Thread: Two Tourists Brutally Murdered on Koh Tao, One Raped: Police Spark Thailand Manhunt

the original police chief that was transferred the day after arresting Mon and implicating Nomsod reminds me of The Wire.


"Why were you demoted and transferred here?"

"Police work".

Does the trial continue this week? Or when does it reconvene?

^ 22nd September. Two or three more days for the defense I believe.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

Quite literally the ONLY evidence the prosecution has at all is the word of corrupt police officials that they used to have a DNA match found on the body of one of the victims. Of course once asked to produce this DNA evidence in court it was “all used up”.

My understanding is that if there is only a small amount of DNA prior to being tested, it is amplified by means of the polymerase chain reaction. This is more or less the same as cloning it. Therefore it is not possible for there to be none left....if it was tested properly.


BTW, wasn't there something early on about the two victims having been in an argument of some kind in a bar, earlier in the night ? Anything ever eventuate about that ?

Nope one of many things police "didn't check". This group of cops have never been investigating just focusing on the sample they supposedly took from the girl. The first cops were all over the right guys.

Originally Posted by Nokturnal

^ 22nd September. Two or three more days for the defense I believe.

Then I think the panel of 3 judges are due to give their verdict in November?

When police in Thailand Interview suspects for alleged crimes are they recorded,make a video of the questioning.?

If they do have the police submitted the Audio,videos of the confessions to the courts.?

I've not heard anything.

Seems they do video interrogations here's one of the guy who raped the 13yr old, on the train,though not heard anything of a video in this case.

Latest..

It's exactly a year since the murder of David Miller.

The 24-year-old Jerseyman was found dead alongside fellow traveller Hannah Witheridge on the island of Koh Tao in September last year.

To mark the anniversary his family have released a statement.

In it they say they have commissioned a bench to be placed in his memory between Plemont and Grosnez later this month.

They added their thoughts are also with everyone who was affected by David's death.
One year ago today our son David Miller was cruelly murdered on a beach in Thailand. Our lives were destroyed on that tragic day. Today, a full year on, our daily thoughts are still with David, a unique and wonderful man. Our thoughts are also with everyone who was affected by this: his family, friends, and especially Jessy Howorth and Chris Ware.

Many of David's friends have come together to help us commission a small memorial later this month on the north coast of Jersey to his memory. With the help of the TTS department of the States of Jersey we have found a quiet place looking towards Plemont Bay. This is a beautiful and untamed spot and seems particularly fitting as a place to remember our Dave.

Andrew Garton, an extremely talented local craftsman, who lives just yards from our home, is fashioning a simple seat out of a plank of oak from a tree that fell in the great storm of 1987. This tree was another tower of Jersey strength brought crashing down before its time.

We hope Dave's bench, which you will soon be able to find between Plemont and Gronez on the coastal path, will become a popular and uplifting place to sit and remember how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place as Jersey and to find room in our hearts to forgive the thoughtless fools who perpetrate crime. A place to sit and remember that life is best enjoyed by having consideration for others. A place where Dave's spirit and love of life may be with you.

– IAN, SUE & MICHAEL MILLER
Last updated Tue 15 Sep 2015

David Miller's family release statement a year on | Channel - ITV News

I would like to see the bench placed on Koh Tao! How long would it last?

Originally Posted by Chittychangchang

I would like to see the bench placed on Koh Tao! How long would it last?

I've got the feeling it will be relocated to a taxi rank within a week.

I see that Drummond's site posted some news on this yesterday and then retracted it.

Anyone know what it said?

^KOH TAO MURDERS: ‘SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH'
Thursday, September 17, 2015 1
Article removed



Yesterday in this slot we published the views of an online publisher in the Samui archipelago with 18 years experience in the islands on the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on Koh Tao.

The publisher has been in contact and asked for removal of this article on the grounds that the comments were 'private thoughts' published to 'friends' on Facebook.

Accordingly the story has been removed.

I have seen the article or something very similar before somewhere???

Originally Posted by bababags

I see that Drummond's site posted some news on this yesterday and then retracted it.

Anyone know what it said?

The heading is below.

"The editor of the Koh Samui Times, who used to live on Koh Tao, claims searching for the truth behind the murders of Hannah Witheridge nearly cost her life."

Nothing earth-shattering in the article but more proof that the cover up is strong.

We have to rely on An Aussie, for the defence team,shameful British.

Forensic team to testify in Koh Tao trial

Aust expert among defence witnesses

Officials from the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS) will testify today in the defence of two Myanmar suspects who stand accused of murdering two British tourists in Koh Tao.

Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, director general of the CIFS, said yesterday three CIFS members would testify because they took part in the process of DNA testing and physical examination of the defendants.

"Two of them are doctors and the other is a lab technician," she said.

The CIFS team found that the DNA on the hoe - believed to have been the murder weapon - does not belong to the two Myanmar nationals who are standing trial.

The chief judge had allowed Porntip to retest the hoe at the request of defence lawyers, who are working pro-bono on behalf of the 22-year-old bar workers, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo.

The Koh Samui Provincial Court is looking into the high-profile case after public prosecutors arraigned the two Myanmar migrant workers for the murders.

The murders took place in September last year on Koh Tao, Surat Thani province.

Following weeks of investigations and DNA tests, police arrested and charged the two Myanmar suspects.

Despite initially confessing to |the murders, the two defendents now insist they are innocent and that they had been forced into confessing.

Nakhon Chomphuchat, a lawyer for the defendants, yesterday revealed that a DNA-collection expert from Australia would testify in court tomorrow.

Thai police and public prosecutors have used DNA test results as incriminating evidence against the two Myanmar workers, saying that the DNA found on the female victim's body matched those of the two defendants.

