Police have arrested two Germans, a Russian and a Belgian who fled to Thailand after committing crimes in their home countries, immigration police said yesterday.
Russian national Konstantin Zaretskiy, 41, was arrested by immigration police at an apartment in Phuket's Kathu district.
Thai authorities learned Mr Zaretskiy was wanted by Russian police for extortion.
There had been a warrant out for him in Russia before he fled to Thailand on a tourist visa.
Russian police believed he had extorted money amounting to 912,000 baht from a senior medical doctor whom he threatened to blackmail if the victim refused to comply.
German national Ferdinand Mittendorfer, 63, was wanted by police in his home country for fraud, causing about 88 million baht in losses.
The suspect used to work as the manager of a logistics firm, which suffered huge losses.
Before he fled to Thailand, Mr Mittendorfer was accused of delaying for three months the company's bankruptcy filing and asset declaration.
It is alleged that he helped the company avoid paying 88 million baht to trading partners before it was formally declared bankrupt, police said.
German national Marc Dietrich Steindoff, 41, was wanted under a warrant issued by a Munich court for 7,781 cases of fraud and patent violations which were believed to have amounted to 12 million baht in damages.
Mr Steindoff had previously been arrested in Thailand and was given a one-year suspended jail term and fine of 40,000 baht for possessing cocaine.
Immigration officials tracked him to a house in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district and arrested him again.
Belgian national Marc Goossens, 56, also was detained in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri. The suspect was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by a Belgian court for alleged drug and electricity theft.
He was staying at an apartment on Thep Prasit Road in tambon Nong Prue before he was detained by police. The search for Mr Goossens has been extensive.
Meanwhile, Pol Lt Gen Sakda Chuenphakdi, acting chief of the Immigration Bureau, issued instructions for immigration offices nationwide to adhere to strict Ebola epidemic prevention measures.
The offices are required to step up screenings of people arriving from countries where outbreaks of Ebola have been reported, such as Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.
Regardless of their country of residence, passengers travelling alongside people from at-risk countries will be subject to screenings.
Nigeria was included on the order, despite the fact the World Health Organisation declared the country Ebola free on Oct 20.