THAI pressed to discipline pilot who refused government MPs on board flights

Written by Writer on Friday, October 17th, 2008

THAI pressed to discipline pilot who refused government MPs on board flights

BANGKOK, Oct 16 (TNA) – Thailand’s House of Representatives’ Transportation Committee Thursday resolved to press national flag carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) to within 30 days revoke the professional licence of its pilot who last week barred three members of parliament from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to board his flights.

The PPP Chairman of the Thai Parliament’s House’s Committee on Transport, Pongphan Sunthornchai, who is also a government party member of parliament for the northeastern province of Nong Khai, told a press conference after meeting with Transport Minister Santi Prompat, representatives from THAI, the Civil Aviation Department, and the three MPs who were refused boarding privileges, that the committee agreed that THAI should withhold the pilot’s licence of Captain Chakkri Pongsiri and ban him from any work as a pilot.

Captain Chakkri refused to allow three PPP MPs to board his flights as he was upset with street violence in Bangkok on October 7 which left two protesters dead and another 400 wounded.

The rejected MPs were Farida Sulaiman from Surin, Chaiya Promma from Nongbua Lamphu and Chompoo Chanthathong from Nong Khai. The miffed members urged THAI to discipline the politicised captain, claiming that his irrational action could affect the safety of passengers.

Mr. Pongphan said the suggested punishment was aimed to be lesson for other pilots to strictly follow professional ethics and regulations.

The parliamentary official added that the committee would give the national carrier 30 days process the disciplinary actions. However, the committee said it not not object to the transfer of Capt. Chakkri to other departments if his duties were not related to aviation. (TNA)