Hotels near The Heart of Chechnya Hotels near State Gallery named after A. World put on alert as deadly virus spreads, Hundreds dead in horror cough syrup tragedy. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. "We'll go with the flow as much as we can. However, a lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo told the BBC that the pair had not admitted their guilt when their death sentences were commuted. The authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. [4], The victims of the murders were Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old from Hemsby, England, and David Miller, a 24-year-old from Jersey, a Crown Dependency. Hiroshi 2002; 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. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. Create an account. Burmese migrant workers made up an additional 5,000, around 2,000 of these being illegal immigrants who bribe local police by paying 500 baht each month. Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". Martin Totland Frilans. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. Police investigators have released photographs and clearer video footage of an unidentified man they believe could be a key to resolving the Koh Tao double-murder case and are asking the. The images shown to the court were graphic, reports Jonah Fisher in Thailand. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. The past three weeks have been unimaginably difficult and there are no words that can adequately describe the heartache and despair that our family is experiencing. We are here for David because of his tragic death. Book Koh Tao Cabana, Koh Tao on Tripadvisor: See 884 traveller reviews, 2,154 candid photos, and great deals for Koh Tao Cabana, ranked #14 of 194 hotels in Koh Tao and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. [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. Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Sutheerakhun, director of the Institute of Forensic Science at Police General Hospital in Bangkok, said There were wounds around the neck due to the hanging and some non-fatal bruises in the head, and no drugs were found in the body. From: kohtao. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. They suggested that she mixed antibiotics with alcohol- as much as that would make the antibiotics less efficient or make you feel bad, its not going to kill you. His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. UK reporter Suzanne Buchanan has thoroughly investigated the cases alongside the deaths of Belgian Elise Dellemange, Swiss Hans Peter Suter and French Dimitri Povse -who also were also found dead under mysterious circumstances. Her mother, Michele claimed that Elise used a fake name of 'Elise Dubuis' to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. Thailands prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, questioned the attire and behavior of foreign female tourists shortly after the killing of two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island in 2014. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. Police received the initial report at 4.45pm on Friday. "They won't come forward because they know something is going to happen to them," he added. David Miller 2014; Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. "We identified a person who was with her last and they didn't follow up with them- then we asked for a blood sample and they delayed. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thai. Yearly, many professional photographers visit this lodge to capture herds of elephants crossing the dry lake in search of water . A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. [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. 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. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. It has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. Rockefeller Audio 2022. [95] The mayor of the island, Chaiyan Turasakul, announced a new police station and staffed it with 40 full-time officers, compared to five previously. Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. [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". The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. Available for both RF and RM licensing. [47][75][12] Human Rights Watch said the case was "profoundly disturbing" and called for the verdict to be reviewed in a "transparent and fair appeal process". Hi there! I shall post a link to your podcast on my Facebook page. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. On September 20, 1988, Tara Calico left her home in New Mexico to go on a bike ride she took, In November 1981, actress Natalie Wood mysteriously drowned off the coast of Southern California during a boating trip with her, In July 2014, 52 year old Lynn Messer mysteriously disappeared from her familys 260-acre farm in Bloomsdale, Missouri. At the time rumours of secret CCTV footage, inconclusive blood samples and a mysterious Swedish man, made Christinas dad suspicious. She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. 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". A great number of Western backpackers have died under unexplained circumstances on this tiny tropical island in the past years. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. Buy images; Sell images; Lightboxes; It covers an area of about 21 km2. "I only had my suspicions, his body came back to me without a wallet or anything on him. 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. The university graduate, who was two weeks into a four-month backpacking trip round South East Asia, was found dead on her bungalow in January 2015. 2023 BBC. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. Elise Dallemagne 2017; Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. 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. In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. They also found a suicide note at the scene. https://time.com/3955081/thailand-koh-tao-murder-david-miller-hannah-witheridge-zaw-lin-wai-phyo-burma-myanmar/, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/dark-side-koh-tao-seven-10708561, https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/true-crime-in-the-outdoors/tag/Cases+on+the+Death+Island+of+Koh+Tao, https://www.nist.gov/feature-stories/dna-mixtures-forensic-science-explainer. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. Hannah was also raped in the attack. It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Allegations about police brutality rocked the countrys economy that almost solely relies on tourism. Are there serial killers operating on the island, with their crimes apparently insufficiently investigated so that the tourist industry remains protected? Read about our approach to external linking. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30320196. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. Silje Mathisen 2014; A woman Povse had been interested in said he had called her twice on the phone that night but she had not picked up because she had been asleep. From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. Enterprise. I was told on more than one occasion that I needed to take down this stuff from the paper. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Most mainstream media provide only superficial accounts of what has been happening on the island and their published information is often inaccurate and understated the seriousness of the situation. 