Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin during a police "re-enactment" of the crime on Koh Tao. During her travels, she became ill (a cold, I think? Little wonder the conversational staple of many long-term expats is, “These are the worst Thais in Thailand.”. Murdered backpacker's sister Laura Daniels died while pregnant The case has caused Thailand’s judiciary to be closely scrutinised. His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. 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. Possessing no official status or documents, their vulnerability is extreme, and complaints of rape, extortion and physical violence are legion. On tiny Koh Tao alone, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. Elise went 1.5 miles (2.5km) through the jungle to Tanote Bay and took a room at the Poseidon Resort where she booked another ticket for Bangkok leaving on April 24. In August 2020 the death sentence was commuted to life in prison under royal pardon by the decree. mi.) [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. As a result, Koh Tao has its fair share of accidents which can do huge damage not only to your body, but to your wallet as well for medical bills and damages to the bike. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. Reddit, Inc. © 2023. Foreigners die surprisingly often here. He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. Two Burmese men charged with the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller went on trial on Wednesday. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. For more information, please see our On the 29th of August 2019 the Thai supreme court upheld the death sentence for the two Burmese men who allegedly are guilty for the Koh Tao Murders which happened on my birthday September 15th in 2014. Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. In August 2020, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo had their death sentences commuted to life in prison to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". A 15-year-old girl’s trip to Bali has ended in tears after a refreshing day spa experience took a traumatic turn. 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). Even though recent quasi-democratic reforms have seen an influx of tourist dollars and the rolling back of sanctions, that means little for the nation’s rural poor. Thailand Murders: Hannah Witheridge's Family Beg, 'Please Don't Share ... And on Koh Tao there are around 5,000 Burmese — conspicuous by the golden streaks of thanaka paste, a traditional sunscreen and beauty product, garnishing their cheeks — who build hotels, sweep rooms and serve drinks to the coppery throngs of tourists. [1][15][16] Miller's body was found floating in the water, and Witheridge's on the beach;[17] the bodies lay approximately 20 metres apart and 30 metres away from their hotel (Ocean View Bungalows). Koh Tao is by far the smallest. “And the shambolic investigation also didn’t help.”. [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. Home; About. Only if they are not beautiful.” He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. His family were told he jumped off a DJ booth into the pool to impress some other tourists- it wasn't said but I'm assuming these were probably pretty girls- hit his head on the pool floor and drowned. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. If you look at pictures of the Hillside resort, it doesn't look like he'd have been able to fall all the way to the sea- there's rocks he would have hit- and it's unlikely he would have even left his hotel room- he was so drunk his father had to help him to bed. [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. But they later retracted their confessions, saying they had been tortured and threatened with death by their interrogators. The family claimed the circumstances surrounding his death and the local police's refusal to co-operate with them have led them to believe the death is "suspicious". National Crime Agency Helped Get Two Men Sentenced To Death ... - BuzzFeed 5th Oct, 2014. For while the surf has washed the blood from the sand, and life returns to normal for the island’s hodgepodge of wealthy and penniless inhabitants, one fact remains clear: not just the boulders hide secrets on Koh Tao. I'm inclined to believe him. The next in size is Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon parties, with a reputation for drugs and debauchery. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Three judges sat high above the small court room on Koh Samui, a larger island near Koh Tao, where witnesses will testify over the next three days. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. Spate of suspicious deaths. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a master's degree. “That the victims were tourists automatically drew more attention,” says Thai political analyst Saksith Saiyasombut. Magazines, Digital Koh Tao murder suspects confess, DNA matches, police chief says Koh Tao ''Turtle Island'' or Ko Tao is an island in Thailand and is part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. [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. Access Loan New Mexico For the entire time I was on Koh Tao, there was one bar you avoided. “We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. The bruises are suspicious though. [1] Receiving half a million visitors each year,[1] Koh Tao is especially popular with backpackers and known for its marine life and scuba diving. Thailand’s forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, “police contradicted the principles of forensic science.”. Obviously Hannah and David were murdered. Hannah was raped before she was killed. Magazines, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao. Koh Tao: Millionaire couple found dead on Thailand's Death Island ... However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. All times AEST (GMT +10). The 18-day trial of the two defendants, divided into three equal parts over several weeks, began on July 8. There were no signs he was suicidal. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. Nationwide News Pty Ltd © 2023. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. These included backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who were found murdered on the . All rights reserved. In 2019 a German Tourist was raped and murdered on holiday in ... - Reddit Wai Phyo, a Real Madrid fanatic who idolizes FIFA world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo, moves a virtually hairless top lip as he talks. The father says he still doesn't believe that Chrissie died of an overdose. 'This is how we killed them': Chilling moment two Burmese barmen showed ... Photo: Royal Thai Police . With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. The police quickly elicited a confession and, after a macabre reconstruction of the murders before a swarm of media — including a staged session of penitent prayers by the accused — probably hoped that the case looked closed. The family has contested the police version of events. 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. He added that they would if “they are not beautiful.”, Prayuth soon backtracked on his remarks on travelers, saying, “Sometimes I speak too strongly.” But virtually his next breath again sought to assign blame: “We have to help take care of [our nation],” he said, “and not let not-good people mingle with us, such as unregistered alien workers.”, Investigators had already steered their attention to migrant workers, via a friend of the deceased, and the son of a local headman, who were briefly considered as suspects. They walked together into the court on Wednesday shortly after it started, escorted by British consular officials and sat a few metres from the defendants. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? https://www.kohtaocompleteguide.com/fact/getting-around-koh-tao/, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-30546787, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-40281095. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. His body was found in a swimming pool at a bar. It has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. Police and court systems were hacked or taken offline in the following days, and a stash of personal information obtained from the court's servers was posted publicly. She was fun, honest and loved life. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Or is Koh Tao just unlucky for visitors or is there something more sinister happening on the beautiful Thai island and haven for Scuba divers? An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. [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." The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. The families of the deceased – both present for the first time at the hearing – have asked for privacy. [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. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. [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. Luke, on the other hand, I'm not sure what to think about. 31M subscribers in the worldnews community. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30320196. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. 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. And right in the foreground, rising proudly from sliver sands, protrude a scattering of granite boulders, a furtive relic of this tranquil 21-sq-km (8 sq. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. [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. At one establishment by Chalok Baan Chao, joints are sold for 200 baht ($6) while a magic mushroom milkshake costs 700 baht ($20). Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. 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. Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. 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. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. island’s volcanic inception. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". A key issue for the defence is whether DNA samples, taken from sputum and semen, which the prosecution says links the Burmese migrant workers to the murder could be independently checked. [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. Thailand beach murders: Hannah Witheridge 'was raped by two men before ... Pathologists and legal experts criticised the police for mishandling the evidence, allowing contamination of the crime scene and failing to use experts to collect forensic evidence. Ben's mother believes he was murdered for two reasons: his watch seemingly disappeared off of his body and the Thai police wanted to cremate his body very quickly after his death. 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.
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