The FBI requested Thai assistance after learning he had fled to Thailand and was believed to be hiding under the protection of a Russian gang in Pattaya suspected of running a tour company as a front.

Central Investigation Bureau deputy commander Pol Maj-Gen Panya Mamen announced the man’s arrest at a press conference yesterday attended by representatives of the US embassy.

Pol Maj-Gen Panya said the CIB had no evidence the suspect committed any sexual offences in Thailand.

Mr Komov told police he had been making trips to Thailand from Uzbekistan for about three years and often stayed in Pattaya. He refused to speak about the charges laid by the FBI.

The US embassy said Mr Komov faces charges of cyber crime in addition to money laundering.

The FBI, which has been searching for him for three years, alleges Mr Komov posted pornographic photos of children on websites and acted as a broker for their sexual services.

CIB criminal records show the suspect was arrested in Thailand last year by tourist police for allegedly using fake credit cards.

He was nabbed on Aug 25 as he was withdrawing money from an ATM outside the Siam Commercial Bank in tambon Nong Prue in Bang Lamung district. The police also seized from him 18 credit cards and 16,800 baht cash.

However when the case went to state prosecutors, they decided not to indict him, Pol Maj-Gen Panya said.

CIB police plan to to hand over Mr Komov to the Office of the Attorney-General for extradition to the US under an agreement on transnational criminals.

Police are also keeping a close watch on the Russian gang, which runs a tourist agency bringing Russian tourists to Thailand. However, police suspect the gang of involvement in some shady businesses.

’’We’ll continue to monitor them to see if they are doing anything illegal,’’ Pol Maj-Gen Panya said.