Anonymous hacks Thai police websites over death sentences

Thailand murders: DNA match found for two Burmese men

03 October

DNA samples from two Burmese men have been linked to the murders of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on Koh Tao, according to Thai police.

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The two men are due to be arrested "very soon" after they confessed to killing the pair, who were found bludgeoned to death on a beach on 15 September.

Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, died from head injuries, while Miller, 24, from Jersey, died from head injuries and drowning.

Police say the two Burmese men also admitted to raping Witheridge. DNA found on her body matched the samples taken from the two suspects, one of whom was believed to have worked at a bar on the island.

The pair were killed with a wooden stick and a garden hoe, which was found bloodied at the scene, say police.

A third man who was spotted riding on a moped with the other two suspects on the night of the murder denies any involvement and says he left the crime scene before murder took place.

The three men are being held in the mainland city of Surat Thani, while police wait for a local court to issue a warrant so the men can be charged.

Thai authorities frequently accuse migrants from Burma and Cambodia of committing crimes in Thailand, where they make up a "vast, poorly-paid and low-status workforce", says The Guardian. However, police have insisted they would not scapegoat anyone for the crime.

Under pressure from Thai government to solve the case quickly, police have carried out dozens of interviews and DNA tests.

In an interview with public broadcaster Thai PBS, national police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said the resolution of the case was the result of a painstakingly thorough investigation. Police have also gathered additional CCTV and eyewitness evidence to support their case, he said.

Thailand murders: man admits killing British backpackers

2 October

A Burmese man has confessed to murdering British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller who were found dead on a Thai beach, police have said.

Lieutenant General Jaktip Chaijinda, Thailand's deputy national chief of police, said the investigation had "advanced considerably".

Three Burmese workers were detained by police and had their DNA taken for testing. "During the investigation one of them admitted to killing the two foreigners," Chaijinda told Reuters.

The bodies of 23-year-old Witheridge and 24-year-old Miller were found on a beach on Koh Tao on 15 September. A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby.

Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, had died from head injuries and police believe she may have also been raped by two men. Miller, from Jersey, died from serious head injuries and drowning.

The double murder has attracted worldwide coverage, prompting Thai government ministers to put intense pressure on police to solve the case. "Thai authorities have warned that the killings would scare off tourists and government leaders have been urging police to solve the case quickly," says The Times.

Police initially focused their investigation on Burmese migrant workers before questioning two British brothers who were travelling with Miller. But the brothers were swiftly eliminated as possible suspects.

Chaijinda said the man who had confessed was being detained but had not been arrested. "We still have to wait for DNA test results, which we expect to have in 14 hours from now, in order to confirm this," he said. Officers have collected 200 DNA samples from people on Koh Tao.

A memorial for Miller will be held in Jersey tomorrow after inquests for both victims were opened and adjourned. His family says they have been "overwhelmed" with support. "Our hearts go out to the Witheridge family who are also coming to terms with the sudden trauma of the equally senseless ending of their Hannah's life," they said.

Thailand murders: police in fix after DNA shows no match

18 September

Thai police have confirmed there is no crime scene DNA linking two British men to the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, who were killed on the island of Koh Tao earlier this week.

Brothers Christopher and James Ware, from Jersey, were questioned by police, but officials say there is no evidence against them.

Witheridge, 23, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead with deep wounds to the head and face on Monday on a rocky section of shore near a beach party.

Post-mortem examinations carried out yesterday showed Witheridge died from head wounds and Miller died from severe blows to the head and drowning.

Police had previously said there was "strong evidence" against a number of Burmese suspects, who had been called in for questioning.

Traces of semen from two different men were found on Witheridge's body by forensics, but neither match DNA from Miller, the Ware brothers or the 11 Burmese people police have been questioning.

The Ware brothers have reportedly been told they can now leave Thailand to return to their family.

Jonathan Head, BBC south-east Asia correspondent, says it appears that the police have "not really made much progress at all".

The crime scene was not sealed off and people were not stopped from leaving the island after the murders, with police now admitting they "really don't know where to look ", says Head.

Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also the country's army chief, has come under fire after he said the behaviour of the victims should be looked into. He later appeared to suggest that attractive women in bikinis might not be safe in Thailand.

In a televised speech addressing tourist safety, he said: "There are always problems with tourist safety. They think our country is beautiful and safe so they can do whatever they want, they can wear bikinis and walk everywhere. Can they be safe in bikinis… unless they are not beautiful?"