‘Chauffeur for diplomats’ arrested at airport for stealing military bus
A man believed to be suffering from drug-induced mental illness was arrested on Friday night after stealing a bus from a Royal Thai Armed Forces compound in eastern Bangkok and driving it to Suvarnabhumi International Airport where he told airport staff that he was picking up diplomats arriving on a flight from an unknown country.
Police identified the suspect as Sarawut Thepsila, 35. He was apprehended by airport security officials after parking the stolen bus in an area where parking was prohibited and quarreling with airport officials at Gate 10 at about 11pm, they said.
He told airport security that he was waiting to pick up diplomats from a country he did not identify. He was unable to provide details of the flight they were arriving on, police said.
Airport security subsequently handed him over to police.
Earlier Friday night, members of the Support Services Department of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, filed a complaint at Romklao police station saying a Hino bus that had been parked inside a military housing compound in Lat Krabang district had disappeared.
Police reviewed security camera footage in the area and found that the bus had been driven out of the compound around noon on Friday.
Sarawut told police that while he walked past the bus he saw its door was open and its keys were near the driver’s seat. He interpreted this as an invitation to drive it away.
Police said the suspect was previously arrested on drug-related charges six times.
