French tourist arrested for preying on expats in Thailand’s Pattaya

According to the investigation, Herve Leonard, 58, claimed to have close connections with senior police officers in Thailand and extorted money from expats in exchange for his “protection,” The Bangkok Post reported.

Police issued an arrest warrant for him two years ago, but he had been on the run since then.

According to investigators, Leonard had been overstaying his visa since September 15, 2020.

To avoid arrest, he changed his accommodation every few weeks and rented rooms while claiming he had lost his passport.

Police officers took four months to track his latest accommodation before making the arrest at a condominium in Bangkok.

A sleepy beach town until the 1970s, the city started to swell during the Vietnam War when U.S. military members flocked there for rest and relaxation.

Despite its rising popularity among tourists, Pattaya is also notorious for robberies and tourist scams.