BANGKOK - THE arrest of notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout has cast a harsh spotlight on Thailand's shadowy underworld as a haven or transit point for a motley collection of international criminals.

The latest case centres on a vast international arms smuggling network run by Bout, a Russian known as the 'Merchant of Death", that funnelled weapons to rebels from South America to Africa.

Among those who have used Thailand as a hideout from prosecution back home has been Indonesian terror suspect Hambali, who was arrested here in 2003 and is now being held at the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The suspect, Canadian Christopher Neil, was arrested and goes to trial in Bangkok on Monday.

Experts say fugitives are drawn to Thailand because of the kingdom's lax immigration procedures and its reputation for official corruption.

Bangkok's status as a regional aviation hub makes it easy for criminals to get in and out of the country, while the low cost of living gives them a life of leisure on the run, they say.

'Thailand is a livable country with a low cost of living, and Thai people welcome foreigners, so foreign fugitives don't stand out,' said Lieutenant General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, spokesman for Thailand's national police.

'Since Thailand focuses on tourism, we have to accommodate visitors and it's easy for criminals to mix with ordinary tourists.'

Thailand expects to receive more than 15 million foreign tourists this year, and hardly a month passes by without at least one being deported over criminal charges ranging from drugs to sexual abuse to money laundering.

Progress in fighting international crime?
Thai police say the rising number of arrests and deportations proves they are making progress in fighting international crime.

Immigration officials say 329 people were deported in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available, up from 207 in 2002.

But experts say criminals will continue to be drawn to Thailand and other developing countries in Southeast Asia because of lax law enforcement.

'It's rooted very deeply in the issue of official corruption that allows not just arms dealers, but paedophiles and other people fleeing their own countries, to use Thailand and other developing countries as a safe haven,' said Sunai Phasuk, a researcher with Human Rights Watch.

'Someone like this Russian guy or terrorists or extremists benefit from loopholes in immigration law.'

Fugitives are supported in Thailand by a well-developed network of forgers who can provide fake travel documents, he noted.

In recent years, Thailand has busted forgery rings operated by Pakistanis, Iranians and Bangladeshis who provided fake passports from countries across Europe and Asia.

Tighten screening of visitors
The best way to combat the problem is for police and immigration officials to tighten the screening of people entering the country, said Sudarat Sereewat, director of the Fight Against Child Exploitation Foundation, a pressure group that fights sex trafficking and paedophilia.'Our screening process is not strict enough. Immigration officials must stamp entry visas quickly to comply with efforts to promote tourism and keep lines short at the airport,' she said.

'So there's not enough time to thoroughly check arrivals against blacklists.'

Still, Human Rights Watch's Mr Sunai said the arrest of Bout, who was detained in a US-led sting operation Thursday, and other high-profile criminals proved Thailand was making progress.

'The arms dealer, and the arrest of Hambali, proves this point of improvement,' he said.

'The increase in international concern over transnational criminals like this one (Bout) or terrorists has prompted Thai authorities to improve the immigration system and increase information-sharing with other countries.' -- AFP

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