Thai Airways international, despite realizing most of its business abroad has no foreign sales and marketing executive working at the airline’s headquarters. This seems to suddenly raise concerns among Thai management who seems to discover that the airline lives in a global world…
BANGKOK – Among large world air carriers, Thai Airways International seems to live in another time: the carrier is still mostly owned by the State (53.7%), political interference is permanent through its board of Directors. But most interesting, Thai Airways International is one of the few airlines in the world which does not integrate foreigners in its marketing and sales management. A recent meeting between Thai Airways current President Sorajak Kasemsuvan and four previous airlines’ CEO- Air Chief Marshal Prayad Disyasirin, Pol Lieutenant Chatchai Boonya-anand, Pisit Kulsalasaiwanond and Kanok Apiradee – came to the conclusion that the airline should hire some –or at least one- foreign specialist.
The move would help the airline to improve its competitiveness in a quick changing world. “Other airlines such as Turkish Airlines and Emirates have hired sales and marketing specialists with extensive experience and proven achievements to formulate plans and marketing to boost their sales revenue,” Sorajak said, according to the newspaper the Nation.
Thai has not been so nationalistic in the past. In fact, the airline was created with the backing of Scandinavian carrier SAS and used to have some SAS executive in its management in the sixties. And today, the lack of a multicultural team at the top of the carrier is showing in many aspects, from the outdated pricing system on internet to the absence of proper regional marketing campaigns. Decisions are always taken in final in Bangkok.
Finally, as competition intensifies, this is the right move for Thai Airways International management to suddenly realize that they do not only work in a Thai world but in a global one where demand varies from one country to another. Maybe this explains –partially- the mediocre results of the airline. For the first nine months of 2013 –ending in September- Thai Airways had a net comprehensive loss of almost 200 million dollars (THB 6.31 billion). Something must definitely change in the carrier’s strategy. Thailand’s national carrier suddenly discovers what other airlines already acknowledged 20 years ago… But it is never too late!
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
