Chinese man accused of smashing passport auto-gates at Suvarnabhumi

Investigators at Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station on Thursday received a report that a Chinese man had allegedly damaged government property and insulted officers inside the outbound immigration area, Zone 2, at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The incident took place at around 2.35pm on May 13, 2026.

Pol Capt Saranwit Kaewkhoto, the immigration police officer who filed the complaint, said that while he was on duty at the automatic passport control point, known as the Immigration Auto Gate or Automatic Border Channel, a Chinese man identified as Mr Zheng allegedly damaged two automatic passport inspection machines, numbered DAE01 and DAE06.

The man then allegedly walked through the checkpoint without permission from officers.

After the incident, he allegedly pointed at police officers and shouted insults at them in Chinese. The remarks were said to include an abusive phrase meaning “your mother is dead” in Thai, along with several other swear words.

He also allegedly attempted to assault officers while they were performing their duties, but his wife intervened and pulled him back in time.

Police said the behaviour was considered to constitute insulting officers while they were on duty, as well as damaging government property. A complaint was therefore filed so that legal action could be pursued to the fullest extent.

An initial inspection found that the damaged automatic passport inspection machines had sustained serious damage. The preliminary estimate of the damage was around 481,500 baht, excluding value-added tax.

Officers have gathered evidence and are proceeding with the case under legal procedures.