Thai immigration police said today they would deport British glam rocker Gary Glitter to London "as soon as possible" despite his claims of health problems preventing him from flying.
Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, flew to Bangkok yesterday, having been kicked out of Vietnam after his release from prison following a three-year sentence for child sex abuse.
He refused to board an onward flight to London, claiming ear and heart problems, but Thai police said they were not convinced.
"We are barring entry to Paul Francis Gadd and will be deporting him to his home country, England, unconditionally and even if he does not wish to board the plane," police said in a statement.
"We are now waiting to return him to England as soon as possible."
Police Major General Phongdej Chaiprawat said Glitter was being confined to a transit lounge at the airport in Bangkok.
The 64-year-old reportedly argued with Thai immigration officers, insisting he was a "free man", while British embassy officials tried to convince him to board the flight home and a British police officer who was supposed to be accompanying him home looked on.
Glitter then complained of fatigue and was taken to the VIP area.
He was released from prison yesterday morning after serving two years and nine months of a three-year sentence for abusing two girls aged 10 and 11.
Glitter was originally due to arrive at Heathrow this morning, where he would have been met by police and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said yesterday she did not want him to be able to travel abroad again.
Glitter was convicted of downloading child pornography in the UK in 1999 and served two months of a four-month sentence after a computer repair shop found the images on his laptop.
He left the country and moved to Spain and Cuba before travelling to south east Asia where he escaped detection until he was tracked down by newspaper reporters.
He was kicked out of Cambodia after facing allegations of sex crimes and moved to the Vietnamese coastal resort of Vung Tau.
The two girls at first made allegations of rape, which carries a death sentence, but were reportedly paid off.
He was arrested trying to leave the country and stood trial, pleading innocence and claiming he was teaching the girls English. He was convicted and sentenced to three years in March 2006.
PA/Reuters