Chonburi –
A French national, 59, originally from Compiegne, was caught in Prachuap Khiri Khan and taken for legal proceedings at Pattaya City Police Station yesterday, February 12th, after being allegedly wanted for seven arrest warrants issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court.
According to officials, the suspect, identified by Pattaya Police and multiple media outlets such as Bangkok Post as Mr. Herve Leonard, 59, a long-term Thai ex-pat, was tracked down following a report and investigation from the French Embassy in Thailand, stating that many foreigners from multiple countries such as France, Belgium, and Australia filed complaints to the French Embassy that they were allegedly defrauded by the suspect with a total damage in value at about 6,333,677 baht and that the suspect had been allegedly evading arrest.
According to Pol Maj Gen Atthasit Kijjaharn, the Chon Buri police chief, and Pattaya Police Chief Colonel Kunlachart Kunlachai, who jointly released this information to the media, the suspect would reportedly claim to foreign victims that he knew local officers who carried out various matters including the sale of big bikes and offering to assist people in trouble. However, it turned out that he was not, according to Police Major General Atthasit. Therefore, the alleged victims traveled to file a complaint to the police and embassy which led to the issue of the arrest warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court.
The investigation, with the assistance of an alleged victim, French embassy, and Immigration Division 1 then led to the location and identification of the suspect in a local village in the area of Prachuap Khiri Khan. He was later taken into custody in Chonburi for further investigation.
Initially, the French suspect has denied all the allegations in full although did not release a formal statement to the press. However, according to Pol. Maj. Gen Atthasit Kijjaharn, officers also found that the suspect had allegedly overstayed for 1 year, 4 months, and 27 days. The suspect was initially detained at Pattaya City Police Station and additionally is being charged for overstay before proceeding forward into the Thai court system for the legal process.
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