Thai Airways International has been hit with another top-level shake-up, with the resignation of chairman Virabongsa Ramangkura just seven months into the job.
Virabongsa confirmed his intention to resign after returning from a business trip to Shanghai at the end of April. While he was away he came under fierce attack from a group of pilots, numbering 120 according to their leaders, claiming to be angry about a promotion he made that bypassed their favoured candidate.
They also questioned many of the decisions being taken by Virabongsa apparently intended to knock the struggling carrier back into shape. The pilots threatened to strike unless Virabongsa stepped down.
Virabongsa's resignation was formalised just as a new president took charge on 2 May. Outsider Kanok Abhiradee was given the top management job after a long-running search for a suitable candidate. Kanok, on his first day in the job, told employees that he had set the airline a target of generating 200 billion baht ($4.6 billion) in revenue annually within five years. Revenue for the last financial year amounted to around 129 billion baht.
He also urged the carrier's fractured workforce to work more closely together for the good of the company. "I would need co-operation from employees, the board of directors and management in order to manage the airline successfully. I believe in good teamwork and know that one person cannot work alone," Kanok told employees. "I am certain that I can work together with all levels of staff and am open for opinions and suggestions to establish effective company policy."
Morale within Thai has been low over the past year as a result of its weakening financial state, complaints from the government about deteriorating service standards and frequently changing management. Over the past 20 months it has had three boards of directors, two chairmen and three presidents.
Source: Airline Business
