– – KOH TAO – The latest twist in the investigation into the deaths of British Tourists David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge on 15 September, Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Panya Mamen has now reported that police investigators have obtained a key witness who said foreigner killed the two British tourists in Koh Tao … Two British tourists were brutally murdered at one of Thailand’s most well-known islands, Koh Tao. They were found on a rocky beach on Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, a location in the south of the country known as a for its dive sites. The killer of a young British man and woman in Thailand could still be on the idyllic island where the brutal murders took place.. Pictures of killed British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge and a message of support to their friends and families are displayed during special prayers at Koh Tao … Thai police named the two, David William Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, aged 23. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said yesterday that staff from its Bangkok office were on their way to Koh Tao. Police are claiming they will make the first arrest in the murder of two British backpackers on Koh Tao by Saturday. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. They were found on a rocky beach on Koh Tao… The pair were killed on the holiday island of Koh Tao on 15 September. Police claim Myanmar worker confesses to Koh Tao murders. British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead Monday, September 15, on a beach in Koh Tao, a popular resort island in Thailand. The half-naked bodies of British backpackers David, from Norfolk, and Hannah, of Jersey, were found dead on the beach on Koh Tao island in September 2014. But Lin and Phyo launched an appeal against the death sentences disputing DNA evidence used to convict them. Two British tourists were brutally murdered at one of Thailand’s most well-known islands, Koh Tao. Bangkok, Thailand - Myanmar campaigners are planning a last-ditch appeal to Thailand’s king to pardon two Myanmar men convicted for the 2014 murder of a British couple on the idyllic island of Koh Tao. Murdered: The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found on a beach on Koh Tao on September 15. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the death of two British nationals on 15 September on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. Photograph: PA “It’s very gruesome.”. They … The bodies were found at around 6.30am on Monday morning by migrant workers from neighbouring Burma, employed to clean the beach. Hannah was raped during the horror in September 2014. For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online, where we will bring you live updates as soon as they happen, before anyone else. Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video, Boris Johnson cancels pub plans but lockdown restrictions still ease at midnight, Harry arrives back in the UK for Phil's funeral without Meghan as Royals mourn, Harry 'will not wear military uniform at funeral' after losing honours, Queen attends mass for Prince Philip as royals gather at church service, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. In Jersey, police said family liaison officers were working with the family and close relatives of the dead man. Tourists killed on Thai island — ... A tribute and flowers sit near the spot where the couple was found. The tourists had been separately staying in the same resort of beachside huts, local media reported, and had gone out to a bar with other tourists on Sunday evening. The murders on Koh Tao, a laid-back haven for divers, sullied Thailand's image in the tourism industry, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the country's economy. The two Burmese were initially sentenced to death and just received a Royal pardon, reducing the sentence to life imprisonment. Fact is that they found another dead body, one of the many tourist deaths in Thailand per year. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in Koh Tao, where fear of mafia involvement hides under paradisical façade Koh Tao is suffering. A spokeswoman for the force said it was not in a position to name the victim, who may not have been formally identified, as that was up to the Thai police. Norfolk police referred all inquiries to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. A series of other foreign tourist deaths have fuelled press coverage about the island's 'dark side,' with allegations of local mafia and corrupt police colluding to cover up murders. Lin and Phyo initially confessed to the killings but then retracted their statements saying they were tortured. Edit1: I've had numerous responses telling me local media is saying the couple were in an intimate position, so no rape. Will Koh Tao ever be able to get rid of that negative image? Bangkok, Dec 4: A Thai court on Thursday charged two men from Myanmar for the murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao island in September. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of … The embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and consular staff stand ready to provide assistance at this tragic time. British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were killed in Koh Tao Convictions were controversial with supporters arguing they had been framed Two Myanmar migrant workers sentenced to death in Thailand for the murder of two British backpackers had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, their lawyer said. Bodies of a man and a woman are found with gruesome injuries after beach party, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. From then on Ko Tao was nicknamed the murder island. 8 The pair were killed on the holiday island of Koh Tao on 15 September. Hannah Witheridge was raped and killed in Koh Tao in 2014 Credit: PA:Press Association 6 Fellow Brit David Miller was bludgeoned to death Credit: EPA/BRITISH FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun, and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun, where we will bring you this story and all the rest of the top news and exclusives of the day. Hannah Witheridge, 23, a student from Norfolk was brutally raped and then murdered with engineering graduate David Miller, 24, on the island of Koh Tao in September 2014 Two British backpackers were murdered on the island of Koh Tao in 2014. