THAILAND: Canadian charged for trying to open plane door on runway

Thai police said Friday they have charged a Canadian who tried to open the door of an aircraft as it was waiting to take off claiming someone was trying to kill him.

The 40-year-old attempted to open the emergency exit on a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok from the northern town of Chiang Mai on Wednesday.

The incident caused delays to more than a dozen flights, police said.

“He was charged with two counts — causing harm to others in the aircraft and not following aircraft staff instructions,” Nattawut Noisorn, deputy chief of investigation at Phu Ping Ratchaniwet police station, told AFP.

“He told us he opened the door because someone in the plane tried to kill him. He was very panicked.”