'She prays to give herself courage. She finds little to give her hope'

MEMBERS of an international charity group are considering whether to help seek the release of a Hong Kong woman jailed for 15 years in Thailand after being convicted of attempted drug smuggling.

The Rotary Club has launched a steering group to investigate the case of Tammy Sung Siu-shan who was sentenced five years ago to 15 years' imprisonment after 6.5 kilograms of heroin was found in her luggage at Bangkok airport.

Tammy, who was just 17 at the time, claims she was set up by one of her companions but was forced to plead guilty because of Thailand's tough anti-drug laws.

Two English teenagers who were caught carrying much larger amounts of heroin were freed earlier this year after serving three years following a pardon by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The steering group is being chaired by businessman Francis Cheung Nim-che, a past president of the Tsim Sha Tsui East Rotary Club.

He said: ''We are just debating whether we ought to get involved and if so, how. We are a part of an international organisation and we are looking at whether we can and should seek to mobilise our counterparts in Thailand to give a hand.'' Patricia Cahill and Karyn Smith were 17 and 19 when they were caught with 26 kilograms of heroin in July 1990. Cahill was jailed for 18 years and nine months. Smith got 25 years.