Thai appoints chairman
Thanong Bidaya has taken over as chairman of Thai Airways International. Thanong, already an airline director and a former finance minister, is also vice-chairman of the council of economic advisers to the prime minister and chairman of the National Economic and Social Development Board.
He is also chairman of the carrier's corporate planning committee and a trade representative for Thailand. In addition, he holds supervisory or advisory positions at many companies and universities closely linked to Thailand's prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thanong has replaced Virabongsa Ramangkura, who resigned as chairman in May following a dispute with a group of pilots.
The new chairman will help to steer the airline's partial privatisation that is scheduled to take place later this year. The government wants to sell 13% of the carrier to the public and 10% to a strategic airline partner, reducing its holding to 70%. The airline's strategists are also working on a long-term expansion plan to be revealed later this year. This should feature an increase in its international network by 21 destinations, in addition to the 54 served today, and frequency additions over the next five years and a major widebody aircraft order.
Nicholas Ionides Singapore
Source: Airline Business
