Flight fright: Polish woman grounded after bomb threat in Bangkok

Police arrested a Polish woman at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok yesterday after sparking chaos mid-flight by making a bomb threat aboard a Thai Vietjet flight from Vietnam.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Security Centre received a notification at 2.18pm, yesterday, September 26, from the Air Traffic Control Centre that the Polish woman, later identified as Myrcik Malgoezata Ewelina, claimed she was carrying a bomb and threatened to blow up Thai Vietjet plan.

The incident occurred on Thai Vietjet flight VZ961, travelling from Da Nang, Vietnam, to Bangkok via Suvarnabhumi Airport. The plane was carrying 121 passengers, including a baby, and six crew members.

Upon arrival at the airport, the plane was directed to park in an isolated aircraft parking area on the eastern side of the airport. Ewelina was held under control by the cabin crew and airport officers, while the other passengers were transferred to the Fire and Rescue Station.

Officers from Suvarnabhumi Police Station conducted thorough searches of each passenger, their luggage, and personal belongings but found no suspicious items. No dangerous items were discovered in Ewelina’s possession either.

The investigation concluded at approximately 4.31pm, and the remaining passengers, who were not involved, were processed through normal arrival procedures. The airport confirmed that the incident did not disrupt any services or flights.

Ewelina remains in police custody for questioning. The motive behind her actions and further details of the interrogation have not yet been made public.

Ewelina is expected to be charged under Section 22 of the Act on Certain Offences Against Air Navigation, for spreading false information that causes panic during air travel. The penalty is imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both.

If her actions are found to have affected the safety of the aircraft, she could face imprisonment of five to 15 years, a fine ranging from 200,000 to 600,000 baht, or both.