Nick's father, Graham, had been the last person to see him when he walked with his son back to where the family was staying. Bernd had also recently separated from his wife, Oey, a Koh Tao native, with whom he had a seven-year-old daughter, Bene, who had been living for the last two years with his sister, Monica, in Germany. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. The country's prime minister, who had been phoning the national police chief daily for updates on the investigation, said "this should not have happened at all, as it will affect Thailand in the eyes of the international community". However, no toxicology report was conducted. Rocio Gomez; Shelley Bot 2017; GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. Bernd's cousin Christina said: ''We cannot accept what the Thai authorities on the island are telling us. She was dedicated, ambitious and would have made an amazing difference to the lives of many families through her chosen career as a Speech and Language Therapist. "[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". Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. Find the perfect agent pastime stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Thai beach murders: First pictures of British tourists battered to death on island The victims of the attack in Koh Tao have been named as 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge from Great Yarmouth. By. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 2023 BBC. There is an alternative bus and ferry service run by Songserm, which is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. Owner of Martin Totland Freelance LLC, specializing in event photography, freelance journalism, and Norwegian . 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. 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. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. [48][35] A 900-page police report was produced to guide the prosecution's case, but the defence were not allowed to see the report until the trial began. 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. The more I was getting involved, the more I was reporting, the more upset the Thais would get," she added. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher said Miss Witheridge's father and brother sat with their heads bowed as the evidence was presented in court but continued listening. I was told on more than one occasion that I needed to take down this stuff from the paper. 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. 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. Two of the victims were dismembered and disposed of in plastic bags. While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. Aug 2014 - Dec 20217 years 5 months. DESPITE its flawless beaches and crystal seas, Thailand has earned a deadly reputation after 60 Brits died there between 2014 and 2016 alone. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. Speaking at the court, Mr Miller's father Ian said he and his wife Sue had come "with an open mind", adding that it had been an emotional time for the family. After searching, All rights reserved. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. [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. [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. [15], Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo retracted their statements following a visit from a consular lawyer for Myanmar and said they had made their statements under duress, after they had allegedly been beaten, left naked in a freezing room, and threatened with electrocution and an extrajudicial killing. I was good friends with a few and they were all restaurant/bar owners. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. Zaw Lin, front, and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun), rear, arrive at the court in Koh Samui, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. Photograph: Alamy. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. 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.. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6729031/thailand-koh-tao-island-dad-dead-mystery/, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-30546787, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/17/sister-murdered-backpacker-hannah-witheridge-dies-falling-gravely/, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53797951, https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1282946/police-clarify-koh-tao-death-cases, https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1047575-death-island-riddle%C2%A0-koh-tao-mystery-deepens-as-%E2%80%98healthy%E2%80%99-dad-becomes-tenth-westerner-to-die-in-suspicious-circumstances/, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4680394/Haunting-final-image-Koh-Tao-backpacker-Thai-hang-suicide.html, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thailands-death-island-tourist-33-13399601, https://www.chiangraitimes.com/crime-chiang-rai-thailand/body-of-moldavian-tourist-found-dead-in-sea-off-the-island-koh-tao-sent-to-bangkok-for-thorough-autopsy/, https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/443983/suter-hanspeter-body-found-on-beach-in-chumphon-thailand, Koh Tao Murders, Suspicious Deaths, Fatal Accidents Tribute to 20 Foreigners Tony Lotus & 1Survivor, Tagged: Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, Cases on the Death Island of Koh Tao, nick pearson koh tao death, The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! Hanspeter Suter 2014; My YouTube channel is called KOH TAO MURDERS DEATH ISLAND. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. 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. "We'll go with the flow as much as we can. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 1. [67][21][68] The conviction was primarily guided by the DNA evidence,[67][69] and the court said it did not consider their confessions in making the judgement. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. 2040 / 2557", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koh_Tao_murders&oldid=1135707447, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 10:00. Thai beach deaths DNA evidence . [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. 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. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. 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. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on .
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