Two Burmese men charged with the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller went on trial on Wednesday. Click here for our ongoing coverage of the killings. The photo-shopped picture below is not reflective of anything in the story - rather a hark back to the times . A Scottish man is being kept in protective custody in Thailand after a photo he took . CAUTION, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS Archives - Morbid N' Macabre Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Having lived on the island for a fair few years at this point, the mafia knew who I was. But it was in this idyllic setting that their horribly bludgeoned bodies were discovered, their blood seeping into the sand and staining the water. I genuinely think she is telling the truth. 2 minutes read. Duxbollox Producktions, Not a Glass House, Comfortable Boulevard 73 The only reason I can think for her to lie is to get some media attention, but that seems more likely to go badly than positively when the truth came out. I will never forget the day I turned 30 and I cheered with friends until early morning 02.00 am on Sairee Beach. She said: "I would tell them to do everything in their power to stop them going. For the entire time I was on Koh Tao, there was one bar you avoided. In August 2020 the death sentence was commuted to life in prison under royal pardon by the decree. Although I was living on the island at the times of the murders and even celebrating my birthday on the same beach a couple hours before the Koh Tao Murders happened, I never ran into any issue on the island ever. 5th Oct, 2014. There was also a photo floating around on WhatsApp that spread across the island like wildfire. House is a generous term, it was a wooden shack. "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. In January 2015, she was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics with alcohol. If Koh Tao is part of your Thailand itinerary there are a couple things you have to keep in mind, but this basically counts for every tourist destination in Thailand and in the world. He called for help from staff but his parents were both dead when their bodies were pulled from the water. Creepy. Forensic report into British murders in Thailand leaked to local media With such incredible sunsets on the main party beach, the party starts early. My beloved Koh Tao felt it had lost its dignity. That is the price you pay to get from Sairee Beach to Chalok Bay. And its just claimed another two victims. In March 2015, she vanished from her hostel, with her mobile phone, passport and camera left behind. Who instigated the violence first will never be known and doesn't really matter. 0. The Murders The two people killed were Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. The next night, Archie and his buddies went out in search of victim number one. Let me tell you where you can book one with insurance, so you wont get scammed. Michele claims that Elise used a fake name of "Elise Dubuis" to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao as she travelled via the island on a ferry bound for Chumphon province on her route back to capital Bangkok. The Koh Tao Murders may have been a fatal incident on its own, but people got murdered. Rumours go that a couple very influential families, kind of like Koh Tao Mafia style, rule the island. I think one, or both of them said or did something discriminatory to a ladyboy. PHOTO: More information is coming out about the deaths of the billionaire couple in a Koh Tao pool. In September 2014, the couple were found bludgeoned to death close to where they were staying. I was good friends with a few and they were all restaurant/bar owners. Buying your tickets for boats, trains, flights and busses is the safest and most reliable online. Another thing that should actually be clear is to never walk away from a party alone. Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island on New Year's Day 2015 and his death was ruled as suicide despite his hands being tied behind his back. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. Guru Nanak - A Prophet with a Scientific Attitude - academia.edu So how safe is Koh Taoi? Resting in the Gulf of Thailand, a two-hour ferry ride north of Koh Samui, Koh Tao is best known for its incredible marine life, which over the years has attracted a small but buoyant expat. Questions surround her death. The vibe on the island was very tense. This bar also was the main hangout of the ladyboys. Buying a Sim Card for Dominican Republic in 2023, Buying a Sim Card at Bogota Airport in 2023, Buying a Sim Card at Lisbon Airport in 2023, Four Seasons Amman | Luxury Experience in an Amazing City, Affordable Villa Mira Apartment near Rainbow Street Amman, best scuba diving destinations in the world, search engine for Thailand transportation, Buying a Thailand Sim Card at Bangkok Airport in 2023, 25 Best Street Food Dishes in Thailand (+printable checklist), 68 Interesting & Funny Thailand and Bangkok Facts. A 198 page appeal on behalf of the accused Burmese defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial has been filed with the Region 8 Court of Appeals on Koh Samui, Thailand. This led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death.. Two Myanmar workers on Thursday lost their final appeal against the death penalty for the 2014 murder of a . Note: in all my continuous travels around the world since December 2012, I have never ran into a bad situation. If you are a solo traveler, taxi drivers will most likely rip you off. Simple things your parents would tell you too: dont walk along the beach on your own at night. Let me help you as in my article Travel to Thailand or Philippines I compare my two favorites island destinations! Sorry not sorry hostels, but you are. After weeks of investigations, Thai Police have arrested three Burmese man in relation to the murder of two British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the holiday island of Koh Tao.The Burmese migrant worker community is on high . Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. In Thailand every business needs to be majority owned by a Thai, usually they owned 51%. I believe they met up whilst drunk at a previous bar. It was something shocking to see. The official story is they were walking back to their hotel at night and were jumped by 2 Burmese men. No staff were in the area when their deaths happened, Koh Tao police chief Kriangkrai Kraikaew said. It mostly depends on how you behave yourself. