BANGKOK, Thailand – Thai Airways International’s board dismissed chief executive Chai Eamsiri on Friday, blaming persistent operational failures — from mass flight delays and baggage chaos to wider ground-service breakdowns — during the Bangkok flooding that began on 25 September.

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The board said the disruption had triggered a formal inquiry into the accountability of senior management. Chaired by finance ministry permanent secretary Lavaron Sangsnit, it appointed board member Samrit Samniang, a former PTT Exploration and Production executive, as full-time acting CEO to urgently stabilise the carrier, clear backlogs and rebuild passenger and public trust.

Led by chairman Lavaron Sangsnit, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, the board resolved to appoint Samrit Samniang as full-time acting chief executive officer in place of 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, Samrit must swiftly stabilise operations, clear backlogs and work to restore passenger and public trust, the board said.

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A separate committee will probe allegations against Chai over the purchase of 860,000 bottles of wine worth more than 800 million baht from a single vendor. Chai said he was told of his removal but given no clear reason, and will stay on as a company director while the fact-finding proceeds.

-Thailand News (TN)