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Union pressure leads to board about-face
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK
Thai Airways made an abrupt about-face last night and scrapped a decision made earlier yesterday to suspend president Apinan Sumanaseni. Protests by the THAI union and pilots forced THAI chairman Chaisawasd Kittipornpaiboon to announce late yesterday that no management change would be made at the national carrier.
He said he would take ''personal responsibility'' for his decision to overrule the board decision made earlier yesterday to sideline Mr Apinan and appoint an acting president.
''After discussions with the THAI union and employees, I agree that a change at this time would only create additional confusion and uncertainty,'' said Mr Chaisawasd, also the transport permanent secretary.
He said directors had thought to suspend Mr Apinan pending the president's formal job review in September.
But after consultations with the THAI union and several directors, Mr Chaisawasd said he had reversed yesterday's board decision and would instead raised the issue again at a board meeting next week.
THAI directors yesterday afternoon had agreed to suspend Mr Apinan from his duties for poor performance and his inability to mend internal conflicts at the airline.
Norahuch Ployyai, an executive vice-president for the airline's standards assurance and risk management department, was to be named acting president, otherwise known as ''DD'' under the airline's internal codes. Mr Apinan was to remain in his position, but be shifted to a non-management role, effective today.
The order prompted immediate resistance from line employees, who decried the move as politically motivated, despite denials by Mr Chaisawasd.
Mr Norahuch, a THAI employee since 1978, was a classmate of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Class 10 at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
''We need to make a change because THAI is facing a number of problems. Management remains weak and not in line with the board's direction,'' Mr Chaisawasd said yesterday afternoon.
''[The board] needs a neutral party to heal the differences.''
Mr Apinan and Mr Norahuch were unavailable for comment yesterday.
THAI staff expressed dissatisfaction at the sudden change and appointment of Mr Norahuch over more senior executives from the larger operations or commercial departments.
Jamsri Sukchotirat, the chairman of the Thai Airways labour union, said the move was the ''wrong way to tackle the airline's internal problems''.
''This is definitely politically motivated, given that Mr Norahuch is close to [Mr Thaksin]. It will only create greater problems and infighting within the organisation,'' Mrs Jamsri said.
She sharply criticised political interference in the airline's procurement and ticketing operations, including frequent demands made by MPs and senators for free seat upgrades for themselves and their relatives.
''Thai Airways suffers considerably from political interference. A politician may purchase a seat to Europe for 39,000 baht, but demands an upgrade to a 120,000-baht first-class seat for free,'' she said.
''Over the past six years, since the Thaksin Shinawatra government, political interference has only increased, resulting in our problems today.''
Mrs Jamsri said THAI workers were prepared to halt flight operations if a clarification by the board was not made.
But Pravit Sinawatra, the THAI executive vice-president for the operations department, ruled out any work stoppage affecting the airlines flights.
''We will not do anything to hurt our customers or operations,'' he said.
The company, 51% owned by the Finance Ministry, reported first quarter profits of 2.2 billion baht, down 47.6% from the year before due to rising fuel costs and currency fluctuations.
Shares of THAI closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 22 baht, up 50 satang, in trade worth 48.61 million baht.
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