Expat real estate agent Andrew 'Andy' Mathews remanded in custody.

Pattaya, November 1st 2014

Andy Mathews

Andrew Ronald Mathews, 49, a UK expat from Wolverhampton, who has been working in Thailand for several years, was not granted bail and was remanded in custody.

Mathews is now in police custody.

Nong Pla Lai Prison

This site previously reported that a fugitive real estate agent had been arrested when Mathews was taken into custody yesterday afternoon.

Mathews was arrested after failing to appear in Pattaya Provincial Criminal Court on October 20th 2014, in a case filed by German national Rolf Haupt, and the Court issued an arrest warrant.

Mathews was aware of the warrant from Pattaya Court and went on the run, but his life as a fugitive was short lived after he was spotted by Haupt's staff just metres from Haupt's office at Ocean Residential Properties in Jomtien.

Mathews faces at least three criminal cases, and following death threats being reported to police by Haupt and two other witnesses, the prospects of Mathews being released on bail have been described as 'slim'.

Mathews has three previous criminal convictions in Thailand, and may have to now serve two previous suspended jail sentences totalling 22 months, given after he was convicted of various offences in 2011 and 2012 in the same Court.

Mathews has already been summonsed to appear in Court in another case,  and will face a bail hearing in a further case in November 17th - sources say given his previous failure to appear, his recent convictions, two previous suspended sentences and ongoing threats to witnesses, Mathews may well be held in custody until trial.