Swedish Man Sparks Airport Bomb Alert with Unclaimed Luggage

[webfact]

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

A Swedish man inadvertently caused a security scare at Udon Thani airport by leaving a suitcase containing explosive ingredients. Authorities quickly apprehended him at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

On 17th April, Udon Thani International Airport officials were alerted by 58-year-old Swedish passenger Mr Erik, who boarded an Air Asia flight to Suvarnabhumi but left a suitcase behind. Initial checks on the suitcase detected suspicious materials, prompting a coordinated response from related authorities.

 

Officials reached out to Udon Thani police, Air Force units, and immigration officers for assistance. The unclaimed suitcase was found at Terminal 2.

 

Surveillance footage identified it as belonging to the Swedish passenger already en route to Bangkok. When contacted, Mr Erik was uncooperative, resulting in his temporary detention for investigation.

 

 

 

Advanced detection equipment screened the suitcase, revealing traces of triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a potential explosive precursor. Security measures, including deploying K9 units and bomb containment units, were implemented as a precaution. The airport was temporarily closed for safety while operations ensured no passengers were endangered.

 

EOD specialists from the Air Force took 30 minutes to confirm the absence of hazardous materials. Mr Erik later admitted the suitcase was his, packed by a friend, and contained used clothes and Thai herbs for personal use.

 

 

Upon inspection, the bag was found to contain only personal items and dried herbs like butterfly pea flowers and bael fruit.

 

Udon Thani airport director, Ms Thippawan, confirmed that standard international security protocols were followed using state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring passenger safety with minimal disruption.

 

She indicated the false alarm could stem from accidental chemical contamination, possibly from environments where explosives were handled or displayed.

 

Overall, the incident highlights the effectiveness of modern security measures and the importance of vigilance around suspicious items in airports.

 

 

Based on a story by Daily News

 

-- 2025-04-18

 

 

[bogozy]

Uncooperative.

Why?

 

[jwl53]

Just imagine the comments if this had been a English guy🤫

[ronster]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr Erik later admitted the suitcase was his, packed by a friend

??? I have never had anyone pack a case for me or know anyone that has had someone pack one for them . Why 🧐 

Why was he also uncooperative when contacted ?

[ChaiyaTH]

5 minutes ago, ronster said:

??? I have never had anyone pack a case for me or know anyone that has had someone pack one for them . Why 🧐 

Why was he also uncooperative when contacted ?

Most likely because they spoke fk all english, clearly it's a failure and BS from the Thai side, as it always is. They even try to say he would have maybe been in contact with an area that handles explosives, BS entirely, it was a false positive! They never admit their mistakes.

[hotchilli]

11 minutes ago, bogozy said:

Uncooperative.

Why?

 

Idiot

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, ronster said:

??? I have never had anyone pack a case for me or know anyone that has had someone pack one for them . Why 🧐 

Why was he also uncooperative when contacted ?

 

I suspect the possibility of mental issues....  he forgot his belongings at the airport, may for the same reasons someone else packed his items before travelling - this may also be why he was 'uncooperative', perhaps he was just struggling... 

 

Either way - good job on security services for identifying and dealing with an unattended piece of luggage... 

 

....BUT, they've overcooked it when stating that "state-of-the-art equipment" was used which identified 'Thai herbs' as an acetone peroxide explosive !!!...  Better safe than sorry of course.

 

 

 

 

 

[Photoguy21]

"She indicated the false alarm could stem from accidental chemical contamination, possibly from environments where explosives were handled or displayed" Where would a tourist gain access to such a site?

[ChaiyaTH]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

"She indicated the false alarm could stem from accidental chemical contamination, possibly from environments where explosives were handled or displayed" Where would a tourist gain access to such a site?

Nowhere, if that actually would have been the real truth, the country would now be looking for an active bomb maker. That is what makes this entire news article pathetic.

[Photoguy21]

7 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Nowhere, if that actually would have been the real truth, the country would now be looking for an active bomb maker. That is what makes this entire news article pathetic.

Exactly

[outsider]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Overall, the incident highlights the effectiveness of modern security measures and the importance of vigilance around suspicious items in airports.

 

The purpose of the whole article was in the last sentence

 

Sarcasm aside, I guess they do deserve the thumbs-up.

 

[mikeymike100]

"A Swedish man inadvertently caused a security scare at Udon Thani airport by leaving a suitcase containing explosive ingredients"

 

Then further down in the article...." Upon inspection, the bag was found to contain only personal items and dried herbs like butterfly pea flowers and bael fruit"

 

This is a mystery, why was the Swedish guy uncooperative and where did the explosive ingredients disappear to????

[ChaiyaTH]

The article title should have been: ''False positive test result done by Thai worker causes airport bomb alert with unclaimed luggage''. 

[Ben Zioner]

45 minutes ago, bogozy said:

Uncooperative.

Why?

 

Best guess would be that he didn't speak fluent Thai and these idiots were peed off that they couldn't find anything against him.

 

Remember this could happen to any of us.

[ChaiyaTH]

Just now, Ben Zioner said:

Best guess would be that he didn't speak fluent Thai and these idiots were peed off that they couldn't find anything against him.

 

Remember this could happen to any of us.

