Thailand Beach Murders: Police have 'enough evidence' to arrest 2 men over deaths of British backpackers.

Thai police this morning insisted they had “enough evidence” to arrest at least two men over the brutal murders of two British backpackers. Police Lt-Gen Panya Mamen also said detectives had uncovered the motive for the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. He said they expected to arrest and charge someone by the end of the week. He admitted the investigation had been slow to start because of a lack of communication between various police departments. The young backpackers were found dead last week on the paradise island of Koh Tao. Since then, local police have faced mounting criticism for their investigation. Yesterday, a terrified British man today fled the paradise island fearing he would be killed by gangsters. Sean McAnna, 25, a friend of murdered David Miller, insisted “Thai mafia” on Koh Tao wanted him dead. The busker – dubbed “Guitarman’ – said he was chased by two men from a bar at 3.55am yesterday. He ended up hiding behind the counter of a 24/7 convenience store, fearing the pair wanted to kill him.

 A police diver searches for clues near the spot where the tourists were killed



He took photos and posted this 4am Facebook plea: “Thai mafia are trying to kill me. Please help me.” He went on to make a series of desperate phone calls to friends on the island, the police and relatives in Scotland convinced he would die. After being saved by police who arrived on the scene he was then escorted to his cheap hotel room. But he felt so unsafe he walked up into the hills and slept “rough in the jungle”. Eventually he got off the island by getting the 3pm ferry to Koh Samui. Sean has has been formally cleared by police.But he has angered locals by talking openly about the crime. And this exploded into a vicious row.

Thai police take DNA swabs and footprints of migrant workers yards from the scene of the murder

Coming out of hiding to speak to the Mirror he revealed the local Thai men snarled at him: “You will die tonight.” He said they told him: “It was you who killed them. You’ve got two people’s deaths on your hands. “We know it was you. You’re going to hang yourself tonight and we are going to watch you hang. “They wouldn’t have shot me - they would have taken me up into the hills to hang me and make it look like it was a suicide. “So I just ran. I just left and ran.
“I think they needed a scapegoat. I think they might know who it was.”

We watched as petrified Sean spent the morning in hiding on this tiny island. With blood, from a recent accident, still on his guitar he packed up the stuff he could carry in his black rucksack. He was smuggled onboard the 3pm ferry to nearby Koh Samui from the island.  From there he planned to fly 350 miles to the capital Bangkok.

 Clear DNA swabs and footprints of migrant workers yards from the scene of the murder