Murder suspects in beach re-enactment

TWo Burmese workers said by police to have confessed to killing two British tourists in Thailand have been filmed taking part in a reconstruction of the attack.

The two men, whose names were given only as Saw and Win, were paraded by police at a news conference as well as acting out the brutal assault on Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24.

The pair’s battered bodies were discovered on a beach on the popular holiday island of Koh Tao on September 15.

Deputy police chief spokesman Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen said today that the two suspects had been charged with three offences: conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to rape, and robbery.

He added that it was now down to the public prosecutor to issue a prosecution order which would lead to them appearing i n court.

Police said DNA results, CCTV footage and other evidence had supported the men’s confessions that they raped and killed Ms Witheridge and murdered Mr Miller.

Today, a man and woman posed as the pair as a reconstruction was carried out on the beach in front of crowds of onlookers.

Many of them filmed the unusual scene on their mobile phones as the two suspects – wearing helmets and body armour vests over casual clothes – used props to act out the attack on the two Britons while police looked on and took notes.

The colonel said it was normal practice to carry out such a reconstruction when suspects confess.

He said: “It’s what you call the crime enactment.

“It’s carried out in order to get a sense of what happened after the confession.

“In Thai law the offenders have to give their consent – you can’t force them to do it.”