A DNA sample was taken from the son of an influential local leader on Koh Tao on Thursday and the result of comparisons with samples collected from a murdered British tourist were expected within 24 hours, police said.
A saliva swab is taken from Warot Tuwichian (sitting) for DNA testing on Thursday, under the close watch of his father Woraphan (white shirt) and police chief Somyot Poompanmoung (right) at the Royal Thai Police Office in Bangkok. (Photo by Pattarachai Prechapanich)
Woraphan Tuwichian, chief of Ban Hat Sairee on the resort island in Surat Thani province, accompanied his son Warot to a meeting with national police chief Somyot Poompanmoung at the Royal Thai Police Office in Bangkok on Thursday.
There, a saliva sample was taken from Mr Warot's mouth for DNA comparison with DNA samples collected from the body of murder victim Hannah Witheridge.
Mr Woraphan, also known as Phuyai Wor, owns AC Bar on Koh Tao where there was reported to have been a quarrel shortly before Witheridge, 23, and her friend David Miller, 24, were found slain nearby on Hat Sairee beach in the early hours of Sept 15.
Police earlier arrested two Myanmar workers on Koh Tao and charged them with the two murders, insisting tests on their DNA samples were conclusive proof. They confessed under interrogation.
However, there was widespread scepticism. Police were accused of making the two migrant workers scapegoats for the murders in the face of intense pressure to solve the case.
The suspects later recanted their confessions after speaking with representatives of the Thai Lawyers Councilo, and their families continue to proclaim their innocence.
Doctors from Chulalongkorn Hospital, Siriraj Hospital, Ramathibodi Hospital and Police General Hospital collected DNA samples from Mr Warot at the Royal Thai Police Office on Thursday.
The samples were to be compared with DNA samples found on Witheridge's body and on items found at the crime scene. The results of the tests were expected in 24 hours.
Mr Woraphan said that online accusations linking his son with the murder case had damaged the family's reputation and his lawyers would take legal action.
His son Warot said he was sad that people believed unsupported claims made by anonymous people. No one except his close friends had bothered to double-check with him.
Police chief Pol Gen Somyot said investigators had not demanded a DNA sample from Mr Warot earlier, or questioned him, because they had evidence that he had not been near the crime scene at the time of the murders.
He also said police would take legal action against people making accusations about the police investigation. These claims were aimed at discrediting the police and the government. Legal action would be directed against the owners of web pages which carried the accusations.
Pol Gen Somyot warned people not to forward the accusations on the webboards to other people.
Asked about the requests by Myanmar suspects Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun for fresh DNA tests, he said public prosecutors would decide this matter. He also denied that police investigators had forced the two suspects to confess.