Northern Thailand Police Hunt for Czech National, Wanted for Spreading HIV in Thailand

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CHIANG MAI – Police in Northern Thailand are searching for a Czech man, an over-stayer believed to be infected with HIV and wanted for sexual offences against minors in his own country.

The Royal Thai Police Office recently issued an urgent order asking Provincial Police Region 5 to track down Zdenek Pfeifer, 52, a national of the Czech Republic.

Mr Pfeifer, named in a red notice issued by Interpol, is said to be HIV-infected and to have passed the infection on to several male and female partners in Chiang Mai and nearby provinces, Thai media reported on Tuesday.

Pol Maj Gen Pongdet Prommichit, deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 5, on Tuesday called a meeting with police in eight northern provinces under his office and instructed them to immediately find and arrest the Czech suspect.

Pol Gen Wut Liptapanlop, deputy national police chief, had asked police across the country to track down Mr Pfeifer, suspect No 26 on the arrest warrant issued by the Czech court, said Pol Maj Gen Pongdet.

The man is regarded as dangerous and believed to have spread HIV to male and female Thai partners. He had committed sexual offences against minors in the Czech Republic before fleeing to Thailand in 2014, the deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 5 said.

According to police investigators, he has flown to several major tourist attractions in Thailand but there was no record of his having left the country.

Pol Maj Gen Pongdet said police believe the man is still here.