However, no toxicology report was conducted. Last week police colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen announced the offer of a 700,000 baht (£13,300) reward for information leading to arrests. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. Koh Tao, which has earned the name Death Island due to a troubling string of tourist deaths, attacks and disappearances, is again in the spotlight for … There have been suspicious reports of hand sized bruises found on Luke’s shoulders. 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 1.30am during a beach patrol. Hannah was raped before she was killed. Mr Miller, from Jersey, was studying civil and structural engineering at Leeds University and was travelling in South East Asia following a work placement in Australia. The governor of the island said he had instructed the district chief to file criminal charges against the local online news outlet Samui Times in 2017, after it ran an article that questioned the police account of deaths and referred to Koh Tao as “Death Island”. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30320196. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller koh tao, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen “Butcher Baker” - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. X. X. He started another business in neighbouring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". Lieutenant General Panya Mamen, police commissioner for the island of Koh Tao, told the Bangkok Post: “Two of the suspects raped and killed Witheridge while another one witnessed the murder. Most distressing among them were the murders of British youngsters Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, who were brutally killed on the southern island of Koh Tao … The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. T he brutal murder of British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, on the Thai resort island of Koh Tao, has reverberated around the world. 8 Koh Tao safety tips. Only if they are not beautiful.” He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt. Tweet. But they were sceptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. Laura Daniels, 30, has died five years after sister Hannah, 23, was killed on Koh Tao with David Miller of Jersey. The bodies of 23-year-old Hanna Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller were discovered in September 2014 on a beach on Koh Tao, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Tao murders : Two Britons dead in Thailand. The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving. 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. It was revealed yesterday that on April 28 Elise became the latest tourist found … British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Close. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. Suter had been a regular snorkeler and his death was totally unexplained. Koh Tao Thailand taraporn_view_dust Courtesy of Retinafunk/Flickr Some of the deaths which have sparked debate as to whether or not the missing and murder cases were investigated properly, include the death of Dimitri Povse. KOH TAO, Thailand — Promoters call the Thai island of Koh Tao a paradise. Ms Witheridge and Mr Miller did not know each other from at home in the UK and are believed to have met on holiday. All previous suspects have been released and a group of Thai footballers are the latest to be questioned by police amid criticism that the hunt for the killers has stalled. 5. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan. 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. The police quickly closed the enquiry, stating that he had drowned whilst swimming. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Hannah was also raped in the attack. 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. On February, 16, 2015 Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. Pol Lt Gen Thanate Pinmuangngam, acting chief of Police Region 8, said “In the Dallemagne case, the cause of death was suffocation. The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. He had entered the country on September 26, 2018, before travelling to the island, where stayed at the Monsoon Gym and Fight Club.Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. There was no signs he was suicidal. Koh Tao Murder - Thai Police, their scapegoates and tourist trade - Exposed by Anonymous - YouTube. Ms Witheridge, who was doing a post-graduate speech and language therapy course at the University of Essex, was travelling with three female friends and had only arrived on Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, three before her death. Questions “Should Zaw Lin & Wai Phyo have had separate legal representation? The autopsy stated he had drowned. The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. 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. A Thai villager lays flowers during a memorial service for two murdered British tourists on Koh Tao island, Two Myanmar migrant workers Win (left) and Saw (right) are suspects in the killing of two British tourists, Two Myanmar migrant workers suspected of killing two British tourists participate in a crime re-enactment, The two suspects (wearing hard hats) during a re-enactment of the alleged crime, Thai policemen conduct DNA tests on staff from two beachside bars as part of the investigation on the murder of two British tourists on the southern resort island of Koh Tao, Police chiefs look at a beach near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found on the island of Koh Tao, Police in Koh Tao said they were liaising with officers in Bangkok to try and detain the second man, A Thai villager lays flowers during a memorial service for two murdered British tourists at the crime scene on a beach of Koh Tao resort island, A police searches for clues near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found, on the island of Koh Tao, Thai workers carry the bodies of two British tourists on Koh Tao island in the Surat Thani province of southern Thailand, Hannah Witheridge, 23 was killed on the small island of Koh Tao on 15 Septembe, David Miller, 24, was killed on the small island of Koh Tao on 15 September, Thai PM suggests 'attractive' female tourists are not safe, Thai police will conduct DNA tests on every man on island, Thai police offer £13,000 reward for information, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, Thailand: Hannah Witheridge 'raped by two men before being killed', Booking.com promo: 10% extra saving with Level 1 Genius membership, Debenhams discount code for 15% off selected luxury beauty products, Exclusive Ideal World promo code: 20% saving on fitness, Receive a £2 AliExpress promo code with the official App, Argos promo: 20% off selected LEGO toys this Easter. Anonymous slams ‘ugly corruption” of Thai authorities over Koh Tao case. Latest Activity. WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. “They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like,” the prime minister said. Two different semen samples collected from her body are the basis for DNA analysis being used to test hundreds of men. Collapse. As the Thai police chief in 2014, Somyot was instrumental in framing the scapegoats, Zaw Lin & Wai Phyo for the murders of 2 UK backpackers on Koh Tao. