Man opens emergency exit on Chiang Mai to Bangkok flight

PHOTOS: Sanook.com

A Thai Smile flight, due to leave Chiang Mai airport for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, had to be delayed for hours after a foreigner opened one of the emergency exits as the flight was about to take off.

Thai Smile are the low-cost subsidiary of Thai Airways.

Thai Residents reports that the incident took place on board flight Thai Smile flight WE169 on Wednesday after the doors had closed, the crew were preparing for departure and the plane had already started taxiing for take off.

A man, whose name and nationality have not been reported, ran from his seat and opened the left-hand over-wing exit, causing the door to open and fall on the wing. The inflatable slide was also reportedly deployed.

The captain stopped the plane as it taxied on the runway and notified airport officials, with the passenger having to be dragged from the aircraft by security officials.

The plane was carrying 86 passengers and was subsequently delayed for several hours while the aircraft was checked by security personnel. The flight eventually took off late at 5 pm.

Thai Smile has not provided any further information on the passenger, other than he was a foreign national. His reasons for opening the exit door are unclear.

SOURCE: Thai Residents