Chinese police have detained a man over the weekend for smoking on a Thai AirAsia flight from Bangkok.

The man, a 54-year-old Chinese national surnamed Wang, was apprehended upon arrival of the flight FD568 in Hangzhou City, eastern Zhejiang Province Saturday night.

Wang admitted that he smoked in the toilet while the aircraft was in air. A cabin attendant smelt the smoke and reported him to the captain, who alerted the airport police in Hangzhou.

Wang was punished to spend five days in detention for disturbing the order of public transport.

China has more than 300 million smokers. There have been reports of Chinese on long-haul flights succumbing to urge to smoke.

Police warned that people who smoke in flight can be fined up to 5,000 yuan (735 U.S. dollars) and face detention.