that Scottish fella may have been right. I hope one day the truth will out, but we may never know.

 

[Thyme]

WOW...Was just coming to post this Cagney. The two families look to have very opposing views on the performance of RTP. Perhaps the Miller's will change their view when the coroner releases the full autopsy results. Good on you Laura Witheridge!!

 

[CoverMeCagney]

More Thailand news - British tourist Lucy Hill had a bad road accident a couple of days ago. She's critical in hospital in Chiang Mai and desperately needed a blood transfusion but is blood type A- which is apparently rare in Thailand and the hospital had none. A FB event was set up for anyone to go to the hospital this morning to donate and there have been LOADS of people queuing to try and help. Unfortunately Thailand doesn't accept blood from anyone living in the UK when CJD (Mad Cow Disease) did the rounds in the 80's but even still, Lucy has had her transfusion (she may need more). Huge high five to all those tourists who wanted to donate, and to the Thai people and other nationalities who have provided the hospital with more blood for Lucy. Social media at its best.

http://thetab.com/uk/leeds/2016/01/...lxpost&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=pages

https://www.facebook.com/events/1861733100719889/

 

[ellie b]

Here is Laura Witheridge's post in full............

https://www.facebook.com/laura.witheridge/posts/10153150628116986?fref=nf&pnref=story

 

[Thyme]

Laura Witheridge's post has been removed. Seems the family was receiving nasty messages. Too late...that ship has sailed. The word is that the RTP head honcho Chaktip has threatened to sue Laura Witheridge for defamation. This was published in the Thai Daily Matichon, however, I have tried to locate the translated version with no joy.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/823848/koh-tao-victim-sister-raps-police-court

In other news - A Bangkok court has confiscated the passport of British migrant rights defender Andy Hall and banned him from traveling outside of the country.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/01/bangkok-court-bans-british-activist-andy-hall-from-traveling-outside-thailand/

 

[Thyme]

Laura Witheridge's original post is posted in full at the Thailand Justice facebook page.

Not sure if I am allowed to post a direct link. Can someone let me know. Thanks.

 

[Thyme]

Snippet at the end of this article. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Anonymous-hacks-Thai-court-websites-over-Koh-Tao-v-30276844.html

Meanwhile, police chief Chakthip Chaijinda yesterday ordered his legal team to investigate Hannah’s sister Laura’s Facebook post, in which she slammed the police investigation as being "bungled". Her post was removed yesterday. He said he would decide later whether to file a lawsuit against her.

-----------------------------------------------
I think he will be well advised to refrain from heading down that road. If he files a lawsuit against Laura Witheridge...just watch the $**t hit the fan!

 

[dotr]

Wonder how this trial will turn out?

http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/World/2016/02/04/22600547.html

Thai police: Body parts in river from Spanish 'consultant'

Feb 4, 2016

BANGKOK -- Police in Thailand's capital said Thursday they have identified a man whose body parts were found floating in the city's Chao Phraya River as a Spanish consultant, and also have identified suspects in his killing.

Police Gen. Panya Mamen, who is leading the investigation, told reporters in Bangkok that police are gathering more evidence and searching for the suspects, and expect to solve the case within 48 hours.

"We believe that there was more than one perpetrator and we believe that they worked as a team," he said.

 

[Thyme]

Arrest in this case dotr. Suspect caught in Cambodia. Note that the lead investigator Gen Panya Mamen was also in charge of the investigation into the Koh Tao case until he began pointing fingers at a certain family...he was then transferred to Bangkok with a promotion. He was a Lt. General while on the Koh Tao case...he is now a full General.

http://www.chiangraitimes.com/thai-police-hunt-for-artur-segarra-prime-suspect-in-david-bernat-murder.html

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/149921

Wonder how this trial will turn out?

http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/World/2016/02/04/22600547.html

Thai police: Body parts in river from Spanish 'consultant'

Feb 4, 2016

 

[dotr]

Another mysterious death.
http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/Canada/2016/02/09/22602354.html
Ont. man, 28, dies while vacationing in Thailand

Asked if he’s confident that Thai authorities would be able to get to the bottom of Talbot’s mysterious passing, Gould said, “We’re not really sure of that yet. There’s so many unknowns that we just know.”

“He was heavily involved with athletics,” Gould said of Talbot, saying he was “very family-oriented.”

Talbot attended Western University, where he played rugby, as well as Laurier University. Previously, he attended Medway high school in Arva.

