Victorian man Thomas Keating will be unable to leave Thailand for months pending a Thai court hearing on a charge of reckless driving causing the death of his partner Emily Collie in a jet-ski crash.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Phuket provincial court has directed that Mr Keating present himself in court on June 23, crushing hopes his return to Australia was imminent, the Phuket News reported.
Mr Keating, 22, has surrendered his passport and pleaded guilty to the charge, saying he is feeling "unbelievable sorrow" over the crash in waters off Phuket's Kata beach on February 5.
Twenty-year-old Ms Collie, from the northern Victorian town of Kyabram, was riding a jet-ski when it crashed with another being ridden by Mr Keating.
Mr Keating said he had been blinded by the sun reflecting off the sea.
He and life savers tried unsuccessfully to revive Ms Collie on the beach.
An autopsy found that Ms Collie drowned.
The couple had been together for two years.
Police had indicated that given Mr Keating's early guilty plea his case could be resolved within days.
They have said they would recommend a suspended sentence because of the plea, his grief and his expressions of remorse, allowing him to go home.
But the Phuket News quoted a court official saying although Mr Keating has pleaded guilty the court still has to receive the evidence against him and then hand down a sentence.
"Sorry, we can't give any more information," the official said.
In a statement after the crash Mr Keating, a plumber, described what happened as a tragic accident.
"However, I take responsibility for what happened. And I have decided that the best thing is to accept a charge of reckless driving leading to death.
"I would like to express my unbearable sorrow at the loss of my soulmate, Emily, who I loved more than anything in this world, as well as my never-ending apologies and condolences to (her parents) Ian and Sally Collie and the rest of their family."
Ms Collie's parents have said they "do not believe anybody" was at fault for the crash. They have been supporting Mr Keating.
It is normal procedure in Thailand for those charged with serious offences to have their passports withheld so they cannot leave the country.
Last week a 53-year-old Russian tourist spent two nights in jail after feeding bread to fish in water close to a coral reef off a Phuket beach.
Olga Smirnova was released after her boyfriend posted bail of the equivalent of $A3739.
Her preliminary hearing has been set for late March and could take months before a court decision.
