Suvarnabhumi Airport denies attempted hijacking after old video sparks panic
Suvarnabhumi International Airport denied reports of an attempted aircraft hijacking after an old video was reposted on a Facebook page, prompting panic among the public. The airport announced plans to take legal action against the page administrator for spreading misleading information.
The Facebook page ข่าวสดช่อง 8 (Channel 8 News) shared the video on Monday, January 26, with a caption stating, “Suvarnabhumi Airport in tense situation! Drug-addicted man attempted to hijack an airplane.”
The page did not clarify when the incident occurred, nor did it provide details about the arrest or case development. The post quickly drew public attention, receiving more than 19,000 reactions, nearly 1,000 comments, and over 1,400 shares.
The video showed a suspect riding a motorcycle onto a runway where several aircraft were parked. Airport officers were seen chasing the man, who was carrying an unidentified object believed to be a weapon. The situation appeared chaotic, with officers and airport pickup trucks pursuing the suspect across the runway.
The man later ran towards the passenger terminal but was unable to enter as the doors were locked. He was eventually apprehended by airport officers.
The footage sparked criticism online, with some netizens questioning the airport’s security measures and claiming that officers took too long to detain the suspect. Others expressed concern over how an unauthorised person was able to access the runway so easily.
The airport’s official Facebook page later responded in the comment section, stating that the incident took place in 2022. The airport urged the page administrator to remove the video to prevent unnecessary panic and included a link to an official news report from that time.
Suvarnabhumi Airport issued a formal statement yesterday, January 27, confirming that the video showed an incident from four years ago. The airport said officers handled the situation quickly and effectively, and the suspect was arrested and prosecuted. No injuries were reported among officers or passengers.
The airport requested cooperation from the Facebook page to delete the video, warning that failure to do so could result in legal action. Officials said the repost damaged public confidence in the airport and may violate Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act.
Under the law, spreading false or misleading information that causes public panic can result in up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both. As of today, January 28, the video remains online.
Further scrutiny revealed that the Facebook page has reposted several old news clips from well-known Thai television stations. Although the page name includes “Channel 8,” it is not affiliated with the official Channel 8 news outlet.
