A Chinese fugitive on the most wanted list and hiding for more than two decades was caught in Thailand.

Zhang Lao Er, 52, allegedly shot his friend Zhou in both legs during a violent altercation in Guangdong in 2006 when he fled China.

The suspect, who was on the run over charges of intentional injury, obtained a fake Vietnamese identity and flew to Vietnam, where he successfully hid under the name Ly Thanh for 20 years.

However, Chinese authorities finally tracked Zhang down and found that he had moved to Bangkok, disguising himself as a spicy hotpot restaurant owner for two years.

Footage shows Zhang sitting on the bed while a Thai cop read him the warrant of arrest on April 3.

He was with his girlfriend Deng, who was reportedly helping him run his food business.

An interpreter translated what the officer was saying to Zhang, whose legs appeared thin and weak. He was having difficulty moving, so Deng assisted him.

Crime Suppression Division 1 Senior Inspector Police Lieutenant Colonel Montien Thongthian said: 'We were assigned to investigate the hideout of this cross-border criminal. We arrested Zhang and sent him back to serve his sentence in China.'

Zhang and his girlfriend had been living in a mansion in the Thai capital, prompting authorities to issue a search warrant allowing police to enter the luxury village.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Montien added that Zhang confessed to all his charges.

He said: 'This is a warning to those who commit crimes and escape that you will eventually get caught.'

Thai police escorted Zhang and his girlfriend to a car, which took them to the Attorney General's Office to begin extradition proceedings.