--- description: Koh Tao verdict protests in Burma are intended to discredit the Thai government, according to Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister title: Thai Official Condemns Koh Tao Verdict Protests image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt951e4e0930f17d38/69887703196cf4c8b3039a3b/gettyimages-502476022.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Thailand](/tag/thailand/) ## Thailand Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Thai Official Condemns Protests Against Koh Tao Backpacker Verdict by [Mark Rivett-Carnac](/author/mark-rivett-carnac/) ## Mark Rivett-Carnac Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 29, 2015 9:10 AM CUT  Demonstrators hold placards outside the Thai embassy in Rangoon on Dec. 26, 2015, to protest the death sentence of Burmese migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo by a Thai court Demonstrators hold placards outside the Thai embassy in Rangoon on Dec. 26, 2015, to protest the death sentence of Burmese migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo by a Thai courtPhyo Mg Mg—AFP/Getty Images by [Mark Rivett-Carnac](/author/mark-rivett-carnac/) ## Mark Rivett-Carnac Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 29, 2015 9:10 AM CUT Protests in Burma against the verdict in the Koh Tao murder case are intended to [discredit](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/809448/prawit-suspects-koh-tao-plot "undefined") the Thai government, according to Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. He has demanded an investigation to find out “who instigated people to protest against the ruling,” the Bangkok _Post_ reports. Hundreds of people began demonstrating outside the Thai embassy in Burma’s largest city Rangoon after a Thai court [sentenced](http://time.com/4160864/burma-migrants-guilty-british-backpackers-death-koh-tao/ "undefined") two Burmese migrant workers to death on Thursday for the murder of two British backpackers last year. The protestors have called for a new investigation into the case. Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin, both 22, were charged with the [murder](http://time.com/3955081/thailand-koh-tao-murder-david-miller-hannah-witheridge-zaw-lin-wai-phyo-burma-myanmar/ "undefined") of David Miller, 24, and the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, on the Thai resort island of Koh Tao. Their bodies were found on Sairee Beach the morning of Sept. 15, 2014. But elements of the trial and investigation have raised concerns, including claims the defendants were [tortured](http://time.com/3955081/thailand-koh-tao-murder-david-miller-hannah-witheridge-zaw-lin-wai-phyo-burma-myanmar/ "undefined") into confessing the crime, allegations that they were given [unqualified interpreters](http://time.com/4005983/koh-tao-murder-trial-interpreters-backpackers/ "undefined") during the interrogation and that Thailand’s forensics chief said [DNA evidence](http://time.com/4030837/koh-tao-murders-forensics-dna-no-match/ "undefined") taken from a bloodied garden hoe believed to be the murder weapon did not match the accused’s. Burma’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing, asked for a review of the evidence in a message addressed to senior Thai officials on Saturday, according to the Burmese state-run paper, the [_Global New Light of Myanmar_](http://issuu.com/myanmarnewspaper/docs/27%5Fdec%5F15%5Fgnlm "undefined")_._ But Prawit said a review was unnecessary and any concerns could be addressed during the appeal process, the _Post_ reports. Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin’s defense attorney said they planned to appeal. \[[_Bangkok Post_](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/809448/prawit-suspects-koh-tao-plot "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4162925/thailand-koh-tao-murder-protest-burma/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4162925/thailand-koh-tao-murder-protest-burma/"},"headline":"Thai Official Condemns Protests Against Koh Tao Backpacker Verdict","datePublished":"2015-12-29T09:10:15.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T13:40:22.648Z","description":"Protestors are calling for a new investigation into the case","url":"https://time.com/4162925/thailand-koh-tao-murder-protest-burma/","keywords":["Thailand","Murder","protest","verdict","Burma","myanmar"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt951e4e0930f17d38/69887703196cf4c8b3039a3b/gettyimages-502476022.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Mark Rivett-Carnac","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/mark-rivett-carnac/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt951e4e0930f17d38/69887703196cf4c8b3039a3b/gettyimages-502476022.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"MYANMAR-THAILAND-BRITAIN-TOURISM-CRIME-PROTEST","caption":"MYANMAR-THAILAND-BRITAIN-TOURISM-CRIME-PROTEST","creditText":"Phyo Mg Mg—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/thailand/","name":"Thailand"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4162925/thailand-koh-tao-murder-protest-burma/","name":"Thai Official Condemns Protests Against Koh Tao Backpacker Verdict"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"2 In Thailand Found Guilty In Tourist Killings, But Doubts Remain","description":"Two migrants living and working at a Thailand resort were sentenced to death after alleged DNA evidence was found and they supposedly confessed.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ZFAwUt98/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-12-24T17:52:20.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZFAwUt98.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4162925/thailand-koh-tao-murder-protest-burma/","duration":"PT48S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4162925/thailand-koh-tao-murder-protest-burma/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```