Police temporarily detained a Polish woman at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand on Thursday for allegedly making a false bomb threat during a Thai Vietjet flight from Da Nang City, central Vietnam to Bangkok, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The VZ961 flight, operated by Thai Vietjet – a joint venture between Vietnamese budget carrier Vietjet and Thailand’s Kan Air, was carrying 121 people, including one infant and six crew members, on Thursday when the bomb threat was made.

The security center of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok was alerted to the safety incident on the flight at 2:18 pm on the same day, Kittipong Kittikachorn, the airport's general manager reported.

According to the Bangkok Post, immediately after the plane landed, the Polish woman who had allegedly made the bomb threat was taken to Suvarnabhumi police station for questioning.

Security, medical, firefighting, and rescue teams were promptly deployed to the plane, which was asked to move to an isolated parking location, under an emergency response plan. 

Security officers searched all passengers and their hand luggage while an explosive ordnance disposal team inspected all checked baggage and the aircraft but they found no explosives or suspicious objects.

The airport authority then concluded that the bomb threat was false and lifted the emergency response plan at 4:30 pm that afternoon.

The bomb hoax did not affect the operation of the airport, while all passengers conducted their check-in procedures normally. 

The woman was not preparing to commit sabotage or plant a bomb, but she had used ‘prohibited words’ while onboard the aircraft without malicious intent, Bangkok Post cited Thai authorities as commenting.

As Thai Vietjet said it did not intend to prosecute the woman, Thai officials were preparing to send her back to Poland on Thursday night.

A Vietjet representative affirmed that the airline’s operations always comply with strict safety regulations in line with international standards, and that any acts causing panic to passengers or affecting operations of airlines would be penalized as prescribed by law.

According to Thailand’s law on offenses against air navigation, anyone who deliberately communicates false information causing panic on an aircraft in-flight is subject to imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of 200,000 Thai baht (US$6,170) if convicted.

In particular, if such actions endanger the safety of an aircraft in-flight, convicted violators will face sentences of five to 15 years in jail and/or a fine of up to 600,000 baht ($18,500).

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