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However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. In 2014, Koh Tao was the site of the brutal double murders of two British backpackers, but theirs weren't the only suspicious backpacker deaths. The bricklayer from Newport, Isle of Wight, was found at the bottom of the pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach in January 2016. She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. Koh Tao murders: 'Asian man' seen on CCTV sought for q uestioning Probe into murder of two Britons on Koh Tao Manhunt on Koh Tao after tourists found brutally murdere d on beach British tourists murdered, stripped on Koh Tao beach Topics: Bangkok, Features Join the Coconuts conversation with a comment. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. 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. He had recently returned to the island after building up a motorbike rental business. At the time rumours of secret CCTV footage, inconclusive blood samples and a mysterious Swedish man, made Christinas dad suspicious. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Dimitri Povse 2015; Read about our approach to external linking. [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. The items were still there are 3 am and he called the police. Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. The authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. "Another one of my sons was there with him, he was absolutely distraught looking at the police just laughing at him. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. The pictures, which News Corp Australia will not reproduce, were taken on the beach at Koh Tao, where the pair was hacked to death with a garden hoe, allegedly by two Burmese men who confessed to the bloody crime then withdrew their confessions. It would be impossible, some of the boulders are so big they would have stopped him but he didnt have a single broken bone. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. Many raised concerns that contamination cast doubt upon the forensic evidence: officials, journalists and tourists were seen walking around the crime scene, and Thai police did not use trained or independent specialists to collect forensic evidence. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. The pictures, which News Corp Australia will not reproduce, were taken on the beach at Koh Tao, where the pair was hacked to death with a garden hoe, allegedly by two Burmese men who confessed to the bloody crime then withdrew their confessions. 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. Constance Marten seen leaving court after appearing before magistrates charged with manslaughter of baby, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon blow each other a kiss in dock before court hears dead baby was found in bag in shed, Mum identified after dead baby is found on Canford Heath, Thai police covered up what really happened, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. [1][96], Although tourist arrivals to Koh Tao dropped in the months immediately following the murders, there was little lasting effect on tourism to the island.[92]. [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. 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". Hiroshi 2002; [1], A defence team from Bangkok, composed of nearly 20 lawyers, were only permitted half an hour to meet the men; a request by the defence to delay the hearing and allow more time to prepare was denied by a judge at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. 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. Thailand is one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations with around 35 million visitors each year and promotes itself as the Land of Smiles. The government is sensitive to criticism that could undermine the countrys reputation. Defence lawyers had asked for the samples to be independently verified but have now been told there is nothing left of them to re-test. Chrissie's heartbroken dad Boyne Annesley started investigating more deaths in Koh Tao. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. He originally moved to the island in the late 1990s but left in 2016 after becoming frustrated with the corruption and hostility towards foreign business owners. Police received the initial report at 4.45pm on Friday. The bungalow is 50ft above the ocean, theres nothing but massive granite boulders between his bungalow and the ocean so how did he managed to tumble all the way down there? Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. . Samui Times defended its reporting in an online post. The court has now been told that vital DNA evidence cannot be retested. Hannah was raped before she was killed. [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. Download videos of River diver on Depositphotos Millions of high-quality, royalty-free stock videos, footage and clips at affordable prices. And the same goes for Luke Millers mum Sara Cotton. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. Koh Tao--a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, surrounded by pristine beaches, swathed in sunshine, and a mecca for tourists, divers and backpackers. Hanspeter Suter 2014; They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. "We asked for a copy of the CCTV footage and they said it was destroyed. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. 1. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. A 28-year-old British guy. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. 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. But, he said that most of these would have been present prior to his death, although he could not completely rule out the possibility that Nick had been attacked. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". [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. While police claimed that she hanged herself, mystery surrounded her death, as it was revealed she used a fake name at the hostel she was staying. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. I just listened to your full podcast about Koh Tao with considerable interest. [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. 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). It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Tony Witheridge bowed his head as bloody images of. The families have opened up in Sky's new documentary, Death On The Beach, saying they believe Thai police covered up what really happened to their loved ones. 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. We'll be dignified for David. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". 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. "[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". A great number of Western backpackers have died under unexplained circumstances on this tiny tropical island in the past years. It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . A judge found the workers guilty and sentenced them to death despite questions about DNA evidence and the police handling of the case. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. The families dont believe a word of the Thai police investigation. Elise Dallemagne 2017; Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. 