FRIENDS and relatives of a Newport man in prison in Thailand on suspicion of conspiring to supply drugs are anxiously awaiting news on whether or not he is to be released.

Marcus Parker, 45, was arrested in Phuket, along with German national Miki Maksim Klasnovic, 31, on suspicion of conspiring to supply drugs on April 30 and has been held at Phuket Prison since then.

Mr Parker, who grew up in the Gaer, was living with his Thai wife, Lampai, and two children, Simon, eight, and Marina, five, in Chanakam Village, where he was working as a timeshare salesman.

Police have 84 days from the day of his arrest to release or charge him, which expired on Saturday.

Since his imprisonment Mr Parker’s childhood friends, Andrew Morgan and Dave Gibson, have been contacting his family and trying to do what they can to help him.

Mr Parker’s brother, Richard, has visited Mr Parker several times in prison and has managed to retain a solicitor to act on his behalf, but so far applications for bail have been unsuccessful.

Mr Morgan said: “I’m waiting to hear from Marcus’ brother about what’s happening. The bail application last week wasn’t successful, but the initial holding period is up now. If we don’t hear something by Tuesday or Wednesday I wouldn’t think it’s going to be very good news. We’re on tenterhooks waiting for news either way.”

Mr Parker and Mr Klasnovic were arrested with a Thai man in a police sting set up after an ex-pat tourist tipped off Thai police about an alleged drug gang. It is alleged that the informer met Mr Parker and Mr Klasnovic opposite a petrol station in Chao Fa West Road and paid 24,000 baht for four grammes of methamphetamine, known locally as ‘ya ice’. Three men were arrested and a fourth escaped on foot.