'New leads' in Thai murder hunt

Kirsty Jones's murderer has still not been found

Police in Thailand investigating the murder of young backpacker from mid Wales are following up a number of new leads, according to the British Embassy in Bangkok.

Kirsty Jones, 23, from Brecon, was found dead at a guest house in the northern city of Chiang Mai on 10 August 2000.

The murder took place in Chiang Mai

Following a meeting with General Amnuay, who is in charge of the investigation, an embassy spokesman said the Thai police were actively pursuing a number of leads.

But he added that the police had dismissed as "wild speculation" recent press reports that two transvestites had been hired to contaminate the crime scene.

"We asked about various stories which had surfaced and their response was that this was wild speculation and was not accurate," the spokesman said.

However, he confirmed that two transvestites had been questioned about the case, but not arrested.

The UK Foreign Office was seeking clarification of the report, which said Jessada Wiriyasakul, 28, and Cha Kesarachai, 26, had confessed to planting false DNA at the scene at the request of guest house manager Surin Janpamet.

Murder scene evidence has been DNA tested

It contradicted evidence gathered by Dyfed-Powys detectives who believed bodily fluids found at the scene of the crime could only have been those of the killer.

Thai police had revealed on Friday that they had identified a prime suspect in the long-running and heavily criticised investigation.

Andrew Gill, the British-born owner of the Aree Guest house, was originally charged with conspiracy to murder with a person unknown.

But he was later released cleared when his DNA did not match DNA found at the scene.