Drugs charge Briton remanded

A Briton accused of drugs offences in Thailand has been remanded in custody by a court.

Robert Bailey, also known as Robert Neilson, from York, was arrested after police say they discovered 600 grams of heroin, 500 grams of cannabis and 80 bottles of ketamine at his home.

The seizure was made more than a year ago but police then waited for Mr Bailey to return to the country before arresting him at a Bangkok hotel on Wednesday.

On Friday he made his first appearance in a Thai court and was remanded in custody for 12 days after prosecutors asked for time to analyse and weigh the substances.

Although he faces the death sentence if found guilty of drug trafficking, the punishment is usually commuted to life imprisonment in the case of foreign nationals.

The drugs were found during a raid on Mr Bailey's home in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya.

Mr Bailey was arrested after telephoning his Thai girlfriend who is then said to have contacted police.