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16, but failed to do so. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. 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 believed he had accidentally drowned and he was thought to have been dead for around 12 hours when his body was retrieved. Posts on social media said Dallemagne had booked a ticket to Chumphon province, on the mainland, and that her luggage arrived after her death, raising questions of her intentions to take her own life. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. They followed the animal and discovered that it had been feeding on Elise's remains, which were found among rocks behind the Tanote Family Bay Resort. The murder investigation was criticized due to the alleged torture of both Myanmar migrant workers and mishandling of evidence by Thai police. The pair were sentenced to death for the murder of 24 year old David Miller and the murder and rape of 23 year old Hannah Witheridge. Officers have collected 200 DNA samples from people on Koh Tao and the results are expected later this week. Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. They were partially undressed and … Pathologist Dr Michael Biggs told the hearing that there were many injuries on Nick's body, including to the head, limbs and face. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is … 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". It covers an area of about 21 km2. Choose were to stay in Koh Tao wisely. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is steeped in paradoxes. Today, we have gotten rid of them.”. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. Thailand’s military ruler Prayuth Chan-ocha had earlier provoked outrage by suggesting that “beautiful” female visitors to his country should not expect to be safe in bikinis. A number of tourist deaths on this island in recent years have shocked the world. He originally moved to the island in the late 1990’s but left in 2016 after becoming frustrated with the corruption and hostility towards foreign business owners. Questions. The family have contested the police version of events. His father, Ian, earlier said that he believes his son stepped in to help Ms Witheridge during an altercation. A British student found dead in Thailand was raped by two men while another watched before she was murdered, police have said. Respect the Thai people and their culture. ... murder … 1. Thailand is one of the world’s 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 country’s reputation. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". He had recently returned to the island after building up a motorbike rental business. Posted by 1 day ago. Koh Tao murder victims’ final night retold via CCTV at trial. The bodies of the young Britons were discovered in September 2014 on a beach on Koh Tao, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand. Alexandr Bucspun was found dead in the sea floating off the coast of Koh Tao on Tuesday morning near the Sairee Beach where Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered in 2014. Koh Tao murders: Influential island figure vows to … Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. Posts. Thai rescue workers wrap the bodies of two British tourists who were found dead on a beach of Koh Tao island in 2014. There were no signs of fighting or a struggle, nor were foreign objects or substances that could cause loss of consciousness found in the body.”. The Thai Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences for two Burmese 26 year old men convicted of murdering two British backpackers on Koh Tao in 2014. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. Dive resorts boast of its crystal-clear waters, and Western tourists flock to its lively beach bars. The last known video footage of the Russian woman showed her walking to Chaloke Hin Kao bay and never coming back. After spending two hours reading the 60 page verdict, the Judge upheld the rulings by two lower courts that found Zaw Lin and … Previous 1 4 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 24 36 template Next. 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. 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. Source:AAP Their battered bodies were discovered on … However, a lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo told the BBC that the pair had not admitted their guilt when their death sentences were commuted. So much so, that Koh Tao was dubbed "death island" and "murder island" by the media. A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby. A Thai villager lays flowers during a memorial service for two murdered British tourists at the crime scene on a beach of Koh Tao resort island EPA In pictures: Thailand beach murders In an effort to ease safety fears, the tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul has outlined a plan for identification wristbands for visitors and a “buddy system” to keep them safe. Elise had been travelling around Asia for two years, and before her death had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat on Koh Phangan. Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin have denied killing David Miller and … She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. ADVERTISEMENT. It has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. Police concluded she wanted to break a deep diving record at more than 24 metres. Samui Times, defended its reporting in an online post. He had been dead about 10 days and had left to snorkelling alone on November 8. The chilling toll of young Britons killed in Thailand: Murders, rapes, and 60 unexplained deaths in just two years. Koh Tao … David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, found dead on island of Koh Tao ... bungalow on the island of Koh Tao, Thai police said. 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, The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. This topic is closed. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicide thoughts. 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". Scapegoats for murders in paradise on Koh Tao, Thailand’s Death Island. Stay away from drugs. 6. 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. There were apparently no signs of robbery or attack in the room at the hotel where Alexandr had been staying. Are there serial killers operating on the island, with their crimes apparently insufficiently investigated so that the tourist industry remains protected? 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? His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. "We're confident we have a very high chance of finding the suspects.". A spokesman for the Royal Thai Police confirmed that DNA samples were taken from "more than eight" footballers - who reportedly threw a late-night party at the nightclub where the victims spent their final hours - and officers were awaiting the results.