Immigration officials won’t explain why Czech fugitive Zdenek Pfeifer, arrested in Phuket on Tuesday night for knowingly transmitting HIV to both Czechs and Thais, has been given far less than the minimum sentence for overstaying his visa, which he did for about a year and a half, since his last visa expired on Aug. 5, 2015.
Pfeifer, 49, was arrested at his rented apartment in Bang Tao just hours after a nationwide manhunt was ordered by deputy national police chief Pol. Gen. Wuthi Liptapanlop. He will be handed over to Czech officials on Tuesday.
Wanted by Interpol for sexual offenses with minors and intentionally passing his HIV infection, he has knowingly infected more than 10 people with HIV. Bangkok Post also identified him as an HIV-positive homosexual who had unprotected sex with many men that were unaware of his HIV-positive status.
His sentence was handed down by video conference yesterday afternoon while Pfeifer remained in a cell at Phuket Provincial Court. Despite the severity of his overstay, the judge handed down the sentence of a fine of only THB1,000 fine and a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended.
Under the “Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out” campaign by the Thai Immigration Bureau, which came into effect in 2014 and was marked by news headlines around the world, Pfeifer should have been mandatorily fined THB20,000 and banned from Thailand for 10 years.
According to the current laws regarding visa overstays, anyone that has been arrested for overstaying more than one year should be banned from re-entry to Thailand for 10 years.
As far as fine, overstayers must pay a fine of THB500 per day of overstay but the fine should not exceeding THB20,000.
Asked how a judge could hand down a sentence less than the mandatory penalty by law in this case, Phuket Immigration Chief Pol. Col. Kantawat Pongsatanbordee said: “I am busy. I am not available to comment.”
Story: The Phuket News
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