[Nicke]

BANGKOK, May 12 (TNA) – Thai police have been given permission to detain an American teacher for further investigation on suspicion of paedophilia.

The 56-year-old teacher, Steven Eric Prowler, was arrested with two 15-year-old boys when police raided his apartment after a tip-off earlier this week.

Local residents had complained to the police that the man frequently brought young boys back to his apartment for sex.

The police said they had found Mr. Prowler kissing the two boys in his room.

He had paid the boys 250 baht each to have sex with him.

The police also found a camera with some 450 photos of naked Thai boys, and several condoms in the apartment.

The American teaches English at a well-known demonstration school in Bangkok.

The Bangkok Criminal Court granted the police permission to hold the teacher for 12 more days on Thursday.

But the court turned down the suspect's request for bail, as they feared the man would flee or interfere with the victims.

Mr. Prowler was escorted back to his cell after the court hearing pending further questioning on two charges of buying sex from under-aged boys and paedophilia. (TNA)