Burmese: Not Guilty in Thailand Murders

Two workers from Burma have pleaded not guilty to charges including murder in the killing of two British tourists in Thailand, their lawyer said Monday, in a case that has hit tourism and attracted widespread criticism. The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found on a beach on the southern Thai island of Koh Tao on September 15. Police arrested Burmese workers Zaw Lin and Win Phyo, both 21, in October, saying DNA taken from the pair matched samples found on the victims. On Thursday, Thai prosecutors filed charges against the men. “They pleaded not guilty to all the charges today,” Thanu Akekachote, a lawyer representing the pair, told Reuters. “It is my understanding that the court wants to speed this up given its impact on tourism and international relations.”