Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. Wai Phyo says officers removed his clothes and left him naked in a freezing room for 20 minutes. A mute Burmese beach cleaner discovered the bodies shortly after dawn the following morning at Ocean View Bungalows. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. Home; Service. The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014. Burmese people are treated as second-class citizens, says Saksith. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. His dad, Ian Miller, said, Its quite likely David was stepping in to assist a girl in trouble. The seven tourists found dead on Thailand's 'murder island' Hannah Witheridge murder: Mum begged backpacker not to go to Thailand Read about our approach to external linking. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. 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. Hannah had been bludgeoned to death a few feet from her room door alongside her fellow British tourist David Miller. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. Murderers of Brit backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller to be [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. But come on. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. They had no prior criminal records. Naked bodies of two British tourists found on Thai beach | PIX11 "[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". Mau Mau claimed he left on his motorcycle and returned home later to find his co-riders asleep. Both had been in Thailand since August and had met just hours before their deaths. 2040 / 2557", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koh_Tao_murders&oldid=1150069590, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 05:03. In a wildly controversial move, the police forced the suspects to re-enact the murder in front of the media a move condemned by legal experts as prejudicing a fair hearing. But the seemingly idyllic paradise of Koh Tao, once known as Turtle Island, has turned from beauty to horror as a string of brutal murders and unexplained disappearances have rocked the community This was very different. Like the Millers, the Witheridge family initially offered no comment on worries about a miscarriage of justice after the arrested men said they had been tortured to extract confessions. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller suspects 'thought she was being The experience was clearly a very difficult one, with relatives walking out at one point when the court was shown images of Witheridges body, and heard details of her injuries. 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. Far from official oversight, de facto control falls to the owners of booming hospitality businesses that were developed on land originally obtained, via government concessions, for coconut plantations. [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. On tiny Koh Tao alone, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. After unsuccessfully trying to find their possessions, they walked towards Mau Mau's house through the shortcut, which resulted in them being caught on CCTV. 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. Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. A mute Burmese beach cleaner stumbled upon the bodies shortly after dawn. DNA testing of casual workers was introduced and many migrants complained of rough interrogations, with some claiming that they were scalded with boiling water. Read about our approach to external linking. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Nice and strong, grins the heavily tattooed barman. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. [21][73], The death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment on 14 August 2020 following a royal decree to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and "illustrate the king's clemency". [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Many believe the true culprits are local, and these suspicions were fueled after a Scottish friend of Miller fled the island claiming to have had his life threatened by local thugs. Torture allegations aside, the proceedings have been peppered with oddities. 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. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on 15 September last year. (Thailand is the worlds third-largest seafood exporter.) Her family parents Tony and Sue, brother Paul and sisters Tania and Laura described Witheridge as a beautiful person, inside and out, saying she would have gone on to make a significant difference to the lives of many people. Witheridge and Miller are the two British tourists who were found dead after being chopped up on a Thailand beach. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. (Facebook). The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Both were found dead early on the morning of September 15. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. Zaw Lin, as pimply as any teen, chats eagerly of his love of Manchester United and star Portuguese winger Nani. [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 bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. With tourism critical to Thailand's e. islands volcanic inception. Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. Ive not been threatened, but Ive too much to lose, he says. Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered She was just one of those beautiful, bubbly people, amazing inside and out. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didn't know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short The two young tourists were killed in the early hours of 15 September, 2014, after which their relatives. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. [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 police found a garden hoe and a wooden club nearby, which were quickly determined as the principal murder weapons. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. The bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao in 2014. Sean McAnna, 25, has fled the island of Koh Tao after claiming he knows who was responsible for the murders of Hannah Witheridge and his friend, David Miller. [51] The defence provided a separate explanation for the events on the night. The episode tries to deconstruct the complex case for the listeners as it narrates the incidents chronologically and questions several alleged incompetencies in the murder probe. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. [42][48] Amnesty International stated that Thailand "must initiate an independent, effective and transparent investigation into mounting allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by police". However, the Thai police have denied these allegations and termed them baseless. Feuding here is common and vicious. The police were under pressure to produce results quickly, which affected how they conducted their investigation. 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. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . Foreign nationals were also immediately blamed for the crime, with a police spokesman even claiming,Thais would not do this. Their primary focus lay on migrant workers, with many alleging the authorities tortured them with scalding boiled water during interrogations. [44] In December 2014, the suspects were each indicted on five charges: premeditated murder, killing to conceal a criminal offence, rape, illegal entry into Thailand, and staying in the country without permission. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. 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. