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Bangkok - A Canadian paedophile suspect sat calmly in dark sunglasses without speaking when presented to the press in the Thai capital Bangkok following his arrest earlier Friday.

Thailand's deputy national police chief told more than 100 reporters that Christopher Paul Neil, 32, appeared to be "a serious threat to society" who is suspected of having abused scores, possibly hundreds, of boys - some younger than 10 - and girls.

Pol Gen Wongkot Maneerin said that it was likely that Neil, a wandering English teacher, would be tried in Thailand for abusing boys during his time as an English teacher in Bangkok in 2003.

 These crimes carry a penalty of 20 years in jail in Thailand.

German police investigators triggered an international furore when they managed to "uncoil" his digitally altered internet photographs that showed him abusing many young boys in Cambodia and Vietnam.

 Neil had hidden his face by lifting his T-shirt after being escorted into Bangkok police headquarters past a scrum of reporters, many from overseas.

 Later as he was presented to the press he appeared calm, with no expression.

 General Wongkot himself questioned the suspect - a sign of the international interest in a case that galvanized police in a dozen countries.

 "His behaviour was not normal. His sexual behaviour seems to have been extraordinary," the deputy police chief said.

 "We are lucky that we have stopped him now. We have many of his victims coming forward to give evidence against him," he added.

 The Thai police issued an arrest warrant Thursday after a Thai boy came forward to accuse the Canadian of paying for oral sex.

 Neil was finally arrested Friday morning in Nakorn Ratchasima, 210 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, after fleeing South Korea a week earlier, following the release of his picture by Interpol with a "red alert," its highest search signal.

 The Thai police said he was tracked down after a tip-off.

 Canada also has laws allowing it to punish paedophiles for their activities in third countries.

 Former colleagues have regaled reporters with evidence of an "unassuming character" who was a "diligent teacher."

   But writings attributed to him on the Facebook social-networking website and elsewhere show evidence of an arrogant character who offered advice about cleaning a computer of "dangerous" photographs and how to avoid character checks when applying for teaching jobs.

 Neil fled Korea after wiping hundreds of postings he had made on an English teachers' discussion group and shaving his hair off.

 At least two young Thais said Neil abused them and paid them money after luring them to an apartment he used to rent in Bangkok several years ago, according to the Thai police.

 The German police started investigating his activities when they discovered three years ago that his swirl-disguised picture was common to scores of internet images of his paedophile activities in Asia.

 His family in Canada had urged him to give himself up.//dpa