December 27, 2015•Update: December 28, 2015
By CS Thana
BANGKOK
Thai police on Sunday sought to defend an investigation into the slaying of two British tourists on the resort island of Koh Tao which eventually led to two Myanmar migrant workers being sentenced to death.
Police spokesman Dejnarong Suthicharnbancha told reporters at a press conference that the investigation was conducted "professionally and transparently".
"I would like to assure all parties that this investigation was conducted in an acceptable manner," he added.
The conference was called after two days of widespread protests in Myanmar’s largest city Yangon after the verdict was announced Thursday.
Hundreds of people - including monks and artists - gathered Friday outside the Thai embassy to protest the sentencing.
Among the 500 people present, some lifted signs saying “We ask for justice”, “Stop discrimination against Myanmar nationals” and “Free our citizens”, while others held pictures of the two 22-year-olds, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo.
“We are here just to ask justice for our fellow countrymen,” Khin Hlaing, a famous comedian who joined the protest, told Anadolu Agency.
“The Thai nationals here don’t need to worry about anything as we are just protesting the Thai government and the failure of the Thai judiciary system.”
On Saturday, Myanmar's army chief made a plea on behalf of the men calling for Thais to show clemency as the evidence had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the men were guilty.
Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were arrested for the killings of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island of Koh Tao last year.
Although both men initially confessed to the crime, they later recanted alleging they had been tortured during interrogation.
Commentators and legal experts have noted discrepancies in the investigation with both the British and Myanmar mission raising questions over the investigation process.
On Sunday, Suthicharnbancha asked people not to join the protests, saying it could create a "diplomatic situation."
Rights group Amnesty International has expressed it is “deeply concerned” by Thursday’s death sentence while human rights activists have underlined the prejudices they say the case illustrates against migrant workers, who make up the bulk of the workforce in the resorts of southern Thailand.
