Thai official flees Hong Kong after passport scam .
HONG KONG 1996-08-29
A Thai consular official has fled Hong Kong after being questioned by anti-corruption police in connection with soliciting bribes to issue a passport , Hong Kong government radio said on Thursday .
The unnamed suspect left the British colony after being detained and then freed by the Independent Commission Against Corruption ( ICAC ) , the radio said .
The man was released after his arrest on Tuesday , pending further inquiries , the ICAC said in a statement .
The anti-graft body was discussing the case with the Thai government , especially the suspect 's status , it said .
It is not clear if the fugitive had diplomatic status in Hong Kong , and officials from the Thai Consulate were not available for comment .
The arrest came after the ICAC received a complaint that the man had demanded a bribe of HK$ 100,000 ( US$ 12,940 ) to issue a Thai passport , the ICAC said .
At the time of his arrest , ICAC officers seized HK$ 100,000 , it added .
The ICAC has kept a close eye on passport scams after a U.S. official was jailed for trafficking fake Honduran passports as part of an immigration racket aimed at Chinese .