Daniel Howe, 30, said he spent three days in a tiny cell with other prisoners last month after being accused of having marijuana while in Thailand for a brother's wedding.

Daniel said he befriended a Thai man on a night out with his girlfriend last month. At one stage the man asked Daniel to hold a near-empty pack of cigarettes for him before wandering off.

Within seconds Daniel and his girlfriend were approached by a policeman and Daniel was arrested, accused of possessing the drug.

"They didn't charge me with anything - I was just put in a tiny, disgusting, smelly cell at the police station," Daniel said.

"I was sleeping on a concrete floor and had to deal with aggressive drugged-up people who were thrown in with us."

Daniel, who was travelling on a British passport, refused to sign a document written in Thai. On the third day he was finally allowed to see a lawyer, who arranged bail.

Finally, the lawyer told Daniel and his father, Simon Howe, a Unanderra business owner, that some strings could be pulled if they paid some money ($6400). On advice, they decided to comply.

When Daniel went to court for his appearance after the wedding, the hearing was closed to the public before he was brought before the judge and then released.

"We want to warn other travellers to be aware in Thailand," Mr Howe said. Daniel, now in London, told the Mercury: "I would just say: don't accept anything off anyone."