Thai police arrest Norwegian suspect

BANGKOK (AFP): Thai police have arrested a Norwegian man who allegedly fled to a Thai seaside resort town after robbing a bank in his home country, a police official said here yesterday.

Oivind Reve, 32, was found on Tuesday in a Pattaya hotel, 81 kilometers (50 miles) southeast of Bangkok, according to police Col. Yutthaboon Dissaman.

Reve is wanted for the June 3 theft of 74,000 kroner (US$10,300) from the Time Spar Bank in Time, Norway, Yutthaboon told AFP.

Reve, who entered Thailand two days after the bank robbery, has been handed over to the foreign affairs division and will be extradited, Yutthaboon added.

Reve told Thai investigators he was driven to commit the crime when his Thai girlfriend in Pattaya, whom he had been sending 400 dollars a month for support, announced she was marrying a well-to-do Australian, Yutthaboon said.