Tourist arrested over bomb hoax on flight from Vietnam to Bangkok

This is the dramatic moment a female passenger was arrested for allegedly making a bomb threat on a flight from Vietnam to Bangkok.

Myrcik Malgorzata Ewelina, 34, from Warsaw, Poland, allegedly claimed there was an explosive in the aircraft - sparking chaos for those onboard.

The Airbus A320 had 121 passengers and six crew onboard when the flier caused panic shortly before VietJet flight VZ961 arrived at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

Armed police boarded the aircraft before it was taken to an isolated part of the airport where doctors, nurses, firemen and security guards were waiting.

Bomb squads searched passengers and suitcases before giving the flight the all-clear at 4.31 pm local time. The delayed flight left later for the Da Nang International Airport.

Airport boss Kittipong Kittikachorn said that the incident was caused by female Polish passenger Myrcik Malgorzata Ewelina who falsely claimed there was a bomb on the aircraft.

He said that she had been handed over to the police for further investigation and legal action. Officers reportedly found she had used 'prohibited words without malicious intent'.

The airport chief added: 'The incident did not affect the airport's services. From the initial investigation, it was found that the incident was caused by a female Polish passenger threatening that there was a bomb on the plane while it was in flight.

'The passenger has been arrested by the police to investigate the facts and take legal action.'

VietJet said in a statement: 'The airline affirmed that its operations always comply with strict safety regulations according to international standards. Currently, all disruptive acts that cause confusion among passengers and affect the operations of airlines will be punished according to regulations.'

Section 22 of the Act on Certain Offences against Air Navigation states that any person who notifies messages or sends information known to be false, causing or likely to cause panic among individuals at the airport or those on board an aircraft in flight, shall be subject to legal consequences.

If such actions endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight, the offender may face imprisonment for five to 15 years, a fine ranging from 200,000 to 600,000 baht, or both.

The Thai government has a majority holding of 70 per cent in the ownership of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

However, the facility has been has been marred by various corruption scandals over the years. It has also been beset with safety issues - and even complaints from international pilots about the state of the runway.

VietJet, which was operating the flight through its subsidiary Thai VietJet, stirred controversy in 2012 by featuring flight attendants in bikinis as part of a promotional flight. Feminists claimed it 'objectified women' but the airline brushed off concerns and launched a bikini calendar in 2018.

Section 22 of Thailand's Act on Certain Offences against Air Navigation states that 'any person who notifies messages or sends information known to be false, causing or likely to cause panic among individuals at the airport or those on board an aircraft in flight, shall be subject to legal consequences'. 

The violation is punishable by imprisonment for five to 15 years, fines ranging from 200,000 to 600,000 THB (4,602 GBP to 13,808 GBP), or both.

(1 GBP = 43.45 THB)