THAILAND-BRITAIN/MURDER-COURT Thai court resumes trial of two Myanmar nationals suspected of murdering British tourists

Record ID: 143513

  • Title: THAILAND-BRITAIN/MURDER-COURT Thai court resumes trial of two Myanmar nationals suspected of murdering British tourists
  • Date: 18th August 2015
  • Summary: KOH SAMUI, THAILAND (AUGUST 18, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF KOH SAMUI PROVINCIAL COURT SIGN READING (In Thai): "KOH SAMUI PROVINCIAL COURT" COURT SECURITY OFFICIALS STANDING PRISON TRUCK REVERSING INTO PARKING SPOT MYANMAR NATIONAL SUSPECTED FOR MURDER, WIN ZAW HTUN, SITTING INSIDE TRUCK MYANMAR NATIONALS SUSPECTED FOR MURDER, WIN ZAW HTUN AND ZAW LIN, STEPPING DOWN FROM T
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9U8NOZZQG2QE0GOGXOZEKT6XI
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The trial of two Myanmar nationals, accused of killing two British backpackers last year, resumed in southern Thailand on Tuesday (August 18) with a focus on the reliability of crucial DNA evidence.
    British tourists David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were murdered last year on Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, a popular tourist destination in southern Thailand.
    Thai police said in October that Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, two 22-year-old migrant workers from Myanmar, had initially confessed to the killings. The confessions followed weeks of speculation and pressure on police to solve the murders.
    The pair, who deny charges of murder, rape and robbery, could face the death penalty if found guilty.
    Defence lawyer of the Myanmar pair said the examination of the DNA evidence is of the most crucial part ot the case.
    "The examination of the DNA evidence is the most important. This issue is huge, while the (examination) of other evidence is still unclear. But we will still need to wait for the witness hearing this time as well," he said before entering the court room.
    Police said DNA found on the victims matched the suspects but the two men later retracted their confessions, saying they had made them while being tortured.
    Defense lawyers said there appeared to be discrepancies between DNA evidence held by Thai police and DNA tested by British police. A judge will decide on Thursday whether the defense can independently test the evidence, one lawyer told Reuters.
    Rights groups say the trial is a test case for Thailand's treatment of the 2.5 million migrant laborers, many from poor neighboring countries, on which it relies.
    Others fear the pair are being used as scapegoats and will not receive a fair trial in a country where the poor and disenfranchised are rarely afforded justice.
    The killings hurt Thailand's image as a tourist haven when the sector was struggling to recover after months of political unrest in 2014 kept some tourists away.
    Many migrants take jobs Thais don't want in labor-intensive industries like agriculture, construction, and fishing. Others work as domestic helpers or cleaners in restaurants and hotels.
    A verdict is expected in October.
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