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. I will give a TLDR at the end of this section because it will probably be longer than the story. If you would like to be prepared for your trip to Thailand then have a look at my guide telling you everything you need to know when you travel to Thailand: visas, safety issues, scams, the culture, things to do and things NOT to do, the best national parks, about the street food, the travel adapter you need, the vaccinations and many more things. Think twice before getting yourself into trouble! Koh Tao Murders: Burmese Suspects Face Dubious Trial | Time Click here to read about the best things to do in Koh Tao. The investigation will cover the depth of the swimming pool, their health conditions and possible foul play, Mr Puridech said. How they decided it was them I'm not sure because there is no evidence it was them. A key issue for the defence is whether DNA samples, taken from sputum and semen, which the prosecution says links the Burmese migrant workers to the murder could be independently checked. The bodies were found 100 metres away from the scene of a beach party, according to a local report.It was believed that attackers may have been waiting to target the pair as they walked off at the end of the party, which was attended by a group of international revellers. After visiting 100 countries by the end of 2019 I felt inspired to visit every country in the world. Alex was charged with Maggie and Paul's murders days after he was formally disbarred by the South Carolina Supreme Court. If you caused no trouble, you would have no problems and they didn't seem to have any issues with each other. They were at the same party together. Just hours before he died, David was talking to us with his usual enthusiasm, describing the beauty of Koh Tao and the friendliness of the Thai people., Over the coming weeks we hope to gain a better understanding as to how such a wonderful young man lost his life in such idyllic surroundings in such a horrible way.. Other witnesses to appear will be the doctor who determined the cause of death and a woman who first found the bodies. The 25-year-old's mum Tracey told a documentary about the island she would warn parents not to allow their children to travel to the island. The global pandemic stopped me from traveling to Thailand for a while but I was back recently and added some cool activities to my already long list of the best things to do in Koh Tao. Prices for taxi rides in Koh Tao are fixed and they all stick to it. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. In case you've missed it. Theres no proof because you cant get proof because the authorities are corrupt.. They raped and killed Hannah, and killed David who was attempting to fight them off. Valentina was reported to have been visiting the island to go freediving an activity the area is famed for among backpackers. The two people killed were Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. I trusted the people I called friends with my life, literally. The photos show his wife . 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. I know this because one of my closest friends, and my neighbour was with them when the murders happened. Koh Tao, Thailand | Photo by Valeriy Ryasnyanskiy on Unsplash 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. I personally think it was a mix or the first 2. 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. Thai beach murders: First pictures of British tourists killed There were at that time a lot of rumors going around but no one really knows what happened. Koh Tao is an amazing place to enjoy your holiday and you should be totally fine! Obsessed with True Crime - Archive : Crime Scenes Showing 1-40 of 40 Click on the picture to read all about it. David handed over the equivalent of $25-30 for drinks worth no more than $5. Laura Daniels, 30, has died five years after sister Hannah, 23, was. "The embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and consular staff stand ready to provide assistance to friends and family at this tragic time.". Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool Diagram of crime scene. The teen's body was found seven days after the boating accident. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. She wasn't really friends with them, they were only together due to being friends with someone else who was having a house party. Michelle, who says the death would have gone unnoticed if not for her public appeal for help, said: "I do not believe what the police have told us. Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered as they walked back to their hotel rooms in September 2014. She was found dead in her bungalow with a mix of medication and alcohol in her system in 2015 - leading the coroner to ascertain she died of an accidental overdose. The Thaiger 116K subscribers Join Subscribe 712 Share 29K views 10 months ago #thailand #kohtao #thailandtourist We've all heard. Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, from the UK. I I drove to work and on the way saw a small crowd of people gathered to the side of BAR, on the beach. He arrived at the beach five minutes later and swiftly cordoned off the area. 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. What really happened there? . Island life is all about flip-flops, bathing suits and funny t-shirts, life is at low pace and many tourists smoke weed. Ratish has told police his father had diabetes, hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Corpse photos of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on internet We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Of course when splitting with 4 people this is fine. The publicity about their allegedly botched investigation began in 2014 with the brutal murder of two British tourists, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge, on Koh Tao island off Surat Thani. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. I get home at 3ish and my gf and best friend are in our 'house'. I will reference it further simply as BAR. Koh Tao looks like a paradise, but it's known among Brits as 'death island' Credit: Alamy In a new Sky documentary, Death On The Beach, families open up on how they believe Thai police covered up . British holidaymaker Christina Annesley, 23, died on the island in January 2015 after apparently mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. Koh Tao was plunged into the spotlight when the semi-naked bodies of backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on a beach. . Or want to know the best hidden bays or a secret sunrise spot? She had medication for a chest infection and was drinking, but the Thai police failed to investigate if the combination was sufficient to kill her.". Westerners were ignored as long as you didn't cause any problems. The official story is they were walking back to their hotel at night and were jumped by 2 Burmese men. Members of the mafia admitted to me, my gf and probably numerous others the owner of BAR, also a mafia member, killed them. Mr Sachathamakul was the co-owner and chief executive officer of the Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach hotel and owned the Bangkapi Mansion apartments in Bangkok. Myanmar migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Think on forehand where you want your Koh Tao hotel to be. Nick Pearson, 25, from the UK. Almost every tourist that visits Koh Tao is not yet ready to leave at the end of their trip and sails away with mixed feelings: happy to have experienced this little paradise, but sad they have to go already! Had he hanged himself, the professor pointed out that the bruises should have appeared on the neck than on his wrists. Photo: EPA . If you can improve it further, please do so. But behind paradise lies a grubby underbelly where, according to one report, there are "enough suspicious disappearances to warrant the island its own CSI franchise". But no suicide note or message were recovered and Michele is desperate for information surrounding the mysterious death. For example we'd always advise people to go home after Fishbowl, which shut at 2am. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the bar and can find no reference to it on the Internet. Before I begin, this will get long and there are lots of things I need to explain about the island before I can get into the story. And the pain felt by many of their loved ones has been made worse by suspicions of cover-ups in investigating their deaths and disappearances, and that powerful mafia families have tightened their grip on the island. To get around Koh Tao at night you should have your own motorbike or take an expensive taxi ride.