'Billionaire' groom who left bride with wedding debt arrested

Police detain "billionaire" Thananat Siripiyaporn, 49, centre, after he arrived at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok on Thursday night. (Photo supplied)

The self-professed billionaire groom who fled, leaving his Buri Ram bride with a huge wedding party debt, was arrested at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport upon returning from Hong Kong on Thursday night.

Pol Col Cherngron Rimphadee, deputy commander of Immigration Division 2, said Thananat Siripiyaporn, 49, was taken into custody about 9.30pm after disembarking from flight FD505.

Mr Thananat was wanted under an arrest warrant approved by the Bangkok North Municipal Court on a fraudulent cheque charge, the deputy commander said. A biometric scan alerted immigration police to his arrival.

Mr Thananat, aka Sia Top, left for Hong Kong on Oct 6, shortly after his marriage in May to a 30-year-old product presenter and lavish wedding party, in the northeastern province of Buri Ram, made news headlines.

The bride's family complained that he had organised a wedding ceremony and party they said cost about 3.5 million baht, and then left suddenly after the wedding without paying the bill. They alleged the large dowry-cheque disappeared with him.

They said they did not know much about him but the bride had told them he was a wealthy businessman, worth billions of baht.

Mr Thananat was taken from Don Muang police station to the Bangkok North Municipal Court on Friday morning, where police applied to extend his detention to allow further inquiries. He did not answer reporters' questions.

The court was considering the application.