PHUKET: Police on Phuket who failed to provide evidence linking two Australians to a shooting in Patong are likely to face dereliction of duty counts and possibly further serious charges, an investigating officer says.

Colonel Pravesana Mulpramook, Secretary-General of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, told Phuketwan that officers from Kathu Police Station had failed to present ''substantial evidence'' to the Phuket prosecutor over the widely reported case.

Australians John Cohen and Mark Shea allegedly fired a handgun at a person they thought was a Danish man, Dennis Knudsen, riding past on a motorcycle taxi in January last year in Patong's Soi Sansabai.

The shots hit two German tourists instead, inflicting wounds.

''The police investigators failed to provide the prosecutor with evidence from witnesses or all of the security camera footage,'' Colonel Pravesana said. ''As a result, the Australians were only charged with possession of an unlicenced firearm in public, not attempted murder.''

In April 2013, Cohen and Shea had jail sentences of six-and-a-half months and six months suspended for two years, and were ordered to pay fines of 7500 baht and 7000 baht respectively.

''The accounts of witnesses and other security camera footage told a more complete story to what was presented in court,'' Colonel Pravesana said yesterday.

''The witnesses' statements and the security camera footage was not presented by the police. There is a clear difference between what happened and what was portrayed in court.

''We have accepted the case. It appears the investigating officers did not do their jobs.''

Colonel Pravesana said the police involved will now be interviewed. PACC officials expected to have a summary of the case prepared and ready to present sometime between the end of May and mid-June.

He did not say whether, if the charge of dereliction of duty was upheld against the police, charges of attempted murder would then be pursued against Cohen and Shea.

Colonel Pravesana said that the Australian embassy initiated the examination of the case by complaining to the PACC. Ambassador James Wise is on record as saying he would like authorities on Phuket to remove all guns and knives from the holiday island.

Former Australian honorary consul for Phuket, Larry Cunningham, who retired in September last year and has yet to be replaced, told Phuketwan yesterday that he only knew what had been reported in the media about the case.