THAI staff angered by exec promotions

THAI staff angered by exec promotions

Wife of board chairman among 60 appointed higher positions

Members of the Thai Airways International (THAI) workers' union wear black for a staff meeting at the company's head office in protest against recent promotions of executives and the board's decision not to punish former executives believed to be involved in corruption. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Members of the Thai Airways International (THAI) workers' union wear black for a staff meeting at the company's head office in protest against recent promotions of executives and the board's decision not to punish former executives believed to be involved in corruption. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

The Thai Airways International (THAI) workers' union protested against the appointment of the wife of the airline's board chairman to a higher position, saying it undermines trust in the beleaguered organisation.

The workers' union yesterday issued a letter asking the company to reconsider the promotion of executives. The letter says the promotion has attracted flak and affected confidence in the company's management. There is no urgent need for the company to promote executives before it is restructured, the letter says. It adds that unity within the organisation is key to the success of its rehabilitation plan. The workers' union said the promotion also affected the confidence of the company's creditors and damaged its image as an ethical organisation.

Acting THAI president Chansin Treenuchagron has defended the promotion of over 60 executives, among them Ponguma Didyasarin, the wife of the chairman of the board, saying the promoted executives were selected by a seven-member, high-level committee to replace those who retired last month. Ms Ponguma, a level-9 executive, has been promoted to an acting director on level 10. The president added the THAI board has no plan to dissolve its subsidiary Thai Smile Airways.

THAI yesterday also held a staff meeting at its head office to clarify the rehabilitation process and other issues such as revenue generation during travel restrictions and early retirement. It will offer employees a voluntary resignation severance package this month. The nation's flagship carrier received court approval for its debt restructuring on Sept 14. The company, hard hit by the pandemic, had total liabilities of 332.2 billion baht at the end of June.

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