Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. Elewana Tortilis camp is situated in the Western part of the Amboseli ecosystem, in the 30.0000-acre Kitirua Conservancy, bordering the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Aran Klaewklong, a security guard from Big Blue Diving shop, told police he found a mobile phone, clothes, a hotel key, shoes and an ID on the beach at 1.30 am during a beach patrol. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? "[78] Another commentary in the paper stated that the "overwhelming public skepticism stems from the police's longstanding notoriety for arresting poor and powerless scapegoats to save rich criminals who can afford to buy their innocence". "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". We are here for David because of his tragic death. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. A backpacker from Belgium, Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanged in the hillson the island on April 28, 2017. [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. View our online Press Pack. A mistake that many forensic experts say jeopardized the entire investigation.Throughout the investigation and criminal trial, the Thai government and police were heavily criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and the media. The DNA analysis in the case, which was not subject to independent oversight or verification, was provided to the court as a one-page summary with four supporting pages, some of it handwritten with amendments. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! "We asked for a copy of the CCTV footage and they said it was destroyed. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. [31] Media reports speculated that was because the defence was wary of calling on foreign experts fearing it could appear as undermining the Thai justice system, and could bias the judges against their case. June 6, 2021. [48][35] A 900-page police report was produced to guide the prosecution's case, but the defence were not allowed to see the report until the trial began. All times AEDT (GMT +11). "So my suspicions are that it was a mugging that went wrong. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? In 2018 in Cancn alone, there were 540 murders. He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". Upon arriving at the scene, police officers and rescue workers discovered the bodies of Mr Rakeshwar . He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". Available for both RF and RM licensing. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. They believed he had accidentally drowned and he was thought to have been dead for around 12 hours when his body was retrieved. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. The bungalow is 50ft above the ocean, theres nothing but massive granite boulders between his bungalow and the ocean so how did he managed to tumble all the way down there? We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. Aug 2014 - Dec 20217 years 5 months. The bricklayer from Newport, Isle of Wight, was found at the bottom of the pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach in January 2016. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. 1. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. He told the Sun Online: "We want justice. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. [76], The International Commission of Jurists said "the defense must be afforded adequate time and facilities to explore whether the alleged destruction of evidence in this case was appropriate and unavoidable, and to test the prosecution case overall." Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Read about our approach to external linking. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. Doubts lingered over the conviction of two migrant Burmese workers for the rape and murders, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. Some were murdered, some died in suspicious circumstances and some died in avoidable accidents. Zaw Lin, front, and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun), rear, arrive at the court in Koh Samui, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. [34][35], According to the prosecution in the subsequent case, CCTV footage analysed by the police showed three individuals riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven, where they bought beer and cigarettes, before going towards Sairee Beach. Martin Totland Frilans. Ms Taupin did note however that the document that the prosecution relied upon was an Unendorsed Report in that it had no seal or stamp certifying that it had been produced by an accredited laboratory and in accordance with international standards. [79] Rumours began to circulate, with residents on the island saying the island is controlled by a mafia who "have information about the true culprits", and claimed that the police is covering for them. Lightboxes. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. That is awful. For other inquiries, Contact Us. The two men were convicted and sentenced in 2015 and the verdict was upheld by an appeals court in 2017 and the Supreme Court in August 2019. [1] Police revealed that the samples from Witheridge's body were used up,[62][27] but were able to provide DNA samples from the murder weapon. As the Witheridge family prepares for Hannahs funeral, her parents, Sue and Tony Witheridge, released this statement: Time makes the pain of this horrendous tragedy no easier to bear. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. Murder of two backpackers on the island of Koh Tao SAIREE BEACH, KOH TAO, THAILAND - SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 British tourists Hannah Witheridge (23 years old) and David Miller (24 years old) enjoyed their holiday in Thailand on the famous island of Koh Tao. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. There were no signs of fighting or a struggle, nor were foreign objects or substances that could cause loss of consciousness found in the body.. [31][65] Jane Taupin, an Australian forensic scientist brought in by the defence, claimed that the timeline of DNA extraction was dubious; a rapid analysis of DNA samples had happened in less than 12 hours,[34] which she said was unusual because "extracting DNA from mixed samples was difficult and time-consuming". Ben Harrington 2012; Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. Nick's mother Tracy Pearson, told Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court in the U.K., she had "a gut feeling there was foul play". [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. Koh Tao murders: 'Asian man' seen on CCTV sought for q uestioning Probe into murder of two Britons on Koh Tao Manhunt on Koh Tao after tourists found brutally murdere d on beach British tourists murdered, stripped on Koh Tao beach Topics: Bangkok, Features Join the Coconuts conversation with a comment. Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. I should add that I was not representing the accused men so I am not presenting arguments on their behalf in any lawyer/client relationship. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. The family has contested the police version of events. Bernd had also recently separated from his wife, Oey, a Koh Tao native, with whom he had a seven-year-old daughter, Bene, who had been living for the last two years with his sister, Monica, in Germany. Police on the resort island of Koh Tao are investigation the drowning death of a wealth business man and his wife. Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Buy images; Sell images; Lightboxes; She added: The families of all the victims are not happy with the police reports, autopsy reports in Thailand dont match autopsy reports in the UK. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. Owner of Martin Totland Freelance LLC, specializing in event photography, freelance journalism, and Norwegian . 10 July 2015. The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. I was told on more than one occasion that I needed to take down this stuff from the paper. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead Monday, September 15, on a beach in Koh Tao, a popular resort island in Thailand. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. Mr Zaw and Mr Wai (also known as Win Zaw Htun), both 22 and migrants from Myanmar, also known as Burma, were arrested several weeks later. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. The Mirror reports that Hannahs family have pleaded for the photos of the pair, who were brutally murdered on a Thailand beach, to be taken off the internet. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . Shelley Bot 2017; Elise's mother Michele van Egten says she does not believe the Thai police's version of events amid fears authorities are working to suppress speculation about the many murders on the island. [10][32] They highlighted a British tourist who had shared a room with Miller as a suspect, labelling it a "crime of passion"; he became the subject of a nationwide manhunt before the police quickly dropped the lead. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailands island of Koh Tao. Ten days after he went missing from Sairee Beach on Koh Tao, the body of Swiss tourist Hans Peter Suter, 44, was washed ashore at Talay Ngam beach in Lang Suan district of Chumphon province on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk and David Miller, 24, of Jersey were bludgeoned to death with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel room late at night on September 15, 2014, on the popular Sairee Beah. Pathologist Dr. Michael Biggs told the hearing that there were many injuries on Nick's body, including to the head, limbs, and face. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. [7] Witheridge had completed undergraduate studies in education at the University of East Anglia and had started post-graduate studies in speech and language therapy at the University of Essex. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. Date: July 24, 2022. [67][21][68] The conviction was primarily guided by the DNA evidence,[67][69] and the court said it did not consider their confessions in making the judgement. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise.



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