19 Aug 2009

US man at centre of Suu Kyi trial leaves Thailand

8:46 pm on 19 August 2009

The American man at the centre of the trial of Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has flown out of Thailand.

A Myanmar court sentenced Miss Suu Kyi to another 18 months of house arrest for violating security laws after John Yettaw swam uninvited across a lake to her home in May.

Mr Yettaw had been sentenced to seven years' hard labour, but was released after a visit by US Democrat Senator Jim Webb at the weekend.

The 54-year-old American had more than two days of medical tests at a hospital in Bangkok following his deportation from Myanmar.