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. The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. [39] Following an interrogation, during which police say Zaw Lin admitted he had entered the country illegally, Zaw Lin was arrested and his clothes and motorcycle were seized as evidence. We are here for David because of his tragic death. Ben Harrington 2012; His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. 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. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. 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". Suter had been a regular snorkeler and his death was totally unexplained. 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. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". That is awful. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. From: kohtao. A backpacker from Belgium, Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanged in the hillson the island on April 28, 2017. [15] Some migrants who were questioned complained that officers scalded them with boiling water during interrogations, allegations which were denied by the police. 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. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. Ms Taupin did note however that the document that the prosecution relied upon was an Unendorsed Report in that it had no seal or stamp certifying that it had been produced by an accredited laboratory and in accordance with international standards. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. Shared On: 28th Dec, 2022. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Due to the nature of her passing, our beautiful girl has had little privacy. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on . 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. The island is small and gifted with loads of hidden gems and completely deserted bays. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. 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. Elise had been traveling around Asia for two years, and before her death had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat on Koh Phangan. "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. 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. Get latest News Information, Articles on Thailand Vs Indonesia Odi Live Streaming Updated on December 27, 2018 19:20 with exclusive Pictures, photos & videos on Thailand Vs Indonesia Odi Live Streaming at Latestly.com - Page 18 Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Photo from Sept 15 showing a police officer questioning Christopher Alan Ware, who has re-emerged as a leading suspect in the murder of a young British man and woman on Koh Tao on Monday in. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. 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. [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." "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is steeped in paradoxes. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. Martin Totland Frilans. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. "As long as I can breathe I will keep trying to find answers.". Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: joanromans.com, +49803921568627, +34972573012, +34643318517 Focs i Estufes Romans - Joan Romans They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. 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.. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". The reporter was forced to leave the country she lived in for 20 years after Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant accusing her of publishing false information and violating the computer crime law.. "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. "Thai courts make little allowance for the feelings of relatives," he said. Their explanations as to why these kids have died just dont add up- you dont have to be a pathologist or a doctor to know what weve been told is nonsensical.. Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. By. 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. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Buchanan who left Thailand in 2016 after receiving death threats for her reporting, reached out to the victims' families and formed a support group. "They did a visual post-mortem - just by looking at him they said he died of a broken neck and that his face was looking towards his back. Two migrant workers from Myanmar on death row for the 2014 murder of two British backpackers on Koh Tao have had their sentences commuted to life in . Shelley Bot 2017; Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. The families of Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller are now returning to the UK. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. 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. Hannah was also raped in the attack. We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. Rockefeller Audio 2022. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. 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. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. ", The dad added that some of the witnesses they spoke to were "too frightened" to come forward which shows "how the culture is.". There were apparently no signs of robbery or attack in the room at the hotel where Alexandr had been staying. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . [42][43] Early police reports said Miller's mobile phone was also found in Zaw Lin's home,[44][45] although the media had previously reported the phone was handed to police by a friend of the victim. They claim they did not receive an autopsy report and say his body was sent against their wishes to the same Bangkok hospital that carried out botched reports on the bodies of two Brits murdered on the same island in 2014. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. After searching, All rights reserved. Allegations about police brutality rocked the countrys economy that almost solely relies on tourism. 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. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. [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". The father-of-ones family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said at the time they did not believe the authorities' claims that hedied of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake.. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. However, no toxicology report was conducted. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller koh tao, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo koh tao, dimitri povse koh tao, christina annesley koh tao, Valentina Novozhyonova koh tao, luke miller koh tao, Elise Dallemagne koh tao, Bernd grotsch koh tao, Alexandr Bucspun koh tao, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. As we continue with our plans for our beautiful Hannahs party, our thoughts are with David Millers family who are suffering the same indescribable agony. Khao San Lomprayah - 2100 arrives Koh Tao 0845 > check prices for Bangkok to Koha Tao night bus and ferry and book now. [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. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/world/asia/thailand-koh-tao-death-island.html#:~:text=But%20among%20some%20foreigners%2C%20Koh,began%20calling%20it%20Death%20Island.&text=She%20accused%20the%20police%20of,up%20crime%20on%20the%20island. [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". Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. Koh Tao Murders March 28, 2022 courtneyjfretwell Uncategorized 1 Comment In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailand's island of Koh Tao.