The newly appointed THAI board members are Air Chief Marshall Chalit Pukbhasuk, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force; Chaisawat Kitipornpaiboon, permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry; Sirin Nimmanahaeminda, former president of Krung Thai Bank; General Pairoaj Panichsamai, deputy supreme commander; and Sivaporn Dardarananda, former chairman of Tisco Asset Management.

THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said the airline would hold a board meeting next week to find a new chairman to replace Wanchai Sarathulthat, who left THAI on Monday and retired in September as permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry.

Other current directors are Suparut Kwatkul, permanent secretary of the Finance Ministry; Chartsiri Sophonpanich, president of Bangkok Bank; Borwornsak Uwanno, member of the National Legislative Assembly; Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana, director of the Budget Bureau; Ruengroj Mahasaranond, former Armed Forces supreme commander; Nopadol Somboonsub, director of Fraud & Cyber Crime; Pichai Chunhavajira, senior executive vice president for Corporate Finance and Accounting of PTT; and Chaisak Saeng-xuto, independent director of Kasikornbank.

Meanwhile, 300 THAI technicians headed in protest to Don Muang airport yesterday in a call for the airline to pay them an increased bonus for this year. They urged the airline to pay them a bonus of four month's salary.

The move was in response to the company's policy, announced on Monday, to give staff a bonus of three month's salary, an increase from the two months paid last year.

The group demanded four months, as they believe the bonus is not compatible with THAI's growth of revenue and profit. However, Apinan confirmed that the airline would pay three months as announced.

He added that the carrier's operating costs had increased this year, particular from moving from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation