A man believed to be high on drugs sneaked through a gate and onto the aircraft apron at Suvarnabhumi airport, causing 10 minutes of havoc on Tuesday.

He was chased down and arrested by security guards, and is facing serious charges.

Suvarnabhumi 's general manager said that at 11.53am on Tuesday a man was spotted riding on a motorcycle in the restricted apron area. He had slipped through a gate for officials working at the airport as a pickup truck was entering.

The man, later identified as Vachara Khambut, 34, pointed a handgun and ordered the guards to step back while driving towards the airport apron.

The airport's security centre was alerted and monitored the man's movements with CCTV. They showed the man running wildly around near aircraft parking bay No 101, carrying a steel axe.

Airport security guards were sent to catch him.

They were able to arrest him at 12.03pm as he was trying to enter a passenger building after climbing up a ladder onto the walking bridge of Gate 3A and smashing a glass door.

Guards took from him a a steel axe about 50 centimetres long, a replica handgun, a pair of scissors and a methamphetamine pill in a plastic box.

The man was slightly injured by broken glass while smashing a door to enter the passenger building. Some security guards also sustained minor injuries.

Asked why security authorities did not use weapons to stop the intruder, the manager said: "Using arms during an operation is a last resort, for the safety of air travellers. An arrest is a priority for security authorites."

The incident was captured on video and the clip went viral on social media on Tuesday.

The man was detained at Suvarnabhumi police station.

Video by Wor.eye.hnee via สมุทรปราการบ้านเรา Facebook account