German Detained in Thai HIV Scare

A German at the center of an HIV scare involving potentially hundreds of Thai women and girls was detained by a court Monday for overstaying his visa. Hans-Otto Schiemann, 54, who claims to be infected with HIV and that he had unprotected sex with hundreds of Thais, was remanded in custody for a month after denying the offence. Health officials, police and prosecutors say they are powerless to charge him over his sexual activities. Schiemann, who was not legally represented at the court in Chaiyaphum, was remanded after a 30-minute hearing and is due before a judge again on Nov. 15. As he was led away, Schiemann told reporters: "It's unfair to put me back in jail. I haven't committed any crime. I have the right to stay here in Thailand but now I have to stay in jail another month. This is a complete scandal; there is no justice in Thailand." Schiemann is accused of discriminately spreading the virus throughout the town in northern Thailand since contracting it three years ago.