BANGKOK, Oct 2 — The board of Thai Airways has taken action against chief executive Chai Eamsiri over the flag carrier's response to a flood crisis in Bangkok, with local media outlets reporting both his suspension and his dismissal today.
Reuters could not immediately verify the information, and Thai Airways did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.
The airline had been forced to cancel dozens of flights this week and suspend its cargo operations, partly due to issues with its employees being unable to get to work when the floods hit last week.
Disruption to its operations at the main Suvarnabhumi Airport included huge baggage delays that required assistance from the Air Force to clear.
Bangkok was declared a disaster-affected zone at the weekend after receiving 320mm of rain over three days, as much as it typically receives in all of September.
News outlets Matichon, Mitihoon, Daily News, and Post Today reported that Chai had been dismissed by the board, while Thansettakij and Money Channel said he had been suspended from duty.
As of June 30, the airline operated 84 aircraft covering 61 destinations in 27 countries.
In 2020, Thai Airways entered bankruptcy-protected restructuring, cut its workforce by half and trimmed its fleet, but later mounted a financial turnaround. Its shares resumed trading on the stock market in August after it exited its debt restructuring programme.
