BANGKOK, Feb 9 — Thai police said today 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.”

Police are investigating whether he had used any substances before boarding the plane or was suffering any mental illnesses.

Watcharapon Pethsurp, who was on the flight, described the drama.

"I was sitting at the back of the aircraft and I heard a strong wind and shouting from the front part. It was chaotic,” he told AFP.

"The man was shouting saying a man in a black outfit was trying to kill him.”

After the incident, Thai Airways released a statement saying the flight took off more than three hours later than the scheduled time. — AFP