CCTV captured the moment a crafty thief stole a passenger's purse when it was accidentally dropped in an airport queue.

Holidaymaker Aileen Bualakorn Phang was waiting at a currency exchange counter at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand last Friday (10/01) afternoon when her husband dropped her purse.

The moment it hit the ground, a man in front of her husband kicked it away before casually walking over and picking it up himself.

Aileen noticed the missing wallet and complained to the police but they said they need the CCTV footage so she went back to the shop and asked for it.

The distraught tourist said there was cash and a gold chain she had bought for her daughter in the wallet.

She said: "I went to the police straight away but they told me they need CCTV footage otherwise they could not start the investigation.

"I rushed back to the shop and asked for the CCTV footage. By the time I gave it to the police, the time was running out so I left them with the case and boarded my plane."

Aairport boss Kittipong Kittikajorn said the currency counter was at the airport's adjoining rail link, which was outside their responsibility, but they will still investigate the theft.

He said: "The wallet was stolen at the airport link station which is outside of our responsibility but we will offer them our help to find the thief as quickly as possible."

Kittipong said police are now waiting for the CCTV from the airport link station so they can use it to track the thief's footsteps after he left.