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British Cycling Couple Die In Thailand Crash

A British couple who were more than 18 months into a round-the-world cycling trip have been killed in a crash in Thailand.

Mary Thompson and Peter Root, from Guernsey, had ridden across 23 countries including Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and China since starting out on July 12, 2011.

The pair, both in their mid-thirties, had been documenting their travels across Europe and Central Asia through film and on a blog at www.twoonfourwheels.com .

Police said they were travelling along the hard shoulder of a main road in eastern Chachoengsao province when a pick-up truck veered out of its lane and hit them.

"They were tourists who had travelled through several countries before reaching Thailand," said local police lieutenant Chaiyong Butrwan.

He said the 25-year-old Thai driver, who was arrested at the scene on Wednesday, had reached down to pick up his hat from the floor of the truck causing the vehicle to swerve into the couple.

The couple's blog starts: "We are Mary Thompson and Peter Root. At 17.00 on the 12th July 2011 we took a ferry from Guernsey to France with loads of stuff, two bikes and the intention to cycle east around the World."

They marked their 18th month away with a post from Vietnam, which read: "Bathing: mud and sun stylie The 12th of January marks our 18th month away. It started early, our neighbour the cockrel started his cock-a-do-dul-do karaoke at around 3.30, as his had done every 'morning' since we arrived in the relaxed beach town on Mui Ne."

One of their last posts described their experience of eating a spider in Cambodia's Phnom Penh.

The British Embassy in Bangkok said it was aware of the deaths and that the families had been informed.

"Consular assistance is being provided," a spokeswoman said.

The Thai driver was released on bail. Police said he faces charges of causing death by negligence, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, or a 20,000 baht (£433) fine or both.