A Malaysia Airlines aircraft taking off. Photo: AFP
On Thursday someone bought two airline tickets in Pattaya using two passports stolen from foreign nationals in Phuket.
Two days later, Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 vanished, creating a mystery regarding its fate compounded by the presence of two passengers who reportedly used those passports to board the flight.
Now as Malaysian authorities and the FBI are investigating the possibility the case has a terror link, Thai police told AFP they are investigating Phuket’s passport racket, where passports from the Austrian and Italian used on the flight were stolen from last year and in 2012.
Foreign embassies have reported although many passports are lost in the Phuket area, an alarming number are stolen as well.
Italian national Luigi Maraldi, who was back in Phuket this past weekend, telephoned his father to let him know he was safe after he saw his name in early news reports. Christian Kozel of Austria’s passport was reportedly stolen in 2012.
