Suvarnabhumi Airport officials accused of corruption after seized belonging sold online
Airport denies wrongdoing, citing transparent donation process for seized items
A Thai woman accused officials at Suvarnabhumi International Airport of corruption after finding that her pocket knife, which was confiscated on August 25, was sold on Facebook.
Chongpriang Tainangam took to her Facebook account, demanding clarification from Suvarnabhumi Airport and the Airports of Thailand (AOT) regarding the sale of her seized knife. She discovered the item being sold on the Leatherman Thailand Club Facebook group, prompting suspicions of corruption.
Chongpriang explained yesterday, October 21, that she had brought the pocket knife with her on August 25, but it was confiscated for violating airport safety regulations. She said she understood the rule and cooperated fully with the airport officials at the time.
However, she later found an almost identical knife listed for sale on the online group. By the time she saw the post, the item had already been sold.
Chongpriang contacted the Facebook user who had posted the sale, informing the person that the knife belonged to her. The user reportedly told her to purchase it if she wanted it back.
Chongpriang said she had no desire to reclaim the knife but wanted to know how the seller had obtained confiscated property from the airport.
Suspecting corruption, she contacted AOT to report the issue, but was advised to submit a complaint to the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) instead. PACC officials informed her they would open an investigation and provide an update within one to two weeks.
Chongpriang stressed that the matter should be resolved transparently, as other passengers might have had expensive or collectable items confiscated and potentially resold.
Today, October 22, Suvarnabhumi Airport issued a statement via its official Facebook page to clarify the issue. The airport explained that passengers are given options regarding prohibited items. They may send them home by post, store them in the aircraft’s cargo, or abandon them in designated boxes.
According to the statement, Chongpriang chose to abandon her knife, which was then stored safely. Once the storage period expires, such items are destroyed, or, if requested, donated to government agencies, schools, or public organisations. The airport insisted that this process is fully transparent and accountable.
The statement added that items seized between August and September were donated to seven organisations that had submitted requests. However, to prevent future complications, the airport suspends all donations of seized items and will instead destroy them appropriately.
Despite the clarification, Chongpriang remained sceptic and urged the airport to publicly present evidence of the alleged donations. She also appealed to the public and media agencies to help monitor the case for the sake of transparency and public trust.
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