Suspects of British tourist murder tried on Thai island

Two Myanmar nationals, who are accused of murdering two British tourists in southern Thailand last year, appeared before a court on the resort island of Samui on Wednesday.

There appeared to be a discrepancy between DNA evidence held by Thai police and DNA samples tested by British police, attorneys for the two suspects were quoted by the National News Bureau of Thailand as saying.

Such forensic evidence as DNA samples collected from cigarette butts found near the victims' bodies linked the suspects to the case, local authorities said.

The suspects had reportedly confessed to killing the two British holidaymakers, 24-year-old David Miller and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge, on the beach of Koh Tao last September, only to withdraw their confessions later, claiming they were made under duress.

The two defendants, both 22, are charged with murder, rape and robbery, and a verdict is expected in October. If found guilty, they could face death penalty.

The families of the British victims arrived at Samui earlier in the day for the opening of the trial.