Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death Thai police say concrete evidence links Burmese suspects to Britons Thai king commutes Myanmar men's death sentence over Britons' murder, Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death, British backpacker murder case that put Thailand on trial, WhyUK role in backpackers murder case still worries rights groups, Why UK role in case still worries rights groups, in a statement released by the Foreign Office. Both had been in Thailand since August and had met just hours before their deaths. I think my lasting memory of him will be his smile, wonderful sense of humor, and ability to put his ideas across with conviction and thoughtfulness. David, then 24, had recently graduated in civil and structural engineering from the University of Leeds and planned onstarting a masters degree. During the trial, the prosecution also claimed Davids stolen phone was discovered smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lins. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. Witheridge is a native of Great Yarmouth in the Southwest coast of England. The police categorically deny any mistreatment and no officer has been charged to date. 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. [85][15][86] Prayut said that British and Burmese government representatives were "limited to observation" and had to "respect our processes". Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. She was buried the following month near her family home following a service billed as a celebration of her life, with mourners encouraged to wear bright colours. Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. When the bodies of British tourists 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller were found brutally murdered on the remote Thai island of Koh Tao, the police immediately concluded that the killer had to be a foreigner, as a Thai person couldn't be capable of such brutality. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in September 2014, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the murders in a Thai court and originally sentenced to death, The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Since then, he had managed to send back almost $2,000 to help his destitute family. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller suspects 'thought she was being The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. Nice and strong, grins the heavily tattooed barman. [15], Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo retracted their statements following a visit from a consular lawyer for Myanmar and said they had made their statements under duress, after they had allegedly been beaten, left naked in a freezing room, and threatened with electrocution and an extrajudicial killing. Sky News reports that Miller was chopped in the back and the side of his head, Witheridges injuries were to her head. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. WHEN Susan Witheridge heard her daughter Hannah wanted to go to Thailand she was terrified. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. At present, the case rests on DNA evidence linking cigarette butts found around 20 m from the bodies next to a crooked log where Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo admit they were playing guitar and drinking beer on the evening in question. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. The families that run the island and police that guard it deny any involvement with narcotics. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [15] Some migrants who were questioned complained that officers scalded them with boiling water during interrogations, allegations which were denied by the police. According to reports, David and Hannah arrived separately on the island with their friends on August 25, 2014. Naked bodies of two British tourists found on Thai beach | PIX11 However, Zaw and Wai retracted their confession after they were allowed legal counsel, with a consulate lawyer for Myanmar alleging their clients had been beaten, tortured, and threatened to make the admissions necessary to close the widely publicized case. But the sheer ubiquity of drugs on Koh Tao suggests at the very least a high toleration of the trade. But in Thailand, the police perform the entire process. On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. It was said the pair went swimming on the same beach earlier that night, and when they got out of the water they found their clothes had disappeared. Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency - BBC News Magazines, Digital He was interrogated and captured while his clothes and motorcycle were seized as evidence. Gruesome photos of the bloodied corpses circulated online, either leaked by officials or even taken by passersby. Because we have learned for generations to take care of visitors. A brand new police station has been built with 40 full-time officers replacing the five previously based here. "We hope that these two murderers will now spend a very, very long time in jail where they cannot harm other families and will have time to reflect on the consequences of their acts.". Burmese people are treated as second-class citizens, says Saksith. The pairs trial began on July 8, 2015, with the prosecution highlighting the DNA evidence and police findings as their primary strategy. But in December, in a statement released by the Foreign Office, they said they were confident in the Thai polices work. After the court ordered the DNA to be tested again on July 10, the head of Thailands Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA sample on the hoe did not match the defendants. The family said it had brought to a close a "lengthy and disturbing period" where activists on social media had attempted to influence justice in Thailand and public opinion elsewhere. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". The family said it had brought to a close a "lengthy and disturbing period" where activists on social media had attempted to influence justice in Thailand and public opinion elsewhere. However, the investigators quickly dismissed him as a suspect. A mute Burmese beach cleaner stumbled upon the bodies shortly after dawn. David Miller, 24. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. [7][12], Miller and Witheridge were last seen at a bar called AC Bar[13] with friends at a party on Sunday night with around 50 people mostly foreign tourists before they left together after 1am. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. He was brought in for questioning on October 1, and he stated he was not present when the murders took place. They beat me and put a bag over my head, humiliating me by taking pictures and a video, he said. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. Hannah Victoria Witheridge se narodila v Hemsby, Great Yarmouth Borough, v Norfolku, Anglie, 15. jna 1990. For while the surf has washed the blood from the sand, and life returns to normal for the islands hodgepodge of wealthy and penniless inhabitants, one fact remains clear: not just the boulders hide secrets on Koh Tao. bubble tea consumption statistics australia. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Post-mortem examinations showed that the young backpackers, who. Analytical Services; Analytical Method Development and Validation To be able to work on Koh Tao, illegal Burmese migrants paid a 500-baht ($15) bribe each month, plus another 500 baht if they want to use a motorbike without a Thai driving license. Thai king commutes sentence of UK pairs killers, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, JP Morgan snaps up troubled US bank First Republic. Dehumanizing as it sounds, they are a commodity for some people., Asked whether he has a message for his compatriots considering working in Thailand, Wai Phyo simply says, Be careful when you go out at night as you might step in the wrong place., WE HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE CARE OF VISITORS. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about j