Voting on plan to hire 2 new rehab managers for THAI postponed
The airline’s labour union has been fighting the addition of government officials, saying this would open the door to political interference
Voting on a proposed amendment to Thai Airways International's (THAI) business rehabilitation plan was postponed on Friday amid ongoing disputes over the addition of two new plan managers.
It is widely believed that the presence of officials from the Finance and Transport ministries would increase the government’s control over the airline.
The voting was postponed after members of the THAI labour union gathered to hold a peaceful protest against the plan at the company’s headquarters, where the meeting with the airline’s creditors was being held.
The two new proposed managers are Polchak Nimwatana, deputy director of the Finance Ministry’s State Enterprise Policy Office, and Panya Chupanich, director of the Transport Ministry’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.
The THAI labour union claims that the presence of the new plan managers could lead to political interference, potentially compromising the airline’s independence and competitiveness.
Apart from adding the two new plan managers, a source from the airline told Krungthep Turakij that the meeting also proposed reducing the par value of THAI’s shares to cover the accumulated loss of around 60 billion baht and consideration of the advance repayment of the airline’s debts.
“Some creditors asked for the postponement of votes to add two new plan managers, saying this proposal had been submitted at the last minute on Monday,” the source said.
Voting on the three proposals has been postponed to November 29, a source said.
