Murder conviction in Thailand prompts protests, tension with Myanmar

Thailand is calling on officials in neighboring Myanmar to contain protests against a Thai court’s controversial death sentence verdict for two migrant workers from Myanmar last week. Thai Foreign minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters on Monday that authorities have been in touch with their counterparts as the protests continued to spread beyond the capital. “We […]

Thailand is calling on officials in neighboring Myanmar to contain protests against a Thai court’s controversial death sentence verdict for two migrant workers from Myanmar last week.
Thai Foreign minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters on Monday that authorities have been in touch with their counterparts as the protests continued to spread beyond the capital.
“We cannot accept that these Myanmar boys were given death sentences although they didn’t commit the murder,” said student Khine Wai Linn on Sunday in front of the Thai embassy in Yangon. “This is totally unfair Thai treatment of migrants from Myanmar.”
Last Thursday a Thai court convicted two Myanmar migrant workers for the murders of a young British couple on a resort island. The case had been criticized by outside legal and rights groups amid widespread allegations that the evidence used to link the two suspects to the killings was insufficient or tainted.
“We cannot accept that these Myanmar boys were given death sentences although they didn’t commit the murder,” said student Khine Wai Linn on Sunday in front of the Thai embassy in Yangon. “This is totally unfair Thai treatment of migrants from Myanmar.”
The protests have clearly upset the boss of Thailand’s junta, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who said the verdict needs to be respected.