The Thai Consulate General Office in Los Angeles said on its Facebook page that local authorities had decided to delay the recovery bid because the water level in the river was falling, resulting in more safety for rescue teams.

The delay was agreed by local authorities and military and a site assessment was scheduled for  Wednesday.

Local authorities are working to retrieve the car rented by Thiwadee Saengsuriyarit, 24, and Bhakapon Chairattanasongporn, 28, who went missing on July 26.

They were believed to have been heading to Kings Canyon National Park when their car went off the road and fell over a cliff.

Hotel staff alerted police after they failed to return to the hotel as they were due to check out on July 27.

Hopes that they would survive the accident were dashed on Tuesday after Thai Consul General Tanee Sangrat told reporters that the bodies of both students were seen inside the car.

Some Thais criticised the US authorities on Facebook for not being willing to help retrieve the car earlier. Some wrote that the US officials did not want to help because the victims were Thais.