Thailand's treatment of Myanmar migrants in focus amid murder probe

Thai police say that Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo murdered two British tourists on the resort island of Koh Tao, pointing to their confession and circumstantial evidence. The accused say they were tortured into the confession, claims backed by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand. 

The questions over the investigation have prompted an outcry from both the Myanmar and British embassies. But while public scrutiny of the case is high, rights groups say that many of Thailand's 2 million Myanmar migrant workers find themselves scapegoated on a daily basis, with no one to turn to. Authorities are quick to blame migrants for high-profile murders or rapes, with the behaviour of "the Burmese" cited as a social ill bypoliticians. After the bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found badly beaten - she was allegedly also sexually assaulted – on the beach in Koh Tao, a police spokesman told news media outlets that "a Thai could not possibly commit such a vicious crime." 

Police immediately called more than 20 members of the island's migrant worker community to come in for DNA testing. 

"Migrant workers are ready-made scapegoats because they have no rights before the law," said Nakhon Chompuchat, the defence lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo. "Their lack of rights and money makes it very easy to target these groups."

Andy Hall, the International Affairs Advisor to the Migrant WorkerRights Network, explains that in Thailand there is a strong negative perception of migrants because they take the jobs and positions that the rest of society doesn't want.

"They are viewed negatively by local communities and as a threat to national security by politicians," Hall said. 

Because migrants are viewed and treated as "second-class citizens," the public readily accepts the official narrative when they are accused of thefts and murders.

"In reality there is less crime among migrant worker populations in Thailand because they have more to lose," Hall said.

While Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo remain in custody, their plight has sparked a very public conversation, as more Thais are starting to question the prosecution's story. 

The recent discovery of a mass graves of Rohingya refugees who died from abuse from human traffickers has also increased public awareness of, and sympathy for, the plight of migrants. 

On the Koh Tao murder, a Facebook post questioning the official version of events has received more than 10,000 likes. Hundreds of users commented on the post and the unfair nature of the case. "I feel bad that they dragged these Burmese here, do the police really expect us to believe their version?" posted one user. Another user wrote that nationality should not play any part in thejudicial process."If there is one positive that emerges from (this case), it's that Thai people are willing to look beyond the official narrative," said Kaewmala, a prominent author and social commentator who goes by only one name. Kaewmala added that the nature of the case has sparked a much-needed conversation about the Thai justice system and its treatment of minorities and the poor. "I think people are really starting to question the justice system and how we treat minorities, which is a good thing even though the circumstances are unfortunate.”