Thai Lion Air seeks THB2 million compensation from flirty bomb joker
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Morning News

BANGKOK: -- Thai Lion Air is preparing to sue a passenger for compensation of at least THB2 million after he made an ill-advised bomb joke to flirt with a flight attendant, causing a six-hour delay at Don Mueang Airport on Sunday.

Aswin Yangkeeratiworn, CEO of Thai Lion Air, said yesterday the airline is preparing to sue Pichit Boondaeng, the State Railway of Thailand employee who said he had a bomb in his bag, prompting the airline to evacuate the plane, deploy bomb disposal officers and inspect all bags.

Flight SL8536, leaving Bangkok to Hat Yai, was reportedly delayed for six hours and Pichit has been charged with communicating false information, thereby endangering the safety of an aircraft.

The train employee faces a maximum five-year jail term and THB200,000 fine.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/11/04/lion-air-ceo-seeks-thb2-million-compensation-flirty-bomb-joker


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-11-04

The price of stupidity...

Seems quite harsh and totally out of balance when compared with the rest of the sh t going on in Thailand.

Edited November 4, 201510 yr by ParadiseLost

I'd drop the criminal and civil charges against him. However, he should be fired by SRT. He obviously shouldn't be employed in the public transportation business.

I feel sorry for the kid. I was on a flight to the US about 5 months after 9/11 from Thailand and this Muslim man in front of me checking in. Had no check in or carry on baggage and no one said a damn thing about it.

I was to come to thailand from Seattle the friday after 911 by flight was cancelled I left a week later. i always used to come to Thailand with a small carry on with basic toiletries and 3 changes of clothes. I would buy clothes on the holiday and fill a suitcase to go back. So any ways when I go to check in at Seattle the immigration officer was shocked to see I only had a carry on and my return ticket was dated for me to return in 2 months.The guy wouldnot let me go he kept searching his computer for anything he could find maybe about me or a rule he could use to detain me. He did this for 10 minutes.Finally I ask can I go now he looked at me with desperate look on his face and said go ahead. I was really pissed about 911 I lost a week of holidays in thailand and no reinbursement.

500 baht for beating the crap out of someone with a tire iron.

Probation for running over and killing half a dozen folk on the freeway.

2 Million baht for making an ill advised joke.

What's wrong with that picture?

Edited November 4, 201510 yr by impulse

Just fine him for stupidity.

Seems like seeking compensation for the airline's loss is reasonable on the face of it. In what way did he actually endanger the safety of an aircraft?

Now there's a good reason to learn English. Then he would have known the original phrase is "gun in my pocket" and not get lost in translation.

Seems like seeking compensation for the airline's loss is reasonable on the face of it. In what way did he actually endanger the safety of an aircraft?

The world over.....You say......BOMB........The same thing will happen, evacuation of the plane.

I understand their response which was entirely correct, but now they are charging him with endangering the safety of an aircraft. Did the evacuation, of which he was the cause, endanger the aircraft? Since there was no bomb it would appear that the aircraft was never in any danger although a loss was indeed imposed on the airline by his stupid remark.

It's a danger to joke about bombs thesedays in any place but a plane that people are all strapped in their seats is one of the worst, scared people are unpredictable, they could have freaked out and injured the crew or someone could have had a heart attack etc

You just can't make these kind of jokes anymore in the terrorism world we live in thesedays , someone who works in the public transport sector especially should have been more careful but most Thais act first and think later /if ever

Lets get this in perspective here ........ they will sue .... the kid doesn't have 2000 baht let alone 2 mil ........

Lion Air won't get one satang from the kid as he has no money. Lion Air know that , they just want to make an example to show the press that they mean business on safety.

Kid will surely have been punished enough after this is over.

This isn't something new, it happened to a colleague of mine in SA back in 1980. Only difference was he joked with the check-in lady about the bomb in his carry-on bag. First time flying, missed international flight and banged up overnight, as I recall.

Shocking stupidity; but should that not be a valid defense? I have always maintained that for justice to be served, punishment should be based upon criminal intent. The guy did cause harm and damage, but that was not his intent. Two million baht is a lot of money to a person earning 10k per month. Community service would be more appropriate - if the concept even exists here...

Posts with profane content have been removed.

That man is no kid.

Should be hired by Thai Lion Air and work for the rest of his life to compensate the airline for his idiotic idea.

500 baht for beating the crap out of someone with a tire iron.

Probation for running over and killing half a dozen folk on the freeway.

2 Million baht for making an ill advised joke.

What's wrong with that picture?

Here's what's wrong with it, you made the first two statements up or at the very least quoted some supreme inaccuracy.

The 2m baht is not a fine, it's a figure quoted as a loss the airline suffered.

This isn't something new, it happened to a colleague of mine in SA back in 1980. Only difference was he joked with the check-in lady about the bomb in his carry-on bag. First time flying, missed international flight and banged up overnight, as I recall.

Shocking stupidity; but should that not be a valid defense? I have always maintained that for justice to be served, punishment should be based upon criminal intent. The guy did cause harm and damage, but that was not his intent. Two million baht is a lot of money to a person earning 10k per month. Community service would be more appropriate - if the concept even exists here...

