A Frankfurt-bound Thai Airways International flight discharged fuel shortly after takeoff and returned to land at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan due to a technical issue on Sunday afternoon.
The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER, departed from Bangkok's main international airport at 12.25pm, with a scheduled arrival in Frankfurt at 9pm local time.
However, many people in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok, saw the TG 922 flight circling and discharging fuel, leaving long white trails behind the aircraft.
Eyewitnesses recorded the circling and fuel discharge on their mobile phones, with some reports indicating the plane circled three to six times.
According to sources, the plane returned to land at Suvarnabhumi at 2.12pm, as the cover of a main gear did not close fully. The aircraft was parked at Bay 120 for maintenance.
It departed again at 3.20pm and was rescheduled to arrive in Frankfurt at 9.56pm.