Yeah they clearly try to blame the foreigner as usual. Even he left his luggage, has nothing to do with any actions that followed nor the false positive result.

[Ben Zioner]

16 minutes ago, outsider said:

Sarcasm aside, I guess they do deserve the thumbs-up.

 

 

What for? for detecting explosives where there are dried flowers?

[ChaiyaTH]

1 minute ago, Ben Zioner said:

 

What for? for detecting explosives where there are dried flowers?

Maybe they were sold flower detectors by the Chinese when buying the machines in a government corrupted bid for 50 million :D

[LennyW]

46 minutes ago, bogozy said:

Uncooperative.

Why?

 

Maybe knowing that the cases were packed by somebody else, he could not be sure of the contents, and panicked when challenged by authorities!

[Grumpy one]

Were the old bomb detectors that failed to work years ago being used?    

[Joe Farang]

56 minutes ago, ronster said:

??? I have never had anyone pack a case for me or know anyone that has had someone pack one for them . Why 🧐 

Why was he also uncooperative when contacted ?

If going from Udon to BKK, then that might suggest he lives up country. This may also suggest that he has a Thai wife or Gf, who may have packed his suitcase.

[LeRoux]

1 hour ago, ronster said:

??? I have never had anyone pack a case for me or know anyone that has had someone pack one for them . Why 🧐 

Why was he also uncooperative when contacted ?

Always make sure that the man helping pack your supply of herbs washes his hands after constructing

Improvised Exploding Devices.

[simon43]

36 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Best guess would be that he didn't speak fluent Thai and these idiots were peed off that they couldn't find anything against him.

 

Remember this could happen to any of us.

No it couldn't!  Most people don't abandon suitcases at airports and most people would have cooperated with the security authorities...

[LeRoux]

43 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

"A Swedish man inadvertently caused a security scare at Udon Thani airport by leaving a suitcase containing explosive ingredients"

 

Then further down in the article...." Upon inspection, the bag was found to contain only personal items and dried herbs like butterfly pea flowers and bael fruit"

 

This is a mystery, why was the Swedish guy uncooperative and where did the explosive ingredients disappear to????

Maybe the bag had been used for delivering explosive ingredients to someone, leaving traces after delivery.

Using the same bag for the return trip?  Got caught by someone in the airport with a P.P.M. explosives inspection? (that is never used when you board the plane?) 🫢

(After all, Alfred Nobel is a Swedish Name.)🙂

[ChaiyaTH]

4 minutes ago, simon43 said:

No it couldn't!  Most people don't abandon suitcases at airports and most people would have cooperated with the security authorities...

Has nothing to do with their false positive test result + actions after. Could have been anyone's bag of a person they could not even call in the first place, within time. He would have even been mid-air during the time that they did those tests too. It's about the procedure, not the person.

[madone]

I love the signature AI spin at the end

 

Quote

Overall, the incident highlights the effectiveness of modern security measures and the importance of vigilance around suspicious items in airports.

 

Yeah, that's what it highlights

[wensiensheng]

47 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

"A Swedish man inadvertently caused a security scare at Udon Thani airport by leaving a suitcase containing explosive ingredients"

 

Then further down in the article...." Upon inspection, the bag was found to contain only personal items and dried herbs like butterfly pea flowers and bael fruit"

 

This is a mystery, why was the Swedish guy uncooperative and where did the explosive ingredients disappear to????

Don’t be silly. There never were any explosive ingredients. That was just faulty equipment used by the bomb squad, or someone didn’t know how to use it properly.

 

As to uncooperative. Imagine being accosted by a bunch of excited Thai policemen who think they have apprehended a master bomb maker/terrorist. I bet they slammed into him full speed accusing him of goodness knows what and like anyone else who is sensible, he kept his mouth shut while he worked out what the heck was happening.

[ChaiyaTH]

Just now, wensiensheng said:

Don’t be silly. There never were any explosive ingredients. That was just faulty equipment used by the bomb squad, or someone didn’t know how to use it properly.

 

As to uncooperative. Imagine being accosted by a bunch of excited Thai policemen who think they have apprehended a master bomb maker/terrorist. I bet they slammed into him full speed accusing him of goodness knows what and like anyone else who is sensible, he kept his mouth shut while he worked out what the heck was happening.

I would want a lawyer first too in that case.

[wensiensheng]

6 minutes ago, LeRoux said:

Maybe the bag had been used for delivering explosive ingredients to someone, leaving traces after delivery.

Using the same bag for the return trip?  Got caught by someone in the airport with a P.P.M. explosives inspection? (that is never used when you board the plane?) 🫢

(After all, Alfred Nobel is a Swedish Name.)🙂

Maybe he forgot his bag ( abandon seems over the top) and there never was any explosive ingredients in the first place. Just faulty scanning equipment.

 

i know which I think is more likely, your John Le Carre theory, or a cock up by the police.

[ChaiyaTH]

He will have a great story at the bars now though lol.

[wensiensheng]

8 minutes ago, simon43 said:

No it couldn't!  Most people don't abandon suitcases at airports and most people would have cooperated with the security authorities...

Abandon? Or forgot?

 

Who says he was uncooperative? Oh right, the authorities. Uncooperative because he didn’t immediately confess to being a terrorist? Or because he kept his mouth shut and wanted a lawyer?