UK couple murdered in Thailand

A British man and his Thai wife have been robbed and beaten to death at a resort in southern Thailand.

The bodies of Michael Raymond, 68, and Suchada Bowkamdee, 52, were found in their bungalow at the Jack Beach Resort in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, 220 miles (350km) south of Bangkok, yesterday.

Thai police investigating the double murder said three Thai men - a security guard and chef at the resort and their friend - had been arrested and confessed to killing the couple and taking a mobile phone and 5,000 baht (£103).

Police Major General Wichean Tantawiriya said the couple, who are reported to have lived in the far north-east of Thailand after marrying two years ago, had checked in to the hotel a day before they were killed.

He said two of the three suspects were addicted to methamphetamine, a stimulant, and needed money to buy drugs.

A Foreign Office spokesman said today: "We can confirm that we have received reports of the death of a British national in southern Thailand.

"We are in close contact with the Royal Thai Police who are urgently investigating the case."

A British woman working at the Thai-owned hotel told the Daily Telegraph the couple had had dinner that evening and gone back to their room quite early.

"No-one heard anything, but the housekeeper found them dead in the room where it had happened the next afternoon. They must have been killed sometime after they turned in," she was reported as saying.

A member of staff at the hotel said today: "I really can't comment, we are just waiting for the police to release an official statement.

"It's a really terrible time at the moment."

PA