THE Echo is helping a family’s fight to get justice for their son who is in a coma in Thailand following an assault.

Paul Ayling, 47, lived on Canvey for more than 30 years before emigrating to Thailand last year with wife, Justine, and nine-year-old son Scott.

Mr Ayling has been in a coma since he was hit over the head with a lump of wood in Hua Hin, Thailand, on November 21.

He may have suffered severe brain damage, but his family is frustrated no one has been charged with the attack.

The Echo has now submitted, on the family’s behalf, a dossier of questions about the police investigation, to the Royal Thai Embassy, in London.

Mr Ayling’s brother Tony, 52, said: “Hopefully, this interest from the British Press will put pressure on the Thai authorities.

“They must want to demonstrate British citizens staying there are safe and that police treat assaults against them seriously.”

Mr Ayling’s family suspect the attackers were hired after he refused to pay decorators for shoddy work on his home.

His mother Anita, 69, who lives in Thailand, said: “Paul is still in a coma and we’re no nearer to catching the culprits. We need to get justice for our son.”

Mr Ayling’s parents were given names of men it is thought carried out the attack.

They passed these to police who arrested the men, but released them without charge.

Rutchabhoom Boonrawd, press secretary for the Thai Embassy, said: “We will provide detailed answers to your questions, but this will take time. We have to get in touch with the local police because Mr Ayling’s case is still under investigation.”

A Foreign Office spokesman added: “We are aware of an incident which resulted in the hospitalisation of Mr Ayling.

“We are providing consular assistance to his family and have raised the issue with the Thai authorities.”