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Thai Airways International bows to employee sentiment
Thai Airways International (THAI) has backed down from
its plan to separate its five business units following a protest by some 500
of its employees earlier this month. Following the protest, THAI acting
president, Somchainuk Engtrakul, said there would be no clear separation of
the units from the company. However, he said it was necessary to further
develop the units, as well as THAI’s products and services, in order for
the national carrier to compete effectively in South-east Asia’s growing
aviation sector.
“Currently each business unit operates under the same
account. The proposed separation is meant to better measure how each unit
performs and at what cost. But if the employees are against it, we will not
do it,” The Nation newspaper quoted Mr Somchainuk as saying.
THAI had announced in the previous week it would
establish three subsidiaries to manage business related to the company’s
activities. Somchainuk said the subsidiaries, which THAI would wholly own,
would be initiated in order to identify each business unit’s investments,
profit centers and profitability. The move was designed to increase the
airline’s flexibility - a necessity in today’s competitive airline
industry, he said.
The units are the Cargo and Mail Commercial, Catering,
Ground Customer Services, Ground Support Equipment Services and Technical
departments. (TTG Asia)
IATA warns of high landing fees at new Bangkok airport
An alarming dearth of retail space at Bangkok’s new
international airport may result in sky-high landing fees, warns IATA. Only
around five percent of Suvarnabhumi Airport’s massive passenger terminal
has been set aside for retail space, according to IATA assistant director
airport development, Mr David Inglis.
He said airports generating substantial non-aeronautical
revenue found it easier to keep a lid on landing fees. “In this day and
age it’s ridiculous that so little retail space will be available at
Suvarnabhumi.
“There are good airports nearby - Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur, Hong Kong. You would have thought they (the airport’s developer)
would have looked at them and come up with something better. Unfortunately,
they haven’t. It leaves you shaking your head.”
Inglis said Suvarnabhumi, slated to open next year, is slightly larger
than Hong Kong International Airport, but the Hong Kong airport had around
double the retail space. (TTG Asia)
Joint venture targets happy campers
Thailand’s eco-tourism industry is set to benefit from
a major cash injection. Thai Australia Capital Co. (TA Capital), a joint
venture between Australia’s Jayco Corporation and TSA Management of
Thailand, said it planned to invest 10 billion baht (US$242 million) in
eco-tourism sites in Thailand over the next five years.
In the short term, TA Capital will invest in its sister
company, Leisure Park (Thailand) Co., which will build and operate leisure
parks around the country in cooperation with the private and public sectors.
Leisure Park will integrate camping with cabins and caravans to accommodate
both local and overseas tourists.
The company plans to open services in 50 parks within
five years, including areas in Rayong, Khao Yai National Park, Chiang Mai,
Trat, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
“Our target groups will be Europeans, Americans,
Japanese, Australians and locals,’’ Jayco chief executive, Gerry Ryan,
said. Jayco is Australia’s biggest producer of camper trailers, pop-tops
and caravans. (TTG Asia)
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