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. The 18-day trial of the two defendants, divided into three equal parts over several weeks, began on July 8. Thai king commutes Myanmar men's death sentence over Britons' murder In fact, says Sean Turnell, a professor and expert on Burmese economics at Australias Macquarie University, The economic circumstances of Myanmars majority rural population are now marginally worse than before the reforms were launched.. Call Us Today! A royal decree said the sentences had been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday on 28 July and to "illustrate the king's clemency". This is the wild west.. Koh Tao is by far the smallest. "The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible," they continued. Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. 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. At one establishment by Chalok Baan Chao, joints are sold for 200 baht ($6) while a magic mushroom milkshake costs 700 baht ($20). Sister of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge was pregnant when she Witheridge was a graduate from the University of East Anglia who had been studying for a masters degree in speech and language therapy. The crimes brutality amid Koh Taos insular, backpacker charm caused an international sensation and threatened to further weaken a tourist industry already reeling from the military coup of May 22, 2014, which saw hundreds arbitrarily detained and draconian new controls imposed on freedom of speech and assembly. 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. Dilleen Hempel Murder: Who Killed Her? One belonged to David, and one belonged to an unknown Asian male. The main suspect in the crime is a fellow British backpacker, according to The Guardian. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014 Two Burmese migrants convicted over the killings had their death sentences reduced to life. They threatened to kill me, saying: We can throw you into the sea and feed your corpse to the fish.. Human-rights groups expressed serious concerns. My father died when I was very young, says Zaw Lin, so l left school aged 8 and started helping my mother in the fields when I was 10. Facing worsening poverty, around two years ago he paid a broker 5,000 baht ($150) to transport him to Koh Tao, heartened by tales hed heard of fellow villagers who had eked out a successful living there. [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. 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.Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. They also. I had no idea, says Jordi Cramer, 21, a waitress from Edmonton, Canada, when TIME speaks to her strolling past the granite-hemmed crime scene. According to reports, the investigators had allegedly left them unclothed in freezing rooms and threatened to electrocute them. [66], On 24 December 2015, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were found guilty of murdering Witheridge and Miller by the three judges, and were sentenced to death. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. The police removed the bodies to prevent them from being swept up in the rising tide as the locals blocked the pier to stop the unidentified killers from leaving the island. The families that run the island and police that guard it deny any involvement with narcotics. Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were murdered on the Thai island of Koh Tao in September 2014. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. In September 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller only met by chance while backpacking on the island, but when their bodies were found together on Sairee Beach, they would become linked forever by a tragic mystery. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, both 22-year-old ethnic Rakhine from Burmas restive Arakan state, were arrested on Oct. 2. 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. The convictions were mired in controversy, with supporters of the two men arguing they had been framed because their initial confessions were made under duress. As the local government was concerned about how the incident would affect the tourism prospects, the officials allegedly forced the detectives intoexpediting the investigation into the murders. hannah witheridge and david miller - diyalab.com +(91)-9821210096 | paula deen meatloaf with brown gravy. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. David and Hannah were seen together at a local pub called AC Bar with friends on September 14th, according to reports, before they left together at 1:00 am. [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". However, the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment following a royal decree commemorating King Vajiralongkorns birthday. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. But Koh Tao was a political penal colony from 1933 until 1947, and a sense of self-sufficiency and isolation exists to this day. 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. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. The Supreme Court of Thailandupheld the sentence in August 2019. David Miller, 24. Greg Shepherd, 34, from Luton in the U.K., tells TIME he witnessed a man getting shot in the face in a bar north of Sairee Beach in the mid-2000s. Legally, it would seem quite easy to shut these dive shops down., Insecure residency tends to breed compliance. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. [15] Public prosecutors initially rejected the report, asking for "certain flaws" to be fixed, more information to be supplied, and for the report to be made "more succinct". According to reports, David and Hannah arrived separately on the island with their friends on August 25, 2014. hannah witheridge and david miller The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Photograph: PA. Rights groups have said the pair were used as scapegoats by the . How Did Steven Beirnes Die? Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. Will [tourists] survive in Thailand if they dress in bikinis? he asked Sept. 17. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. They also pointed out several mistakes the incompetent investigators committed during the probe and alleged the officers restored to torture to make the defendants admit to the crime. 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. The family of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge has been hit by a fresh tragedy with the sudden death of her sister. Case over Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's deaths on Thai island 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. The sweet reek of marijuana is commonplace even in prominent beachfront bars, while cocaine and crystal meth, known locally as yaba or crazy drug, are not hard to find, say locals. Powered by. Jak zemeli Hannah Witheridge a David Miller? After finally receiving independent legal counsel, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, who had no prior criminal records, claimed they had been tortured during interrogation and recanted. Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death [71], A lawyer for the men, Nakhon Chomphuchat, said "we will appeal as soon as we can, we have just got a copy of the court's verdict. Hannah metDavid Miller by chance when they and their friends stayed in adjoining rooms of the Ocean View Bungalows, a small backpacker complex overlooking the white sand sweep of Sairee beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao. [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. [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". Analytical Services; Analytical Method Development and Validation In September 2014, the 23-year-oldUniversity of East Anglia graduate, who had been studying for a masters degree in speech and language therapy. Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency - BBC News Miller, a year older and from Jersey, also suffered blows to the head and left to drown in the shallow surf. The BBC reports that police in the area believe the man has already escaped Koh Tao. Koh Tao is very safe, says Mayor Chaiyan. Is climate change killing Australian wine? [58] Ostensibly, Wai Phyo changed jobs at the end of September and was travelling by boat to Surat Thani for his new job on the day he was arrested.