Thai Airways CEO ousted over flood mishaps

The board of directors of Thai Airways International Public Co Ltd on Friday dismissed Chief Executive Officer Chai Eamsiri following the widespread mismanagement of flight schedules and severe baggage backlogs during heavy flooding in the capital that started Sep 25.

The board cited persistent operational failures—ranging from extensive flight delays and baggage handling chaos to broader ground service breakdowns—as the rationale for Mr Chai's termination, noting that the issues have sparked a formal inquiry into the accountability of senior executive management.

Led by Chairman Lavaron Sangsnit, the board resolved to appoint Samrit Samniang as full-time acting chief executive officer in place of Mr Chai, tasking him with urgently resolving the operational crises plaguing the national flag carrier.

A former executive of PTT Exploration and Production Plc and a current Thai Airways board member, Mr Samrit must swiftly stabilise operations, clear backlogs and work to restore passenger and public trust.

Concurrently, a committee has been established to investigate separate allegations against Mr Chai concerning the procurement of 860,000 bottles of wine valued at more than 800 million baht from a single vendor.

Chai Eamsiri dismissed as THAI CEO. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

The airline had previously announced the cancellation of 24 flights scheduled for Oct 1 and Oct 2 to address a backlog exceeding 10,000 pieces of luggage and cargo, with plans to resume full-scale operations by Oct 3.

Thai Airways stated following Friday's board meeting that it will re-examine its management structure to prevent recurring disruptions. Moving forward, the company will also review its employment frameworks for ground and warehouse personnel, particularly regarding multi-tiered subcontracting and external outsourcing.

On the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), shares of Thai Airways (THAI) traded up 0.88% at 5.70 baht as of Friday afternoon.