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Published on November 2, 2007

Neil, 32, was seized in Nakhon Ratchasima on October 19 after an alert by Interpol to track down a man pictured in about 200 photos posted on the Internet abusing Asian boys.

"The court has allowed us to detain him for another 12 days as we wait for forensic results and additional witness interrogations," Police Lt-General Wimol Paointara told Agence France-Presse.

Under Thai law, Neil can be held without trial for a maximum of 84 days. Wimol said police were waiting for a third alleged victim to file a complaint against him.

He already faces charges of molesting a nine-year-old boy in 2003, and kidnapping and molesting a minor following another complaint by a 19-year-old, who claims he was also abused by Neil in 2003.

If convicted on all charges, the former teacher could face up to 40 years in prison.

Thai police are also looking for Canadian Orville Frank Mader, 54, who was accused this week of sexually abusing an eight-year-old boy in Pattaya over the weekend.

An arrest warrant for Mader has been issued, after the boy's mother complained to police on Tuesday. Prompt action by police led to the capture of a 24-year-old local man, who is accused of abducting the boy and "selling" him for sex.

Thailand became the focus of international concern over sexual abuse of children after Neil's capture, which has been followed by a spate of child-sex and pornography arrests.

Earlier this week, 39-year-old British teacher Paul Jones was arrested at his home in Bangkok by British and Thai authorities for allegedly posting photos of naked children on the Internet.

Last week, another Briton, Alan Charles Mawson, aged 74, was charged with sexually abusing a Thai boy in Pattaya after he was found with more than 100 albums of pictures of nude children, police said.

The Nation, AFP