Some 2,000 Myanmar protesters rally at Mae Sai border checkpoint
Some 2,000 Myanmar people rallied at the border checkpoint in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, calling for release of two convicted murderers of British tourists, who the protesters believe to be innocent.
The protesters gathered at a sports stadium in Tachikek about two kilometres from the border checkpoint at 9:30 am.
They then marched to the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge where the checkpoint is located to submit their demand for the release of the two convicts.
The Criminal Court in Surat Thani province convicted Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun of the brutal murder and rape of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, on the island of Koh Tao.
Although the Thai court pointed out that there were strong evidences beyond doubt, pointing that the two had committed gruesome double murders, Mynamar Facebook users had spread inaccurate information that there were no evidences and the two were scapegoats.
Among other things, the court pointed out that DNA samples extracted from semen found on the Witheridge matched samples of the two Myanmar workers, Myanmar Facebook users widely spread information on their social network that the DNA did not match.
On Friday, the Myanmar protesters gathered outside the Thai embassy to protest what they called unjust ruling.
In the latest protest on Saturday, representatives of the 2,000 protesters submitted an open letter to the Thai authorities and the protesters dispersed.
During the protest the border checkpoint was closed. It was reopened after the Myanmar protesters dispersed.
