A baggage-screening worker at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport has been suspended for failing to search a bag that turned out to be filled with smuggled animals, some of which got loose and caused chaos on a VietJet flight from Bangkok to Taipei.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, 4 October, when two foreigners carried a suspicious bag past the X-ray screening unit. Chaos ensued on VietJet Air flight VZ564 (Airbus A321 reg. HS-VKG) as some animals got loose, with a passenger noticing a rat shortly after takeoff. Cabin staff managed to catch the rat, and a subsequent search revealed a black tote bag containing various animals, including 20 Burmese star tortoises, a snake, and two otters.
The bag owner was questioned by Taiwanese police and could face a fine of up to 1.15 million baht (€30,000). The negligent baggage screener worked for AOT Aviation Security Co, a subsidiary of Airports of Thailand Plc, which operates Suvarnabhumi airport.
Source: Bangkok Post
