BANGKOK — Police refused to identify two women accused of breaching the restricted area of a Bangkok airport although both have now turned themselves in.
For the incident at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the pair has been charged with intrusion into a secure airport area, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail. Unlike nearly every other criminal case, police would not disclose their identities.
“You must ask my commander,” Suvarnabhumi police station chief Viroj Tudso said in an interview. “My station has been ordered not to give news about this.”
“Please ask the station chief about this,” Viroj’s boss, Samut Prakan police chief Thammanoon Traitippayapong said minutes later. “I don’t have the details in my hands.”
But an internal police document seen by Khaosod English identified them as Sujinna Wongweerawattanakul, 38, and Thitapa Tubtim, 25.
Sujinna and Thitapa raised a furor after they allegedly impersonated custom officials to make their way to the baggage claim area to intercept Korean drama star Lee Jong-suk up close as he arrived last week. The intrusion might have gone unnoticed if one of them wouldn’t have later bragged about the scheme on Instagram.
Media reports said the pair surrendered to police yesterday. Viroj said the two were freed without posting bail after they heard the charges pressed against them.
“They came to see us on their own. They had no intention to flee,” the police colonel said. “We had no right to detain them.”
They are believed to have been aided by a customs employee who loaned them uniforms. One customs official, named in a police document as Suwat Srichan-in, also faces charges for allegedly stealing a security pass from a colleague and giving it to the pair.