2145/2559, "Two British tourists found dead on Thai island of Koh Tao", "Suspects in Thai Tourist Murders Face Dubious Trial", "Manhunt underway after brutal murder of 2 British tourists on Koh Tao", "Thailand's paradise island murder mystery", "What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side", "Thailand's Supreme Court upholds death penalty for men convicted of murdering British backpackers", "Koh Tao DNA evidence & international standards", "Thai court upholds death penalty for murder of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death", "Thailand beach murders: A flawed and muddled investigation", "Koh Tao murders: DNA matches, confessions obtained, crime re-enacted", "Hearings Open Into Killings of Two British Tourists on Thai Island (Published 2014)", "Thai king commutes death sentence for Myanmar men in British tourist murder case", "Burmese men confess to killing British tourists on Koh Tao, Thai police say", "The Investigation Into Thailand's Backpacker Slayings Is Officially a Farce", "Migrants accused of murder of British couple in Thailand recant confessions", "Thai Dictator Faces Ire Over Murder Probe", "Koh Tao murder suspects plead not guilty", "Burmese pair to be executed for murder of British tourists on Koh Tao, Thailand", "2 Sentenced to Death in Killing of British Tourists in Thailand (Published 2015)", "Thailand murders: Two men found guilty and face death for UK killings", "Thai beach murders: Convicted men lose death sentence appeal", "Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court", "Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency", "Koh Tao pair claim they were tortured before confessing", "Thai beach murders: DNA investigation into death of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller 'incompetent at best', "Koh Tao murders: suspects in killing of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge say they were framed", "Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered", "Thai Paradise Gains Reputation as 'Death Island', "Foreign Office calls in Thai diplomat over murder inquiry concerns", "Thailand murder suspects can't have British police report: UK judge", "Thai officials on alert as Myanmar protests spread", "Prayut lashes out at Myanmar Koh Tao protestors", "Thailand's Migrant Worker Woes Exposed in Koh Tao Murder Case", "Govt vows "high-tech" defence against hackers", "Island killings prompt stiffer worker rules", "Contesting narratives: the Koh Tao tourists murders", "Unofficial translation of Koh Samui Provincial Court No. [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. [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. 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. In accepting the 2nd retrial plea, sought by the family of Hiromu Sakahara, who died of illness aged 75 while serving his term in 2011, the Osaka High Court said . Koh Tao Murder - Thai Police, their scapegoats and tourist trade - Exposed by AnonymousThis video goes into the deep facts of the recent Koh Tao Island murder of David Miller and Hannah. [37] Two weeks after the bodies were found, on 1 October 2014, police interrogated Mau Mau, who said he took the motorcycle and separated from the other two men before the murders occurred, and found them both home asleep by the time he had returned. Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. Thai police are investigating their deaths as . [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. The mum of Ben Harrington Pat was never convinced by the local police's explanation that her 32-year-old son broke his neck when he crashed into an electricity pylon on a night-time moped ride in August 2012. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. Bernd Grotsch 2017; What really happened there? He had recently returned to the island after building up a motorbike rental business. [72] The Supreme Court of Thailand upheld the sentence in August 2019, stating that the police handled the case correctly and the forensic evidence was "clear, credible, and detailed". [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. Pathologist Dr. Michael Biggs told the hearing that there were many injuries on Nick's body, including to the head, limbs, and face. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. After searching, All rights reserved. In 2018 in Cancn alone, there were 540 murders. [55], The defence claimed that the investigation was flawed due to mishandling of forensic evidence, lack of legal representation during interrogations, use of threats and intimidation to secure a confession, and intimidation of witnesses. The Samui Times believes that it is in the best interests of any visitor to the island to be aware of the numerous tourist deaths and the fact that many families of those who died on the island are not satisfied with police investigations.. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. The hearing was told that a post-mortem examination in Thailand showed that Mr Miller had a number of small bruises on his face and legs and gave a cause of death of head injuries and drowning. For example, she discovered that one of the DNA labs that conducted tests at the time only had accreditation to do paternity tests and not criminal profiling in a capital murder case. [1] After initially failing to find a match to one of the migrant workers, the police focused their attention on Western tourists related to the victims. The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving. 92 Visitor. "I got him home and they had a proper postmortem - most of his bones were broken but the one bone that wasn't broken was his neck and there was no evidence of his face looking towards his back. 10 July 2015. The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. Get latest News Information, Articles on Thailand Vs Indonesia Live Streaming Updated on December 27, 2018 19:20 with exclusive Pictures, photos & videos on Thailand Vs Indonesia Live Streaming at Latestly.com - Page 18 [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. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. It is always challenging to bring ACCURATE & RELIABLE information about violent crime on Koh Tao because too many people are frightened to speak out publicly and still others try to SHOOT THE MESSENGERS . However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. 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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. Police on the resort island of Koh Tao are investigation the drowning death of a wealth business man and his wife. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, "This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao", "Links revealed between police and migrants on Koh Tao", "Police: Still no suspect in killings of Britons on idyllic Thai island", "Thai king commutes death sentence of UK pair's killers", "Thailand: Hannah Witheridge 'raped by two men before being killed', "Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short", "Thailand murders: Victims' families talk of senseless killings", "Hannah Witheridge's family pay tribute to "beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman", "British backpackers murdered in Thailand named as Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand murders: Amnesty International call for police torture probe", Koh Samui Provincial Court No. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Shelley Bot 2017; [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. Koh Tao, Thailand, Serial killers, Unexplained murders WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. At the end of the trial's third day, the judge said police had informed him all the samples taken on the island were "finished" - meaning they could not be analysed again. He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. New Zealand's Minisrty of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says 185 Kiwis are registered as being in the flood affected areas of Koh Samui and Koh Tao and parts of southern Thailand, including . Hanspeter Suter 2014; DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. [1][15][21], During an hours-long interrogation, during which the police used Burmese food vendors as interpreters[35] because the pair could not speak Thai,[41] the suspects confessed to the murders. [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. [83] A 2016 study said the case, which it described as a litmus test of Thailand's justice system, "seriously damaged the image of Thailand and of its forces of law and order on the global level". He was travelling Southeast Asia with a friend after completing a six-week work placement in Australia with a mining company,[6][8][9] and arrived in Thailand in August. The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements.