BANGKOK (AFP, REUTERS) - Thailand dropped extradition proceedings against detained Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi on Monday (Feb 11), a prosecutor said, following a global outcry over the risks he faced if sent back home.

"We have been informed that Bahrain wants to withdraw the (extradition) request... If they don't want him, we have no reason to keep him here," Mr Chatchom Akapin, director general of the International Affairs Department told AFP, adding the process is underway to release Mr Araibi.

Mr Araibi was granted refugee status in Australia after fleeing charges in Bahrain connected to Arab Spring protests but was stopped in Thailand in November attempting to go on his honeymoon.

He is wanted for damaging a police station but the former national youth footballer says the case is bogus and tied to his criticism of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, a member of Bahrain's ruling family.

The 25-year-old fears being returned to Bahrain where he believes he could face imprisonment and torture.

Bahrain has denied allegations of torture and said Mr Araibi is a fugitive who should be returned.

Thailand last Wednesday (Feb 6) defended its arrest of Mr Araibi, saying officials only detained him because Australian authorities sent an Interpol "red notice" after he boarded a plane to Bangkok. Australia said it was reviewing its Interpol alerting procedures after the incident.

In January, Thai authorities detained an 18-year-old Saudi woman after she said she was fleeing family abuse, but Bangkok halted plans to deport her to Saudi Arabia.

The case of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun ended in her resettlement in Canada.