Five Thai nationals were sentenced to five years in prison yesterday for the murder of a Malaysian youth who was beaten to death while on holiday from his studies at a British university.

The five, aged between 20 and 26, admitted causing the death of Darren Kang Thien Hua, 23, a law student at Britain's Sheffield University, the official Bernama news agency reported.

They attacked Kang on July 6, 2004 after he confronted them about remarks they had allegedly made about his fiancee.

Working at eatery

The five were workers at a popular eatery in the fashionable Sri Hartamas suburb near the capital and were all from southern Thailand.

Kang's mother Sonia Teh expressed disappointment at the light sentences.

"It seems to me that these men won't be remorseful for their act because they were just given five years imprisonment even though they had committed a senseless crime," she said.