Myanmar worker admits to killing British tourists in Thailand
A Myanmar man has confessed to the murder of two British tourists in Thailand, police said on Thursday.
The bodies of Miss Hannah Witheridge, 23, and Mr David Miller, 24, were found on Sept 15 with severe head wounds near where they were staying on the southern island of Koh Tao, known for its coral reefs and diving.
“The investigation has advanced considerably,” deputy national police chief Lieutenant General Jaktip Chaijinda told Reuters.
“Three Burmese workers were detained and we took their DNA for testing. During the investigation one of them admitted to killing the two foreigners,” he said.
Thai authorities have warned that the killings would scare off tourists and government leaders have been urging police to solve the case quickly.
The tourist industry accounts for 10 per cent of Thailand’s economy.
Slump in tourist arrivals
It has yet to recover from a slump in visitors during months of sometimes bloody protests on the streets of Bangkok that preceded a military coup in May.
Lt Gen Jaktip said the man who had confessed was being detained but had not been arrested.
“We still have to wait for DNA tests results which we expect to have in 14 hours from now in order to confirm this,” he said.
Source: Reuters
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