"But we also have to focus on whether the DNA collection is in line with international standards, to begin with," Nakhon said.

On Thursday, members of the National Human Rights Commission and the Lawyers Council of Thailand will testify in court about the human-rights issues surrounding the treatment of the defendants, he said.

"On Friday, we will also have testimony from three witnesses from the Myanmar Embassy," Nakhon said.

He said one of the embassy officials would be an interpreter so as to make clear how the communication barrier and the prejudices of an interpreter could affect the investigation.

Police are accused of using an interpreter from an ethnic group that was unfriendly towards the group to which the two defendants belong.

A highly-placed source yesterday said that although the court would finish listening to witnesses this week, the court would likely take a long time before concluding this case.

"The court will need time to examine further evidence," it said.

Taken from Andy Hall Twitter.

Day 16 Koh Tao murder trial continues 2mrw, Samui http://Court.Expert defense witnesses on DNA, torture wounds, crime scene investigation

follow the day as it happens.

https://twitter.com/Atomicalandy?ref...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

We have to rely on An Aussie, for the defence team,shameful British.

A rather odd statement Jack. Why would the British be ashamed to defend the 2 Burmese lads falsely accused of murdering British nationals?
Andy Hall is a Brit yes? Which western nation of impeccable forensics is closer to Thailand?
Simple geography question.

Chas possibly the same as no Brit info from police and the Brit witnesses that were there friends haven't came forward.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

Chas possibly the same as no Brit info from police and the Brit witnesses that were there friends haven't came forward.

Different subject mate.
The Brits, apart from Andy Hall and a Samui journo, have no interest in defending the Burmese, guilty or not. Oz is closer for reliable forensics. Simples

The 'Shamefull British" comment is therefore rather odd.

Not at all if the Brit authorities were interested in justice they would of helped the defence team ,and sent a forensics expert.

you have your view, and i have mine.

Apart from Australia having top-notch forensics, justice has to be seen to be done, and an Aussie forensic expert is seen as not yet involved in any of the crap.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

Not at all if the Brit authorities were interested in justice they would of helped the defence team ,and sent a forensics expert.

No such invitation was issued. The days are long gone when the UK could bully its way into the affairs of another sovereign nation.

No one has mentioned Bullying another nation.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

No one has mentioned Bullying another nation.

You suggested the Brits shoukd send a forensics expert in uninvited. That is not how diplomacy works Jack.

Originally Posted by chassamui

Oz is closer for reliable forensics

er .. singapore

witnesses don't need to be invited.

Originally Posted by chassamui

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

No one has mentioned Bullying another nation.

You suggested the Brits shoukd send a forensics expert in uninvited. That is not how diplomacy works Jack.

Originally Posted by baldrick

Originally Posted by chassamui

Oz is closer for reliable forensics

er .. singapore

.... is even closer.

Burmese men defence lawyers challenge Thai police to revise murder theory after victims’ DNA found on murder weapon

Defence lawyers representing the two Burmese men accused of raping and killing Norfolk student Hannah Witheridge in Koh Tao last September have challenged Thai police to revise their theory of the murders, after only the victims’ DNA was found on the murder weapon.

A court ordered DNA retest of crucial evidence mid-trial found no DNA from the two accused killers on a garden hoe which is alleged to be the murder weapon.

Forensic Science Officer Worawee Waiyawuth, from the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS) in Bangkok, which was charged with the re-testing, said their laboratory found most of the DNA on the handle of the hoe came from Ms Witheridge.

“She had obviously held the hoe for some time. Her DNA traces, which were not blood, were taken from the handle. Her blood was on the blade,” said Mr Waiyawuth.

A full DNA profile for David Miller, a 24 year-old graduate from Jersey, who was with Ms Witheridge when both were bludgeoned to death on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, was also found on the handle of the hoe, along with a partial profile for another unidentified male.

“Could it be that David Miller was the one to use the hoe?” asked lead defence lawyer Nakhon Chomphuchat following the court session. “We do not believe this to be the case, as then he would become the suspect. But the investigator should find the answer because this is a new story that is very, very interesting. Another important issue is that the police could not find the DNA before.”

Thai police claimed there were no fingerprints on the hoe, and it was never tested by them for DNA.

In a series of re-enactments organised by the Royal Thai Police the diminutive defendants, from Myanmar, who are both 22 years-old, demonstrated how they had viciously attacked their victims with the garden hoe. Later they both retracted their confessions claiming to have been tortured. Neither said they were wearing gloves during their confessions.

Mr Waiyawuth said that a quarter of the indicators from one of the suspects matched the partial profile but that did not mean he could be included as a suspect. DNA experts agree that DNA profiling demands a 99.9999% accurate match.

A sandal and a bag found at the scene were also retested but did not yield any traces of the defendants’ DNA.

Defence lawyers have repeatedly challenged the prosecution to submit the clothing Ms Witheridge was seen to still be wearing in murder scene photographs for DNA testing.

“The clothes on Hannah’s body are very important evidence that should have been tested to determine whether there was DNA on them. But the investigator chose not to submit this, the reason we will never know,” said Mr Chomphuchat.

Sue and Tony Witheridge, Ms Witheridge’s mother and father, as well as her siblings and their partners, have returned to Thailand to be present in the final days of the trial, which is due to conclude this week.

They sat just metres away from the two men accused of killing their loved one. In July, Ms Witheridge’s father and brother had left the court in visible distress as the circumstances of the murders were discussed in graphic detail.

In a statement released last week, on the first anniversary of her death, Ms Witheridge’s family said their daughter had been “taken from us in the most horrific way possible” and it had been “an indescribably impossible time.”

The trial continues.
Burmese men defence lawyers challenge Thai police to revise murder theory after victims? DNA found on murder weapon - Crime - Eastern Daily Press