An Iranian woman en route to Britain was arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday afternoon for using a fake UK passport to enter Thailand.
Immigration police detained Darya Sheida, 26, an Iranian national, at the passenger terminal while she was waiting to board a flight to the UK. She had just arrived from Phuket on flight PG270.
Pol Col Jitti Samthong, superintendent for investigation of Immigration Bureau division 2, said a close watch had been kept on a tourist who used a UK passport in the name of Mary Catherine Newland to enter Thailand through Phuket on Jan 24.
When she arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday, immigration police took her in for questioning.
The woman confessed she was an Iranian national travelling on a fake UK passport. She had travelled from Tehran to a country in eastern Europe, where she bought a forged passport for US$1,300 (about 40,300 baht) and then took a flight to Thailand.
She also had a genuine Iranian passport in her possession.
Ms Sheida was charged with unlawfully using a passport issued in the name of another person in a way that might cause damage to other people, and giving false information to officials.
She was held in custody at Suvarnabhumi airport police station for legal action.
Ms Darya Sheida, 26, an Iranian national, is quesioned by immigration police at Suvarnabhumi airport.(Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)