Kill Suspects Meet Parents At Prison
Bangkok Post
October 25, 2014
Writer: Supapong Chaolan
The parents of the suspects in the Koh Tao murders case met their sons in a tearful reunion at Koh Samui prison yesterday.
Despite claims the Myanmar pair were threatened by police with having their limbs cut off if they did not confess, suspect Win Zaw Htun's father, Tun Tun Htike, "still believes in the Thai justice system".
Win Zaw Htun's mother wept in grief while waiting for the family reunion as his father fought back tears trying to answer media questions.
"I'll tell my son to tell the whole truth," Tun Tun Htike said yesterday morning before meeting Win Zaw Htun. He was talking through an interpreter at the prison on Koh Samui where his son has been detained.
Yesterday was the first time he and and his wife, Zaw Aye Maung, have seen their son since his last visit to their home in Rakhine state eight months ago. It was also the first reunion for the other suspect Zaw Lin with his mother Phyu Shwe Nu and uncle Thein Shwe Aung.
The two men had been working as bar staff on Koh Tao and were accused of the murders of British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller who were found dead on Sept 15. The suspects have been charged with rape, murder, and illegal entry into the country.
After the visit, Tun Tun Htike told the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) in an interview that his son and friend told him they confessed to the crime only after they were told their limbs would be cut off and they would be put in a bag and dumped in a river if they did not.
The father also told the DVB Thai police threatened to tie the two boys to a tyre, pour petrol on it, and set it alight.
Full article: Kill suspects meet parents at prison | Bangkok Post: news
UK Police Quietly Tour Koh Tao
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British police, accompanied by their Thai counterparts, on Saturday inspect Sairee beach on Koh Tao where two Britons were murdered.
Bangkok Post
October 25, 2014
Writer: Supapong Chaolan
SURAT THANI — British police made a surprise visit to Koh Tao on Saturday to inspect locations related to the murders of two backpackers, a source said.
They arrived on the island by helicopter from Bangkok, accompanied by Jarumporn Suramanee, an adviser to the national police chief, and Suwat Jaengyodsuk, acting deputy commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
Pol Maj Gen Suwat is the chief investigator in the case, having been assigned earlier by national police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang to take over from local officers. Pol Gen Jarumporn is a forensic expert who went to the crime scene days after the murder occurred.
The trip was kept secret, with no police officers in Surat Thani province or Provincial Police Region 8 informed. Police based on Koh Tao and neighbouring Koh Phangan were not allowed to join the meeting or take pictures of the visitors.
Only one rescue volunteer on Koh Tao was brought in to provide information about the events of Sept 15, when Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were killed, according to the source.
The British team went to Sairee beach were the two were murdered, and inspected the nearby location where the two suspects stayed and were seen playing guitar. They also went to the AC Bar where the two victims had been seen before their deaths, and stopped at a place near the clock tower where police claimed they had found Miller's mobile phone.
They took pictures and asked for information before holding closed-door talks in the meeting room of the Koh Tao municipality before returning to Bangkok.
Three Scotland Yard police were believed to be on the trip from Bangkok, joining two others who had come to the island on Friday, according to the source.
At least one British officer is a homicide detective and another one is an experienced crime scene expert, another source said. They arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Koh Tao mayor Chaiyant Turasakul said he was not aware of the visit and was only ordered to arrange local officials to facilitate their visit.
Full article: UK police quietly tour Koh Tao | Bangkok Post: news