A Chinese man was arrested for allegedly stealing close to 500,000 baht from a Thai passenger on an Emirates plane before it landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday.
Tourist police arrested Sheng Wan, from the central Chinese province of Henan, at Gate E4 of Concourse E shortly after Emirates flight EK384, on which he had travelled, landed at 1.40pm.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakphan, commander of the Tourist Police Division, said airport officials were informed about the theft by Emirates staff about an hour before the plane landed. It was to leave for Hong Kong later in the afternoon.
According to Emirates employees, Sunan Witham, a Thai passenger, told a flight attendant her 110,000 Swedish krona in cash -- worth about 470,000 baht -- went missing from her bag placed in an overhead compartment. She suspected Sheng Wan of stealing her cash as she spotted him opening the compartment before the money vanished, Pol Maj Gen Surachet explained.
The crew conducting a search found all of Ms Sunan’s 220 banknotes hidden under Mr Sheng’s seat and reported the incident to tourist police at the Bangkok airport.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet said the Chinese national tried to offer 50,000 baht as a bribe to the officers arresting him in exchange for his immediate release. Instead of facing only a theft charge, police slapped him with an extra charge of bribery.