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? But following months of political turmoil, followed by the coup, officials in the tourism industry say visitor numbers have fallen by up to 10 per cent compared to last year. Fears over the safety of idyllic Koh Tao were heightened after the killings of Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in 2014. Koh Tao's reputation as a tropical paradise was first sullied in 2014 when two British backpackers were brutally murdered on one of its white-sand beaches. Details Parent Category: Asia Category: Thailand Koh Tao was already struggling with a very bad reputation after the Koh Tao murders in September 2014 when a British couple was killed and left behind on Sairee Beach. Koh Tao Murders: Accused recant confessions, tell embassy lawyer they were tortured. Bizarre pictures showed them handcuffed wearing bicycle helmets surrounded by cops as they reconstructed the attack on Sairee beach. Mrs Daniels had been gravely ill, said the … Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand: The naked bodies of two British tourists have been found on a Thai beach, sparking a murder probe on the popular resort island of Koh Tao… The young woman’s throat had reportedly been cut while the man had suffered a cutting wound on the back of his head. Koh Tao was already struggling with a very bad reputation after the Koh Tao murders in September 2014 when a British couple was killed and left behind on Sairee Beach. The blockade was lifted after a few hours, raising the prospect that whoever carried out the attack could have fled. Delegates at the ASEAN Civil Society Conference in Bangkok are collecting signatures this week for a petition that they will deliver to the Thai royal family. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Tourists killed on Thai island — ... A tribute and flowers sit near the spot where the couple was found. The trial came following accusations Lin and Phyo, who were migrant workers on the island, were being used as scapegoats by desperate investigators. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute ... has been revealed," the couple added. ... were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao. The women were robbed of their bags, cameras and iPhones by the […] Photo from September 15 showing a police officer questioning Christopher Alan Ware, who has re-emerged as a leading suspect in the murder of a young British man and woman on Koh Tao … The attack on the young woman comes months after another young British tourist, 18, was drugged and raped after a night out on Koh Tao. Autopsies showed the couple, a young man and woman, had been severely beaten and the woman raped. For them, the killings exposed a dark side to life amid the breath-taking beauty of Koh Tao. 'This is how we killed them': Chilling moment two Burmese barmen showed how they beat British pair to death on Thai beach after confessing to rape and murder following DNA match TWO Burmese men who killed two British backpackers in Thailand have lost an appeal to get their death sentences overturned. But the judges who heard the case without a jury concluded that Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, who both turned 23 in custody, were guilty of the murders. There had reportedly been a beach party the previous evening, just a few hundred metres from where they were found on Sai Ree beach. While Kirsty was killed on the Thai mainland, there appears to be a worrying trend of British youngsters dying on Koh Tao, just as Hannah Witheridge, David Miller and Christina Annesley did. Will Koh Tao ever be able to get rid of that negative image? Let's let David Miller and Hannah Witheridge rest in peace. The decision followed the prosecutors' review of … 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 8 British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead Monday, September 15, on a beach in Koh Tao, a popular resort island in Thailand. Laura Daniels, 30, has died five years after sister Hannah, 23, was killed on Koh Tao with David Miller of Jersey. Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand: The naked bodies of two British tourists have been found on a Thai beach, sparking a murder probe on the popular resort island of Koh Tao… “The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face,” police chief Prachum Ruangthong told the Associated Press. Thai police launched a murder investigation after two British tourists were found brutally murdered on the beach of an idyllic island of Koh Tao. Police are claiming they will make the first arrest in the murder of two British backpackers on Koh Tao by Saturday. Thai police named the two, David William Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, aged 23. Let's let David Miller and Hannah Witheridge rest in peace. Edit2: This was a one off occurrence, in a peaceful resort, and the locals are shaken up as well. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. What happened was a tragedy. British backpacker murder case that put Thailand on trial. The killings will present a new challenge for Thailand’s government, which seized power in a coup earlier this year. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. The three judges who handed down the guilty verdicts and death penalties concluded the prosecution proved its case with forensic evidence that met “international standards” linking the two men to the murders. Thai,motorbike,gang,mugged,British,women,night,backpacker,couple,murdered,Koh Tao island View our online Press Pack. The murders on Koh Tao, a laid-back haven for divers, sullied Thailand's image in the tourism industry, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the country's economy. Police in Thailand have launched a murder inquiry after two young British tourists were found dead on a bloodstained beach with what were described as “gruesome” head injuries. Tanote Bay in Koh Tao where a backpacker was found dead on April 27 (Image: Viral Press). While the local police were investigating the event, the media and human rights groups closely followed their investigation to ensure that proper procedures with followed. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Hannah Witheridge was raped and killed in Koh Tao in 2014, Fellow Brit David Miller was bludgeoned to death, Credit: EPA/BRITISH FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the murders, The pair were forced to do a re-enactment of the murders after confessing, The Brits were bludgeoned to death with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel rooms late at night on a beach in Koh Tao, Lin and Phyo initially confessed to the killings but then retracted their statements saying they were tortured, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). KOH TAO – A pair of British women were reportedly mugged by a Thai gang on the same beach where David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were brutally murdered and just one night before the killings took place, it was claimed on Sunday. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Thailand's police have staged a chaotic reconstruction of the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao. A court in Koh Samui today upheld the sentences given to the migrant workers. Some of the pair’s clothes were located nearby, as was a hoe, which police believe was used in the murder. For some time after the killings, people on the island, located in Surat Thani province and which is home around 2,000 residents, had blockaded its piers to help prevent anyone escaping. Edit1: I've had numerous responses telling me local media is saying the couple were in an intimate position, so no rape. From then on Ko Tao was nicknamed the murder … Police Colonel Prachum Ruangthong said that the pair were found dead on a rocky beach on Koh Tao in Surat Thani province. The tourism industry, which attracts around 27m tourists, is worth anywhere up to £21bn, as much as 9 per cent of GDP. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, from Myanmar, had launched the appeal after they were convicted of murdering Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24. Police said they had not immediately identified any suspects and were checking CCTV cameras at nearby restaurants, hotels and shops in a search for the attacker or attackers. CSI Team Clears Bodies of … A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the death of two British nationals on 15 September on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. The victims’ clothes and a … 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. The pair were forced to re-enact the murders after confessing. Thai Murders: British Backpacker 'Was Raped' Police believe 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge was raped and killed by two men, while a third watched the attack on Koh Tao. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. Thai rescue workers gather the … Burmese men confess to killing British tourists on Koh Tao, Thai police say. The tragic pair were bludgeoned to death by Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo in 2014. A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the deaths of two British nationals on September 15 at Koh Tao in Thailand. 2313.62 x 389 = 899,998.18 The Australian source will follow. What happened was a tragedy. "Over 800,000 British nationals visit Thailand every year. Koh Tao was already struggling with a very bad reputation after the Koh Tao murders in September 2014 when a British couple was killed and left behind on Sairee Beach. Police question influential Koh Tao figure, seek second (Updated) More DNA evidence collected on Koh Tao as police move on to new field of suspects. Thailand's police have staged a chaotic reconstruction of the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao. Burmese men confess to killing British tourists on Koh Tao, Thai police say. From then on Ko Tao was nicknamed the murder island. Thai Murders: British Backpacker 'Was Raped' Police believe 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge was raped and killed by two men, while a third watched the attack on Koh Tao. British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were killed in Koh Tao Convictions were controversial with supporters arguing they had been framed Two Myanmar migrant workers sentenced to death in Thailand for the murder of two British backpackers had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, their lawyer said. The pair were bludgeoned to death with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel rooms late at night on a beach in Koh Tao. ... Hannah Witheridge (left), 23, and David Miller, 24, were killed on the island of Koh Tao on 15 September 2015. Koh Tao came late to the tourist boom that swept other Thai islands in the 1980s and 90s, and has remained far less developed, with a resident population of just a … For other inquiries, Contact Us. But on Koh Tao, many residents were just as convinced that the prosecution case was riddled with holes. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, the 2 young Burmese men sentenced to death over the Koh Tao British backpacker double murder in 2014, have had their sentences commuted to life in prison by the Thai monarch. Locals were reported to have blockaded Koh Tao's only pier to prevent the killer escaping. Edit2: This was a one off occurrence, in a peaceful resort, and the locals are shaken up as well. “The consul from Bangkok is travelling to Koh Tao as soon as possible,” they added. Judges said evidence presented at the trial in December 2015 was adequate and reliable. The bodies were discovered, partly naked, close to the location of where a beach party had been held the night before. In 2014 a British couple was killed on Koh Tao and the crime was later pinned on some illiterate Burmese migrant workers. Thai workers carry the bodies of two British tourists on Koh Tao island in the Surat Thani province of southern Thailand, David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, Simon Calder: The dark streak beneath island paradise, Thailand deaths: Pair's bloodied bodies found naked on Koh Tao beach, Booking.com promo: 10% extra saving with Level 1 Genius membership, 15% off selected luxury beauty products by using this Debenhams discount code, Exclusive Ideal World promo code: 20% saving on fitness, Receive a £2 AliExpress promo code with the official App, Argos discount: Save up to 15% on selected bikes and scooters. Most visits are trouble-free.." source: www.gov.uk September 15, 2014 Lets round it up to 900,000 British visiting Thailand Divided by 389 ( deaths of British nationals, as per your report from 2013 ) = ( one in ) 2,314 Check? Thai police have launched a manhunt for a British tourist after the naked bodies of two backpackers were found on the popular resort island of Koh Tao. A spokesperson there said yesterday: “We are aware of the death of two British nationals on 15 September on the island of Koh Tao. While the local police were investigating the event, the media and human rights groups closely followed their investigation to ensure that proper procedures with followed. A murder probe is underway after the bodies of two British tourists were found on a beach in southern Thailand. Koh Tao is suffering. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited.