Om varför det ser ut som det gör med Thai Airways, har vi diskuterat en hel del förr, men idag var det en bra artikel om detta i Bangkok Post. En del av det de tog upp var naturligtvis såväl korruption, nepotism, elitens förmåner liksom anställningsförmånerna på Thai:
"THOSE IN POWER'
In hindsight, the near-collapse of THAI, whose origins date back to 1960 as a joint venture with Scandinavian Airlines before becoming a state-owned enterprise in 1977, comes as no surprise to many. The national carrier has had issues related to procurement corruption, deep-rooted patronage and political interference, as well as failure to compete against low-cost airlines amid stiff competition in global aviation.
Former THAI president Sumeth Damrongchaitham resigned in March, saying he decided to step down after "those in power" told him he was done with his mission.
Political interference is a deep-rooted problem for the airline. Most of the board members are hand-picked by politicians who supervise the Transport and Finance ministries. The chairmen mostly come from the Royal Thai Air Force in what is seen as a package to please the military, an influential camp in Thai politics.
The culture of a patronage-driven and elitist system is prevalent at the company, as the airline is seen as a treasure trove to be exploited for personal gain by those in the management rank and the upper class.
One of the most scandalous cases in the company's history relates to engine procurement with Rolls-Royce.
According to the statement of facts prepared in a British court, the period of the scandal dates to 1991-2005 and involves a US$36.38-million payment to "regional intermediaries". Some of the money was for individuals who were "agents of the state of Thailand and employees of Thai Airways".
Another scandal dates back to 2015, when the National Anti-Corruption Commission found four THAI officials guilty of selling tickets outside the system at lower prices.
A long history of having some ticket sales go through agents also means that the airline is losing a portion of revenue. Stopping the practice should allow for an increase in online sales directly to passengers.
Over-the-top perks for employees are another case in point. For instance, it was reported in 2013 that THAI had an unconditional policy of paying personal income tax for employees who started their career at the airline before 2005. The same news report said the airline shouldered the price difference of personal income tax payment by expediting a sum of 40-50 million baht for the 2013 tax filing for 4,000 employees who started their jobs on Jan 1, 2005.
Total non-fuel expenses totalled 137.6 billion baht in 2019. When combined with fuel expense and net finance cost, total operating expenses stood at a staggering 196.5 billion baht, compared with total operating revenue of 184 billion baht.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1919868/no-soft-landing-for-troubled-thai