Two Myanmar men being held in the Koh Tao double-murder case will be spending at least 12 more days incarcerated after the Koh Samui Provincial Court approved prosecutors’ second request to hold them.
Paiboon Achawananthakhun of the Office of Public Prosecution Region 8 told Thai Rath Online that prosecutors led by director-general Thawatchai Siangjaew still have not made a decision on whether to indict, but they needed to hold suspects Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun until they do.
The delay is due to additional police investigation ordered by prosecutors in the wake of international criticism of the police's handling of the killings of Britons Hannah Witheridge and David Miller.
It was reported that prosecutors had asked investigators to seek written proof from British authorities to confirm that a mobile phone police said to belonged to Miller was really his.
Mr Paiboon said prosecutors would conclude later whether to order a probe into the suspects' accusation that they had been assaulted by a Myanmar interpreter.
As for a petition filed by the suspects' parents seeking justice for their sons, the Samui state prosecutior's office said it would forward the plea to the Office of the Attorney General for consideration.
Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun have been detained for 24 days. The law allowed them to be held for 84 days and if prosecutors fail to indict them within that time they will be released.