Father's frustration at minister

Vanessa Arscott was killed moments after her boyfriend, Adam Lloyd

The father of a young Devon woman murdered in Thailand says he feels frustrated at the lack of information from the Foreign Office.

Graham Arscott wrote to Foreign Office minister Baroness Symons on 2 November, but has yet to receive a reply.

Somchai Wisetsingh, 38, is accused of killing Mrs Arscott's daughter Vanessa, 23, and her boyfriend Adam Lloyd, 24, from Northampton, in September.

But Mr Arscott fears he may abscond and wants the Foreign Office to act.

It just compounds our feeling of frustration and impotence Graham Arscott

Mr Arscott told BBC News Online: "It is another example of the Foreign Office's lack of urgency in dealing with grieving families.

"It just compounds our feeling of frustration and impotence."

Mr Arscott has already been angered by the Foreign Office's failure to inform him that Mr Somchai had been bailed.

He is seeking a meeting with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to try to resolve the many issues surrounding both families' tragedy.

The sergeant was released from jail on bail of the equivalent of £14,000

He is also planning to fly to Thailand to put pressure on the authorities, although there is no date set for his visit.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said they would be pursuing Mr Arscott's letter.

She said: "We remain in close contact with both families and we pass on developments as soon as we are aware of them.

"We were not made aware that the suspect had been bailed so we could not provide that information.

"But we are concerned that he has been released and we have made our concerns known to the Thai authorities."

Ms Arscott and Mr Lloyd were attacked after leaving the S&S restaurant in Kanchanaburi on 9 September.

Police sergeant Somchai, 39, who owns the restaurant, was released from jail on bail of the equivalent of £14,000.

He has been told to report to the local court every 12 days, but is now free to stay around the area of Kanchanaburi.