THE parents of a brilliant young English teacher from Bury found murdered in Thailand have made a passionate plea for his alleged killer to be spared the death penalty.

Paul Mason (27) had only been in Bangkok for five days when he was brutally stabbed in the chest in the apartment he shared with his girlfriend Surasada Tabtim.

She was also discovered with stab wounds and is in a critical condition in hospital.

Police later arrested 23-year-old Tabtim, whom Paul had been teaching English, and charged her with murder. If found guilty, she could face the death penalty.

University graduate Paul set off from his Bury home for Thailand on February 10 after his parents Les and Jean bought his plane ticket for Christmas.

Mr and Mrs Mason, both retired civil servants, were yesterday (Mon Feb 24) trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of their youngest son.

But they pleaded for their son's killer not to face the death penalty which is mandatory for murder in Thailand.

Fighting back the tears, Mrs Mason (55), said: "The last thing we would want his for Paul's killer to be put to death.

"There's just no sense in taking another life. One life is enough and I would hate anybody else to go through what we're going through. It's just the worst feeling in the world."

"We have made our feelings known to the Thai Embassy that we would not want Tabtim to be put to death if she was found guilty. But I don't know how much impact we can have."

A former Bury Grammar School pupil, Paul graduated from Staffordshire University in Stoke in 1998 with a degree in English. He went on to do his teacher training in London before returning to his family home in Bury. He was also a keen Bury FC fan.

In 2000, he took a job with UK Construction Magazine in Bolton as a production assistant which helped pay for his holidays to Thailand.

During three previous trips to Thailand he met Tabtim and the pair struck up a friendship.

Mr Mason (60) said: "Paul loved travelling and always wanted to go to Thailand to teach English.

"He had a visa for three months and wanted to stay for a year. He loved the Thai people and their way of life.

"Paul was a kind, good-hearted soul whose message was love and peace to everyone. He was a great son who will be sorely missed. He added: "We want to know what has happened but do not seek revenge."

Paul's older brother Mark (30) is due to fly out to Bangkok to oversee the return of his body.