A Thai woman has shared a disturbing account of allegedly being sexually assaulted by a fellow passenger during a flight from Italy to Thailand, prompting police action upon the aircraft’s arrival in Bangkok.
The woman, identified as Beaut Aornnicha, recounted the incident in a Facebook post on Aug. 3, saying she was travelling home with her four-year-old daughter on a flydubai flight when the alleged assault took place.
Her post has since attracted widespread attention online, with many expressing shock and urging airlines to continue strengthening passenger safety measures.
Woman says she woke to find her trousers damp
According to Beaut, the male passenger seated beside her began behaving strangely shortly after take-off by repeatedly resting his arm across her seating area, making her feel uncomfortable.
As the flight continued, she and her young daughter eventually fell asleep.
She later claimed she felt a hand touching the right side of her lower body while she was asleep. At the time, she was unsure whether she had imagined it, but later noticed that the area of her trousers felt damp.
Beaut said she also noticed the man repeatedly staring at her during the flight. She further alleged that he reached across to interfere with the entertainment screen in front of her seat, making her feel increasingly uneasy.
Cabin crew alerted after landing
After the aircraft landed in Thailand, Beaut immediately informed cabin crew about what had happened.
According to her account, the man admitted to his actions, broke down in tears and apologised. However, she refused to accept the apology.
She also claimed a member of the airline’s staff later informed her that there appeared to be semen stains on her trousers, leaving her shocked by the extent of the alleged incident.
Police subsequently detained the passenger for further investigation.
Beaut explained that she had taken sleeping medication during the flight to help adjust to the time difference, which she believes prevented her from fully realising what had happened while she was asleep.
Victim urges travellers to stay alert
The case was reportedly handed over to Thailand’s Tourist Police, investigating officers and immigration authorities for further action.
Although she frequently travels overseas, Beaut said she had never experienced anything similar before.
She urged others to remain vigilant when travelling, especially when seated next to strangers on long-haul flights.
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” she wrote, encouraging people to share her experience to raise awareness.
Authorities have not publicly announced the outcome of the investigation at the time of writing.