The captain of a Thai Lion Air flight scheduled to leave Don Mueang airport for Hat Yai on Sunday afternoon grounded the plane after a passenger reportedly joked about a bomb hidden in a case.
Pol Col Surachet Bandit, chief of Don Muang Police Station, said the incident occurred at 2.30pm at Gate 44 when an air hostess was helping passengers to place their luggage in the overhead lockers. A man in his 20s told the flight attendant to be careful as there might be a bomb hidden in a case.
The flight attendant reported the incident to the captain who cancelled the flight and ordered all passengers to leave the aircraft immediately.
Pol Lt Tossaporn Dudong, a duty officer at a Don Muang police substation, later identified the man as Pichit Boondaeng, 23.
He said Mr Pichit only intended to tease a female crew member about a bomb and authorities had not found any explosive device in any of the cases.
Mr Pichit has been charged with reporting false information causing alarm within an aircraft. The charge carries a maximum of five years in jail or a fine of 200,000 baht or both.
Pol Lt Tossaporn said he would look into charges against Mr Pichit again as questioning was continuing.
The airline asked Pol Lt Tossaporn to put the incident in the daily record and is preparing to sue Mr Pichit in the Civil Court for causing damage caused by the cancellation of the flight.