Speaking at a press conference at the Immigration Bureau headquarters in the capital, Immigration Bureau Deputy Chief Maj Gen Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai reported that the 33-year-old Kuwait national, who he identified only as “Mr Ghazi”, was wanted on arrest warrant number 20/2563 issued by the Phuket Provincial Court yesterday (Jan 16).
The charge specified in the arrest warrant was rape through deprivation of liberty.
The incident occurred in the area of Patong Police Station, Gen Ittiphon told the press conference today.
Mr Ghazi checked in at a hotel in Soi Sukhumvit 5, Sukhumvit Rd, Wattana, Bangkok, on Tuesday (Jan 14), Gen Ittipol said.
The hotel notified Immigration of their new guest on Wednesday, he added.
Officers went to the area and found a man matching the description of Mr Ghazi given to them sitting at the Shama Lakeview Hotel Asoke, Sukhumvit Soi 16.
Officers asked to see his travel documents, which he duly provided.
Noting the name given and the passport number, the officers invited Mr Ghazi to accompany them to Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau Region 2 office to confirm his identity, which was confirmed by the biometic data in his passport, Gen Ittiphon said.
Gen Ittiphon credited the arrest to the biometic passport.
“The arrest took only two days because the police at Patong Police Station quickly provided the information to the Immigration Bureau and entered the details into the biometric system in order to check, block and confirm the identity of the offender,” he said.