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Published on January 23, 2008

Meanwhile, the Culture Ministry will host a meeting with concerned parties to address the matter on Friday.

Thakonkiat Viravan, an executive at Exact, which produces the show, was accompanied by director Nipon Phewnena, actors Namthip Jongratchatawibul and Nawat Kulrattanarak and scriptwriters Thanawadi Sathityut-thakan and Sirilak Srisukhon when he attended a press conference yesterday held at the office of its parent company GMM Media.

Thankonkiat apologised for creating ill feelings and insisted the firm did not intend to tarnish the image of flight crews.

He said the show, like many others before it, was adapted from a novel, which could have led to some inconsistencies when it was made into a TV series.

He emphasised the show's airline, called Mekhala Airline, was fictional and was not intended to depict Thai Airways International (THAI) or any other airline.

He said viewers should realise it is escapist fare and does not attack anyone.

Thankonkiat said the show had good characters and nasty ones whose bad behaviour was derived from personal imbalances.

He said the show had only one scene that needed apology: one where the female attendants engaged in a punch-up with the leading lady in the women's restroom.

As they were all wearing uniforms, some flight attendants might have taken offence as to how this could happen among a professionally trained cabin crew while airborne.

Producers would make changes to the series by ensuring it would show no more fights by uniformed air personnel, Thankonkiat said.

He said a call to axe the show was harsh and an overreaction from an angry group.

THAI's union acting chairman Somsak Srinuan, said after the press conference he would first see if Exact did what it had announced.

He said the union would join talks hosted by the Culture Ministry on Friday.

He believed this would help set a social standard so that other television producers would not repeat the mistake that had given a faulty image about flight crews.

Earlier Channel 5 chief Lt-General Kittithat Bamnetphan told reporters the union yesterday lodged a compliant against "Battle of Angels" on grounds that it tarnished their professional image.

The station took up the complaint and would try to resolve the issue.

Kittithat also revealed he had talked with Thankonkiat earlier and initially asked Exact to tone down its content on violent scenes.

At the same time, the union also filed a complaint at the Culture Ministry to express its stand on the show, which showed crew members battling for the affection of a pilot.

The flight attendant revealed that the Associated Press had run the story globally and his agency thus contacted the International Transportation Federation for cooperation and participation to boycott the case.

Director of the Culture Monitoring Centre Ladda Tangsuphachai said agencies such as the Consumer Protection Board, the Attorney-General's Office, the National Human Rights Commission and Public Relations Department would also attend the Friday meeting.

She plans to discuss the issue later with the Television Rating Committee.

The Nation