Thai doctor catches Chinese thief, stealing on Udon Thani-Bangkok flight
A Thai doctor chased down and detained a Chinese man who stole 200,000 baht in cash during a Thai Airways flight from Udon Thani to Bangkok on Friday, March 13.
In a Facebook post, the doctor said the incident occurred on a Thai Airways flight from Udon Thani province to Suvarnabhumi International Airport. He said the plane departed Udon Thani at about 3.45pm and that he was seated next to the Chinese suspect.
The doctor said he had visited his clinic in Udon Thani and was carrying cash from the clinic to Bangkok. He said he kept the money in his bag and placed it in the overhead storage compartment.
According to the doctor, the flight lasted about one hour, during which the Chinese man went to the toilet frequently, which raised his suspicions. After landing, the doctor said the Chinese man appeared to be in a hurry and rushed off the aircraft.
The doctor said he then checked his cash and discovered it was missing. He believed the Chinese passenger was responsible and asked the cabin crew for help, but was told to report the matter to ground staff instead.
He said he ran to ground officers and reported his suspicions. The doctor claimed officers told him to chase the man and stop him while they contacted security guards and other relevant officials.
The doctor said he ran after the Chinese man and managed to stop him. The suspect appeared shocked and returned the cash. The doctor said he still refused to let him leave and shouted “Thief, thief, thief!” to draw the attention of nearby officials.
More officers arrived and restrained the man before taking him to Suvarnabhumi Police Station. He said he spent more than three hours at the police station to pursue legal action because he did not want the suspect to escape.
The doctor said a foreign couple on the same flight later reported a theft to the airline, and also suspected the same Chinese man.
A search of the suspect’s bag reportedly uncovered significant amounts of euros and Middle Eastern currency, though the missing funds belonging to the tourists were not found. The doctor said police suspected the Chinese man may have acted as part of a gang, and that another person could have taken the couple’s money.
The doctor said police told him similar cases had occurred on flights before, but many victims only realised money was missing hours later, allowing suspects to get away.
He said the Chinese suspect remained detained at the police station while legal proceedings continued. The doctor did not state what charges or penalties police may pursue.
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