A Thai military personnel member was restrained during a flight from Malaysia to Bangkok after reportedly becoming disruptive shortly after take-off.
Thailand’s Defence Ministry later confirmed that the passenger was serving under the Office of Defence Policy and Planning and said he was already receiving treatment for a mental health condition. The ministry said the condition was linked to personal circumstances and unexpectedly surfaced while he was travelling.
Footage of the incident circulated on social media after being shared by the Facebook page Social Hunter 2022. The video showed the man, wearing a white T-shirt, leaving his seat and repeatedly demanding that the aircraft stop.
Cabin crew and passengers intervene
Flight attendants initially attempted to calm the passenger and persuade him to return to his seat. However, he reportedly resisted their efforts and continued behaving disruptively.
As the situation escalated, a flight attendant and several passengers intervened and restrained him. He was eventually secured to his seat after continuing to resist attempts to calm him.
The man could reportedly be heard repeatedly saying that he needed to get off the aircraft, while also using vulgar language during the incident.
According to Amarin TV, the passenger’s behaviour became increasingly aggressive shortly after the aircraft departed Malaysia. The disturbance reportedly continued for part of the journey before he was brought under control.
Defence Ministry confirms passenger was military personnel
The incident attracted considerable attention online, with Thai social media users circulating claims that the passenger was a serving soldier. These claims were initially unverified.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Surasan Kongsiri subsequently confirmed that the man was a military personnel member attached to the Office of Defence Policy and Planning.
Surasan explained that the passenger had an existing mental health condition and was already undergoing treatment. According to the spokesperson, the condition was associated with personal issues and unexpectedly manifested during the flight.
Following the incident, the Defence Ministry arranged for the passenger to receive further medical care at Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok.
Authorities have not released the man’s identity or provided further personal details.
The incident adds to a series of recent cases involving disruptive behaviour on commercial flights, highlighting the challenges faced by cabin crew when passengers become distressed or behave unpredictably during a flight.
For airlines, maintaining passenger safety during such incidents can require crew members and fellow travellers to intervene quickly, particularly when a disruptive passenger refuses repeated requests to remain seated.