Bu Yon Kyan, 58, was nabbed while trying to sneak into Thailand via a border pier in Nong Khai’s Tha Bo district, having taken a long-tailed boat from Laos. He was initially charged with illegally entering Thailand.

It was reported that Bu also carried on a construction business in Laos and had visited Nong Khai several times before the arrest. Police have contacted the South Korean Embassy in Bangkok to arrange for extradition.