Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Photo courtesy of the airport
Thai police have arrested a Singaporean man for allegedly making a false bomb threat at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport.
The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was also found to have overstayed his visa by 28 days, police revealed during a press conference on Saturday, as reported by The Nation.
According to the police, an airport official received an anonymous call on November 21 claiming there was an explosive on an AirAsia flight departing for Hat Yai City in Songkhla province.
The threat prompted immediate action, with the AirAsia flight being halted and passengers evacuated.
The plane was returned to the bay for a thorough inspection.
After an extensive search of the aircraft and passengers, no suspicious items were found, and the emergency was called off. However, the incident caused significant disruptions to the airport’s flight schedules and inconvenienced travelers, Bangkok Post reported.
Police traced the phone number used for the threat and located the suspect at Don Mueang Airport’s passenger terminal. He was then arrested on November 22.
The suspect reportedly admitted to making the call, citing stress over a family issue as his motivation, Asia One reported
Authorities stated that the man could face lawsuits from the airport, airline, and affected passengers for damages incurred due to the incident.
Under Thai aviation law, he faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to 600,000 baht ($23,400), or both.
Following his prosecution, he will be deported and permanently blacklisted from entering Thailand, police confirmed.
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