Thaworn to meet top THAI execs to discuss airline's future
Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senniam will convene a meeting with Thai Airways International (THAI) on October 10 to look for ways to clear the national carrier’s accumulated losses.
The minister, who will be meeting the airline’s chairman Ekniti Nitithanprapas and some top executives, said they will discuss the THAI’s existing rehabilitation plan, which he doesn’t believe will help the carrier make a turnaround.
Thaworn said this rehabilitation plan has been implemented for a while now, but there is still no sign of the losses easing.
In fact, he said, he is worried THAI will experience a loss of Bt10 billion this year.
Hence, he believes THAI will first have to revise the rehab plan and come up with a revised version within three months.
If the airline insists on using the existing plan, related persons will have to be responsible if something goes wrong with THAI in the future, he said.
Separately, Thaworn said the budget carrier Thai AirAsia is seeking government support in many areas, including getting airports to adopt a facial-recognition system for check in and the expansion of runways at the Mae Sot and Betong airports.
Thaworn said he has already set up a public-private panel to study the possibility of introducing a facial-recognition based check-in system and expects a report on this by the end of the month. The time period for the study will be extended by 15 days if it’s not ready and the system can be tested at one airport within this year.
