DNA evidence will be crucial for Koh Tao appeal

This was a good summary of why there has been a widespread outcry over the guilty verdict. Shoddy is the right word to describe the unprofessional work of the police. 

However, criticism of the court is somewhat baseless since the court has already explained the rationale behind its verdict. This rationale was reasonably explained by Pakorn Puengnetr in Krungthep Turakij on December 29. 

Britain’s Daily Telegraph on December 24 reported that the victim’s brother, Michael Miller, standing by his parents at Koh Samui Provincial Court, said “the result today represents justice for David and Hannah... the evidence against [the defendants] is overwhelming… [both] received a fair trial... they had seven lawyers representing them...”

Among others, forensic 

scientist Pornthip Rojanasunan, who was the expert witness for the defence, agreed, possibly through cross-examination, that some parts of the defendants’ DNA could disappear from the hoe through wiping, while the court found the evidence of 16 DNA positions of the defendants in the vagina and anus of the female victim as quite conclusive and credible. This is the crucial point that the higher courts and lawyers are likely to focus on. 

It is encouraging that the Law Society of Thailand has now been retained by the ambassador of Myanmar to proceed with the appeal.

Naturally, one does not like an innocent party being jailed or executed or the guilty being released scot-free. Justice is now luckily in the hands of the highest experts in the land. I prefer to follow them than amateur detectives and so-called do-gooders who seem to think they are better than the lawyers and the courts, as they say cynically that judges choose the better lawyer of one side to be the winner. 

Now, the reputation of society is at stake. 

Songdej Praditsmanont