A Polish female passenger was arrested today at Suvarnabhumi International Airport after she allegedly made a bomb threat during a Thai VietJet flight from Da Nang, Vietnam, bound for Bangkok.
The VZ961 flight carried 121 passengers, including one infant and six crew members.
Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, reported that the airport’s security centre was alerted at 2:18pm about the threat made on-board the aircraft.
Security, fire, rescue medical teams met the aircraft, which had been directed to an isolated parking position on the east side of the airport. Passengers and crew were promptly evacuated and taken to the airport's fire and rescue station.
Security officers conducted thorough searches of passengers and their hand luggage, while an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team inspected all checked baggage and the aircraft. No suspicious objects or explosives were found. The emergency response plan was lifted at 4:31pm.
Thai VietJet then escorted all passengers and crew through normal arrival procedures. The incident did not affect the airport's overall operations.
According to Thailand’s law on offenses committed against air navigation, anyone who knowingly communicates false information causing panic on an aircraft in flight is liable to imprisonment for up to five years and/or a fine of up to 200,000 baht on conviction.
If such actions endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight, the offender faces imprisonment from five to fifteen years and/or a fine of 200,000 to 600,000 baht on conviction.
