[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]. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop by scuba divers in the sea after he disappeared following a night out with his family on New Year's Eve. "In view of what's happened to David Miller and Hannah Witheridge and various other people I've read about, it just all leads to the same thing. It covers an area of about 21 km2. Associate Professor Charnkanit Krittiya Suriyamanee, a criminologist and lecturer at the faculty of social science and humanities of Mahidol University, said he doubted the suicide theory citing some irrelevant evidences, according to Chiangrai Times. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. The father of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge has wept as graphic photos of her body lying on a Thai beach were shown in court. The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. The father of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge has wept as graphic photos of her body lying on a Thai beach were shown in court. 2023 BBC. Guardian. My YouTube channel is called KOH TAO MURDERS DEATH ISLAND. She was found dead in her bungalow with a mix of medication and alcohol in her system in 2015 - leading the. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. 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.. "[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". However, no toxicology report was conducted. Hannah Witheridge 2014; Luke Miller, a bricklayer from the Isle of Wight, was found dead in a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach on January 8 2016, with an inquest earlier this month finding "no evidence" he was murdered. [79] Rumours began to circulate, with residents on the island saying the island is controlled by a mafia who "have information about the true culprits", and claimed that the police is covering for them. Once youve been living there for a while, youll turn a blind eye to some pretty sketchy stuff, says Mike Earley, 30, from New Zealand, who spent six months on the island working as a DJ. Police and court systems were hacked or taken offline in the following days, and a stash of personal information obtained from the court's servers was posted publicly. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Koh Tao, Thailand, Serial killers, Unexplained murders WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. 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. [1][15][16] Miller's body was found floating in the water, and Witheridge's on the beach;[17] the bodies lay approximately 20 metres apart and 30 metres away from their hotel (Ocean View Bungalows). Disturbing online photos leave family of backpacker Hannah Witheridge disgusted By Sophie Goddard 9 Oct 2014 Rex Features Last month, the tragic revelation that backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23,. The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. [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." Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. [7] Witheridge had completed undergraduate studies in education at the University of East Anglia and had started post-graduate studies in speech and language therapy at the University of Essex. Blood on the floor of the feedroom where Paul Murdaugh was shot dead. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. Thai police said a post-mortem examination showed he drowned. But they were skeptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. [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. Hannah was also revelling in her time staying at Sairee Beach with another group of travelling companions. 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. Thai police arrest men accused of murdering Brits on Koh Tao Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the killings. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. 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. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. Burmese migrant workers made up an additional 5,000, around 2,000 of these being illegal immigrants who bribe local police by paying 500 baht each month. Then came a stumbling police investigation, speculation about a cover-up to protect a prominent local family, the alleged framing and torture of two young Burmese migrant workers, questions about the handling of key forensic evidence and the controversial observer role of Metropolitan Police officers alongside Thai investigators. [1] Police revealed that the samples from Witheridge's body were used up,[62][27] but were able to provide DNA samples from the murder weapon. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. Thai police claim Elise hung herself - but her devastated mother does not believe them, and thinks somebody else was involved. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. . We are here for David because of his tragic death. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. What really happened there? koh tao murders crime scene photos They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. 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. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. Ive never been happier than here, David, a 24-year-old on holiday with friends, told relatives in Jersey in what was to be his last phone call home. On tiny Koh Tao, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. [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. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. KOH TAO, Thailand Promoters call the Thai island of Koh Tao a paradise. We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Photographs of the bodies . [51] The defence provided a separate explanation for the events on the night. Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. 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? [42][43] The police said the suspects' DNA matched a sample of semen taken from Witheridge's body, and to the hoe and cigarette butts found near the body. There were apparently no signs of robbery or attack in the room at the hotel where Alexandr had been staying. Dubbed 'Death Island', the illusion of a safe haven has since shattered following the brutal deaths of a number of tourists. He had entered the country on September 26, 2018, before traveling to the island, where stayed at the Monsoon Gym and Fight Club. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. 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