2m baht isn't the punishment, it's a compensation claim for losses he caused. The punishment will be whatever the criminal court decides is appropriate in the circumstances in addition.

Seems like seeking compensation for the airline's loss is reasonable on the face of it. In what way did he actually endanger the safety of an aircraft?

The world over.....You say......BOMB........The same thing will happen, evacuation of the plane.

I understand their response which was entirely correct, but now they are charging him with endangering the safety of an aircraft. Did the evacuation, of which he was the cause, endanger the aircraft? Since there was no bomb it would appear that the aircraft was never in any danger although a loss was indeed imposed on the airline by his stupid remark.

Classic case of modern times over reaction. Use some common sense.

* What bomber will announce he is carrying a bomb

*His bags have to go through a checking process anyway

The guy could have been searched or stopped from flying. Why stop an entire flight?

Edited November 4, 201510 yr by BookMan

Some posters need to read the full link, including the stewardess's report of what happened.

Edited November 4, 201510 yr by Alration

Some posters need to read the full link, including the stewardess's report of what happened.

I just did, and you're right if that account is true, he appears to deserve much less sympathy. I guess he deserves a trial to determine what really happened.

Some posters need to read the full link, including the stewardess's report of what happened.

I just did, and you're right if that account is true, he appears to deserve much less sympathy. I guess he deserves a trial to determine what really happened.

I think he was referring to me and if true, it was way beyond a joke. He deserves to go to court.

It's a bit different to a another report I read.

Perhaps they need the 2,000,000 for new tyres and the like. The parent company has just about the worst record of any airline. I wouldn't set foot on one of their planes.

This boy has been silly but it's starting to look like a witch hunt now. He has been humiliated, is remorseful and should be fined a reasonable amount.

Did you hear the one about the guy with a bomb in his bag who tried to check into a flight? In his defence he said that he had read somewhere that the odds of getting on a flight that had a bomb on it was 10,000 : 1. So he had figured that the odds of there being two bombs on a flight must be astronomical. 555.

Just another example of how naive, ignorant, and non aware of the rest of the world that Thais can be. Does he not realize it's a crime to threaten others with a bomb? TIT. I think he should pay the 2,000,000 baht in damages, spend some time in jail, and perhaps all that will get the attention of others who think they are bring so funny, or trying to impress a flight attendant. Idiot!

Seems like seeking compensation for the airline's loss is reasonable on the face of it. In what way did he actually endanger the safety of an aircraft?

The world over.....You say......BOMB........The same thing will happen, evacuation of the plane.

I understand their response which was entirely correct, but now they are charging him with endangering the safety of an aircraft. Did the evacuation, of which he was the cause, endanger the aircraft? Since there was no bomb it would appear that the aircraft was never in any danger although a loss was indeed imposed on the airline by his stupid remark.

Classic case of modern times over reaction. Use some common sense.

* What bomber will announce he is carrying a bomb

*His bags have to go through a checking process anyway

The guy could have been searched or stopped from flying. Why stop an entire flight?

Would this be the most safe action that an airline could do in a situation such as this?

(In fact if they really did that, I would love to see the comments that would appear here!)

Seems like seeking compensation for the airline's loss is reasonable on the face of it. In what way did he actually endanger the safety of an aircraft?

You don't have a clue about life I think....

He has the sort of face that says, '' Put me down''. No vets ?

I feel sorry for the kid. I was on a flight to the US about 5 months after 9/11 from Thailand and this Muslim man in front of me checking in. Had no check in or carry on baggage and no one said a damn thing about it.

Did you also say nothing about it? If not, then you don't get to complain.

This isn't something new, it happened to a colleague of mine in SA back in 1980. Only difference was he joked with the check-in lady about the bomb in his carry-on bag. First time flying, missed international flight and banged up overnight, as I recall.

Shocking stupidity; but should that not be a valid defense? I have always maintained that for justice to be served, punishment should be based upon criminal intent. The guy did cause harm and damage, but that was not his intent. Two million baht is a lot of money to a person earning 10k per month. Community service would be more appropriate - if the concept even exists here...

What ever the "intent" I think the culprit's punishment should be based upon the damage done. If you unintentionally cause a car accident, do you think you shouldn't be liable for any damages?

I wonder if because he works in mass transport that he foolishly considered the flight attendant a peer, so I'm guessing maybe he jokes around with his actual co-workers that way just for fun.

This isn't something new, it happened to a colleague of mine in SA back in 1980. Only difference was he joked with the check-in lady about the bomb in his carry-on bag. First time flying, missed international flight and banged up overnight, as I recall.

Shocking stupidity; but should that not be a valid defense? I have always maintained that for justice to be served, punishment should be based upon criminal intent. The guy did cause harm and damage, but that was not his intent. Two million baht is a lot of money to a person earning 10k per month. Community service would be more appropriate - if the concept even exists here...

What ever the "intent" I think the culprit's punishment should be based upon the damage done. If you unintentionally cause a car accident, do you think you shouldn't be liable for any damages?

Thats why car insurance is mandatory in most countries.

Perhaps insurance companies could offer stupidity cover?