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| Thai court to decide on trial for murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A court is to decide whether two Burmese men will stand trial for the murder of two British tourists in Thailand earlier this year. | |
| Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, are accused of killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on the island of Koh Tao in September. | Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, are accused of killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on the island of Koh Tao in September. |
| Charges, including murder and rape, are expected to be filed against the men there on Thursday, authorities said. | |
| The suspects, both migrant workers, could be executed if found guilty. | The suspects, both migrant workers, could be executed if found guilty. |
| This week a lawyer for the suspects, who deny the charges, urged friends of the victims to come forward with information. | |
| Nakhon Chompuchat said the victims' friends "should know many things" about what happened and could "prove the true situation". | |
| On Tuesday, BBC south-east Asia correspondent Jonathan Head said prosecutors were ready to put the men on trial, two months after their arrest. | |
| Under Thai law suspects can be held for a maximum of 91 days before facing formal charges. | |
| "Despite the claim by the Thai police that they have built a perfect case against the two Burmese defendants, the prosecutor has rejected the police dossier several times, saying it needed improving," our correspondent said. | |
| Thai police have been criticised for their handling of the case, and Mr Zaw's mother has said her son is being made a "scapegoat". | |
| As well as the alleged murders and rape, Mr Zaw and Mr Win are also accused of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to rape and robbery. | |
| The bodies of Miss Witheridge, 23, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found on a beach in the popular tourist destination on 15 September. | |
| Post-mortem examinations found Mr Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Miss Witheridge died from head wounds. | |
| Koh Tao |