Two men had sex with Hannah Witheridge on the night she died and the DNA on one matched the DNA found on a cigarette discarded nearby.
DNA tests also showed no matches with 12 Burmese so far interviewed and no matches with Christopher Ware,25, a travelling companion of David Miller whose naked body was found near that of Hannah, 23, from Great Yarmouth, on Monday morning.
The revelations by the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bangkok, which also show that both parties put up a fight, scotch rumours and innuendo which have been carried in the Thai press all week.
Another Burmese man is being held today, according to Regional Police Chief General Panya Mamen.
Now pressure is on the Thai police to say whether the DNA is Asian or Causasian – information which finally ruled out westerners in the murder and rape of Kirsty Jones, 23, from Brecon, in a guest house in the northern capital Chiang Mai in 2001. More to follow.
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| False lead – this was not Hannah and David on CCTV |
#HannahWitheridge #DavidMiller
To say there has been conflicting information given out in this case would be an understatement. The police keep giving statements to the media before they have the facts. For example there was reported to be blood stained pants found but it turns out it wasn't blood at all. Yesterday the police all but had the British guy in the frame and there was even a mention of bi-sexuality for whatever reasons.
Now the actual DNA evidence is telling another story. This is why the police should not go public until they are sure of the facts. I understand Thai and I'm often shocked how often a high ranking policeman will publicly give his personal opinion about a case without having any facts to back up what he is saying. All it does is fuel unfounded rumours.
Yesterday this was shown when the police were saying it was a 'crime of passion.' It had me assuming it was the British guy who must of been jealous the other guy got the girl or something. We don't know that. Theories and speculation are part of solving a case and the police are probably being urged to get this solved by many sections of the Government. They must be seen to do a professional job as this case has gone viral world-wide. I don't envy their job given how much meddling by outside influences there must be.
According to an AFP article, Prayuth is quoted as claiming she brought on the attack for being beautiful and wearing a bikini (which she wasn't but had tan lines according to pictures on the net.)
' "There are always problems with tourist safety. They think our country is beautiful and is safe so they can do whatever they want, they can wear bikinis and walk everywhere," Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is also the army chief, [ and about 20 other jobs] told government officials….
But "can they be safe in bikinis… unless they are not beautiful?" he said, addressing the issue of tourist safety in a speech broadcast live on television.' "
This is reminiscent of Hanna Backlund's murder in 2008 on Phuket where it was also claimed her beauty mixed with bikinis were to blame.
So are the beaches in Thailand not safe for western tourists as that certainly seems to be what is being said?
As for the PM's apparent opinion on rape only happening to beautiful women, well….it doesn't get any more sexist than that.
His words were certainly badly chosen and were clearly intended to move the blame from Thais to Farangs. It was not even very subtle. I hope I'm wrong but this case has parallels with Kirsty Jones. Expats should not be making excuses for murderers and, in the KJ case, rapists. Any more than giving false information on tourism as one blogger did.It beggars belief why these guys think the sun shines out of every Thais arse and can never do anything wrong.
I just think it was the wrong choice of words by the General. It was like he was trying to say 'Has it come to this where a beautiful girl isn't safe wearing a bikini, are the non beautiful girls only safe wearing one?' He didn't seem to be inferring anybody deserved to be attacked. That's not to say that attitude doesn't exist amongst some politicians. Admitting wrong doing isn't a strong national trait either. Face saving and protecting the so called national image just makes Thais look like hypocrites. The country is riddled with corruption and nepotism. That is a fact. The General did say every country has its bad guys and Thailand has more than its fair share. Every politician is always trying to claim some moral superiority for his country.
I don't like the subtle insinuation that 'decent' girls shouldn't be out late or wearing revealing clothes. The attempt at claiming some form of moral superiority we see from certain older Thai males is hypocritical.
Many Thai teenage girls wear very short pants as do University students who wear figure revealing skirts and shirts. This shouldn't make them a target for attack either.
Eleven British tourists have been murdered in Thailand in only five years…..
Imagine the outcry in Thailand if eleven Thais had been murdered in the UK in five years.
His actual words were nothing like your paraphrase "Has it come to this where a beautiful girl isn't safe wearing a bikini, are the non beautiful girls only safe wearing one?" It was a blatant attempt at damage limitation and casting the blame elsewhere. As you rightly say, "admitting wrong doing isn't a strong national trait" it's a matter of not losing face.
We will have to agree to disagree with your statement that, "every politician is always trying to claim some moral superiority for his country." No western politician would have made such a comment after the murders and rape in the name of moral superiority.
Prayuth did apologise for his remarks but then commented that he thought the crimes had been committed on Gaw Chang..He had obviously not been well briefed which may have caused his faux pas
He made up for his faux pas last night. Apologised 3 separate times for his words. Thais would have realised his meaning, farangs would not