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

Originally Posted by blue

I'll predict at least one of the two suspects will crack and plead guilty; if not this Monday then very soon .

They both of them already have 'cracked' under torture and confessed.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Two Myanmar workers have pleaded not guilty to charges including murder over the killing of two British tourists in Thailand, their lawyer said on Monday, in a case that has hit tourism and attracted widespread criticism.

The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found on a beach on the southern Thai island of Koh Tao on Sept. 15. Police arrested Myanmar workers Zaw Lin and Win Phyo, both 21, in October, saying DNA taken from the pair matched samples found on the victims.

On Thursday, Thai prosecutors filed charges against the Myanmar men ranging from conspiracy to commit murder and rape to illegal entry. They were taken to court on the island of Samui on Monday to hear the charges.

"They pleaded not guilty to all the charges today," Thanu Akekachote, a lawyer representing the pair, told Reuters. "It is my understanding that the court wants to speed this up given its impact on tourism and international relations."

Tourism generates almost 10 percent of gross domestic product and Thailand was already struggling to recover from months of political upheaval that culminated in a May 22 coup, with the unrest keeping some visitors away.

- See more at: Myanmar men plead not guilty to murder of British tourists in Thailand - South-east Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times



Myanmar men plead not guilty to murder of British tourists in Thailand - South-east Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

It appears a bit odd that they pleaded NOT guilty to ALL the charges. It's pretty evident that they were in Thailand illegally, so there's a guilty verdict on that one before they have even looked at any of the other charges.

Surely a more sensible approach would be to plead guilty to the minor shit, and NOT guilty to the heavy stuff. What kind of lawyer is defending these fellow FFS?

Pleading not guilty to some minor charges where you are clearly guilty does not exactly seem like top notch defence strategy in the overall case.

Originally Posted by koman

It appears a bit odd that they pleaded NOT guilty to ALL the charges. It's pretty evident that they were in Thailand illegally, so there's a guilty verdict on that one before they have even looked at any of the other charges.

Surely a more sensible approach would be to plead guilty to the minor shit, and NOT guilty to the heavy stuff. What kind of lawyer is defending these fellow FFS?

Pleading not guilty to some minor charges where you are clearly guilty does not exactly seem like top notch defence strategy in the overall case.

They will show the police stamps on their weekly bribe cards and say that makes them legal.

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by koman

It appears a bit odd that they pleaded NOT guilty to ALL the charges. It's pretty evident that they were in Thailand illegally, so there's a guilty verdict on that one before they have even looked at any of the other charges.

Surely a more sensible approach would be to plead guilty to the minor shit, and NOT guilty to the heavy stuff. What kind of lawyer is defending these fellow FFS?

Pleading not guilty to some minor charges where you are clearly guilty does not exactly seem like top notch defence strategy in the overall case.

They will show the police stamps on their weekly bribe cards and say that makes them legal.

Exactly. You might well believe that you are legal when the POLICE are collecting money from you to live and work there.

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

Originally Posted by new2thai

Re YOrlov.
I agree with you entirely on this.
It would be good if the UK detectives could give some much needed info as to who the REAL culprits are, just so people are not railroaded into believing the RTP version of events.
I hope the truth will eventually come out,,,,, for the lads sake !!

I believe they have. To the family's concerned. Hopefully we will get to know more in January, when they hold the inquests.
sep

Originally Posted by Bower

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

What kind of support ?
An organisation called Migrant Workers Rights Network seems to be paying the suspects legal costs and giving financial support to their parents .


As for vocal support, it must be nice for Myanmar to be in the news in a good light, rather than as a country with one of the worlds words human rights records.

I cannot really see such a government really caring about fair play and truth, especially when the first trial hearing isn't until late February.

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by new2thai

Re YOrlov.
I agree with you entirely on this.
It would be good if the UK detectives could give some much needed info as to who the REAL culprits are, just so people are not railroaded into believing the RTP version of events.
I hope the truth will eventually come out,,,,, for the lads sake !!

I believe they have. To the family's concerned. Hopefully we will get to know more in January, when they hold the inquests.
sep

Surely any specific details will be withheld if they are considered some kind of sub judice, to a live case ?

Originally Posted by Bower

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

Right from day one the bib have come up with a load of bollocks after another load of bollocks. Hopefully the Maynamar defense feel they have enough to make them look the imbeciles that they are. I'm not holding my breath. Though surely if this was in the UK, big If I know, but this case would not have seen the inside of a court room.
sep

Originally Posted by blue

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by new2thai

Re YOrlov.
I agree with you entirely on this.
It would be good if the UK detectives could give some much needed info as to who the REAL culprits are, just so people are not railroaded into believing the RTP version of events.
I hope the truth will eventually come out,,,,, for the lads sake !!

I believe they have. To the family's concerned. Hopefully we will get to know more in January, when they hold the inquests.
sep

Surely any specific details will be withheld if they are considered some kind of sub judice, to a live case ?

Yeah in the real world in a real case but all this has ever been is Mickey Mouse.

What was the Brit cops input into it all. Stand there and watch and if you are good boys we'll take you to the seaside for a couple of hours. All they have ever been is observers so what does it matter what they say.

Yes for sure what ever their comments are, they will come out in January and hopefully they wont be held back from the public. Perhaps they are hoping that it will all be done and dusted by then.
sep

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Bower

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

Right from day one the bib have come up with a load of bollocks after another load of bollocks. Hopefully the Maynamar defense feel they have enough to make them look the imbeciles that they are. I'm not holding my breath. Though surely if this was in the UK, big If I know, but this case would not have seen the inside of a court room.
sep

The details of court cases are not reported on here.
No one will know squat about what went on in court.

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Bower

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

Right from day one the bib have come up with a load of bollocks after another load of bollocks. Hopefully the Maynamar defense feel they have enough to make them look the imbeciles that they are. I'm not holding my breath. Though surely if this was in the UK, big If I know, but this case would not have seen the inside of a court room.
sep

The details of court cases are not reported on here.
No one will know squat about what went on in court.

Is that true. Is there some legal reason for that?
sep

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Bower

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

Right from day one the bib have come up with a load of bollocks after another load of bollocks. Hopefully the Maynamar defense feel they have enough to make them look the imbeciles that they are. I'm not holding my breath. Though surely if this was in the UK, big If I know, but this case would not have seen the inside of a court room.
sep

The details of court cases are not reported on here.
No one will know squat about what went on in court.

Is that true. Is there some legal reason for that?
sep

Libel laws, computer crimes act etc....

All you will hear is the plea and the verdict

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Bower

The suspects and their families are still getting support from the Myanmar gov, have the Myanmar embassy seen the evidence against the two ? I would have expected their government to back off if they thought there was strong evidence against them.

Right from day one the bib have come up with a load of bollocks after another load of bollocks. Hopefully the Maynamar defense feel they have enough to make them look the imbeciles that they are. I'm not holding my breath. Though surely if this was in the UK, big If I know, but this case would not have seen the inside of a court room.
sep

sep


The details of court cases are not reported on here.
No one will know squat about what went on in court.

Is that true. Is there some legal reason for that?
sep

Libel laws, computer crimes act etc....

All you will hear is the plea and the verdict

Do you know if the English written News Papers will be reporting on it?

This case has caught me right from the beginning. I would at least like to be able to follow it to it's diabolical conclusion.
sep

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by koman

It appears a bit odd that they pleaded NOT guilty to ALL the charges. It's pretty evident that they were in Thailand illegally, so there's a guilty verdict on that one before they have even looked at any of the other charges.

Surely a more sensible approach would be to plead guilty to the minor shit, and NOT guilty to the heavy stuff. What kind of lawyer is defending these fellow FFS?

Pleading not guilty to some minor charges where you are clearly guilty does not exactly seem like top notch defence strategy in the overall case.

They will show the police stamps on their weekly bribe cards and say that makes them legal.

Yep, they thought it made them legal.

I really hope this fiasco opens a very large can of worms for the authorities who so rightfully deserve to be internationally shamed in so many ways.

Hope also the kids live through their ordeal, but it don't look good.

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by septimus

Originally Posted by Necron99

Originally Posted by septimus

Right from day one the bib have come up with a load of bollocks after another load of bollocks. Hopefully the Maynamar defense feel they have enough to make them look the imbeciles that they are. I'm not holding my breath. Though surely if this was in the UK, big If I know, but this case would not have seen the inside of a court room.
sep

sep


The details of court cases are not reported on here.
No one will know squat about what went on in court.

Is that true. Is there some legal reason for that?
sep

Libel laws, computer crimes act etc....

All you will hear is the plea and the verdict

Do you know if the English written News Papers will be reporting on it?

This case has caught me right from the beginning. I would at least like to be able to follow it to it's diabolical conclusion.
sep

You will not read any reports as by law, none are allowed on the case. Reporter are often not allowed in the trial and if so no notes can be taken, there is no record whatsoever aside from what some judge decides is relevant and writes down personally.

It's on par with the the middle ages.

To answer someone else's question, (for the fifth time or so...) The UK Coroner's Inquest is Jan 6th Don't expect any info or leaks from UK investigators before that date. They are professionals , not like Thai lackey police who spout off any musings they may have on their facebook pages .

Yes, it will be reported upon in UK press and you can count on The Bangkok Post and The Nation to subtly twist the meanings as in the recent family statement report, to fit the Thailand agenda of railroading these boys so tourism doesn't suffer- as if the political machinations of late have nothing to do with tourism numbers falling.

Indeed, for Thai the court proceedings in typical murder cases, particularly those involving influential people when ball is almost always assured, can drag on for two years or more. The judge may well only sit one day in a month or two and even then adjournments are frequent because of witness unavailability or the need to hear the case in another district where a witness may live. Then of course, in the event of a a guilty verdict, there is further bail whilst the Appeal Court girds its loins within, say, another two years or so. The Supreme Court is the final stage so in practice any conviction can take up to 7 years to have any effect and in many instances, even longer.

But that will not happen in this case. These boys will have the luxury of a result within a month or two.

^ The result's decided; they're just going through the motions in order to get to it. The confessions and a guilty plead would have speeded things up, cut costs and may have resulted in a commuted sentence.

The case may allow reporters to attend but they cannot record anything (written or otherwise) in court. No sketches of fiery prosecutors, angelic defence council and meek looking defendants for the press to sell papers with.

Well, with no jury and a judge who not only prevents a written record by others but simply scribbles a note or two for his own benefit, one wonders why there is a trial at all. A simple submission of papers would suffice with a pronouncement of guilt at the end of the process.

That is not my understanding at all. The judge may well record for himself what he thinks relevant but there is no such thing as a transcript of proceedings since there is no one in the court to record testimony and comments in its entirety, contemporaneously. If there were then there would be no need for a signature from all parties attesting to its authenticity, as if such a thing were possible given the complexity of what evidence may be given which could not possibly be recollected by all parties equally.

Sorry, but that is the actuality.

Good, the trial is starting December 26 rather than February 25.

They can get a reduced sentence by pleading guilty, wonder whats the time limit they have to play that card ?

http://www.mizzima.com/mizzima-news/...ao-murder-case

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

Sorry, but that is the actuality.

Oh well, I must have imagined all those hours spent waiting around to testify, then the stupid questions, then further hours waiting around while the transcript was produced, argued over by both sides, requestioned as to what I had said, appended notes to and then signed (along with the prosecutor, defender and presiding judge).

Amazing what tricks the mind can play, eh?