 

[JerseyGirl]

another tourist death!?!

Second British backpack girl feared murdered in Thai hotel

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...feared-murdered-Thai-hotel.html#ixzz41kwk1WWp

 

[CoverMeCagney]

another tourist death!?!

Second British backpack girl feared murdered in Thai hotel

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...feared-murdered-Thai-hotel.html#ixzz41kwk1WWp

I could tell by the format that's an archived article, from 2002. Still, a few too many tourists dying in dodgy circs if you ask me!

 

[CoverMeCagney]

TV heads up - "Murder in Paradise" documentary about mysterious tourist deaths on Koh Tao.

Wednesday 10pm on Channel 4

 

[dotr]

Another ugly incident..
http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/World/2016/04/28/22627967.html
Video shows savage attack of British family after son bumps man on crowded street in Thailand

In this April 13, 2016 image taken from video released by the Hua Hin Municipality, an elderly British couple and their son are on the ground after they were savagely attacked during a family vacation in Hua, Hin, Thailand

.

A video of the attack, which was captured by overhead security cameras and posted this week on social media, has stirred shock and outrage over its brutality and the ages of the victims, a 65-year-old woman and 68-year-old man from Scotland and their 43-year-old son. The attack is the latest act of violence against tourists in the Southeast Asian country.

In the video the family is seen walking down a crowded street in the beach town of Hua Hin on the evening of April 13, amid festivities for the Thai New Year.

An altercation breaks out with a group of men on the street who punch all three in the face, kick their bodies and stomp on their faces in an attack that lasts about 2 minutes.

Editor's Note: The below video contains graphic content.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWWhYeKp9AQ

 

[Thyme]

Update on the Appeal -

Press Release - http://time.com/4344383/thailand-koh-tao-hannah-witheridge-david-miller/

This from an email to ThailandJustice from the Defense Lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman - http://thailandjustice.com/koh-tao-appeal-case-information-information-defense/

Of note - “The incision discovered inside the victim’s vagina was determined by British autopsy to have been caused during the Thai autopsy, not a result of sexual assault.”

"DNA files presented had the accused names on them rather than a proper sample reference number. This is not possible without pre-knowledge of who’s DNA the sample being tested belonged to."

I have believed from the onset of this case that the whole scene was staged to look like a rape and that there was no DNA from the accused inside Hannah. [apologies for being graphic]

Koh Tao Murder Case Legal Defense Team Today Submit 200 Page Death Sentence Conviction Appeal to Koh Samui Court - http://www.samuitimes.com/koh-tao-murder-case-legal-defense-team-today-submit-200-page-death-sentence-conviction-appeal-to-koh-samui-court/

 

[Thyme]

Appeal denied. As was to be expected from this absolutely disgraceful, unjust, crooked to the core Land Of Lies. A secret decision...the defendants were not even present at their own hearing. Their lawyers were not informed of the hearing and the deputy prosecutor heard the ruling on their behalf. This speaks volumes.

The supreme court will no doubt stand by this ruling. Their only hope now is for a Kings Pardon to reduce the death sentence to life. However, this new King may not be as forgiving as his father was.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1207116/koh-tao-murder-pair-lose-appeal

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Have we ever heard if the UK autopsy backed up the one done in Thailand?

I did see an article the other day that David's family are satisfied the Burma boys did it.

 

[Thyme]

The Home Office pathologist that conducted the postmortem on Hannah stated she died of severe head injuries...consistent with multiple blows and that there were signs that she had been dragged and sexually assaulted. The coroner's conclusion was that Hannah had been unlawfully killed and died of severe head injuries.

Thai pathology report stated bite marks British report did not. Andy Hall states that there were serious discrepancies... IMO this means other discrepancies besides the bite marks.

I don't recall anything regarding David's....all rather hush..hush. IIRC the Thai autopsy result on him had no mention of the puncture wounds.

Yes very odd that the families were not on the same page. I am thinking perhaps the results the Witheridge family were shown in the coroners report had far more discrepancies than we were made aware of. JMO

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-35522544

https://www.facebook.com/andy.hall.3110/posts/10153235399845677

 

[Thyme]

As the Thailand Justice site has vanished the above link to defense lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman's email regarding the appeal last May is no longer valid. I found that the facebook page is still active and located the letter. Have also saved a copy in case the facebook page disappears as well. This letter pretty well sums up this whole charade.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=873016822826462&id=675111795950300