German footballer arrested in Pattaya
A German footballer was arrested on Friday on perjury charges over his abduction claim, police said.
Savio Magala, 23, who is playing for Unterhaching in Germany's Bundesliga 2, was arrested in a rented room in Pattaya.
Police said they were contacted by the German embassy which asked them to help Malaga who had made a phone call to his relative in that country to transfer 3,000 euro (about 120,000 baht) to his account claiming that he was abducted in Thailand.
Police said that after receiving the complaint they began their investigation and found that Malaga, who arrived in Thailand on Oct 14, had spent all one million baht he brought with him from Germany.
As a result, Magala then made up the story in the hope that his relative would transfer money to him.
Police said Magala would be deported to face charges in Germany on Saturday.