Photo: Richard Issa Bockari / Pexels
Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri was suspended from his CEO duties around 2 October 2026, after severe flooding disrupted Suvarnabhumi Airport in late September. Director Samrit Samniang is now acting CEO, and the board plans a 30-day fact-finding review of how the airline handled the disruption. Schedules were reported back to normal from 3 October, but bags may still be delayed and the flooding is ongoing. If you are flying through Bangkok, allow extra time.
What happened
Chai was suspended as CEO around 2 October. He stays on as a Thai Airways director while the review runs. Samrit Samniang, also a director, was appointed acting CEO.
The board plans to set up a new fact-finding committee. Its 30 days will be counted from the date it is formally appointed. According to Daily News, the board is preparing to appoint Police General Tatchai Pitaneelaboot to chair it. He is deputy national police chief and a Thai Airways director.
Chai said after the board meeting that he felt the decision was unfair, but he understood the need for an independent investigation.
What the review will look at
The committee will examine:
- How the airline handled the late-September disruption
- The size of the baggage backlog
- Flight cancellations
- Whether staffing was adequate, since flooding stopped many ground staff from reaching work
- Reliance on outsourced staff from Wingspan Services, of which Thai Airways owns 49%
- Whether workforce planning could cope with a major disruption
Once the review is done, the board will decide whether further action or changes are needed.
The impact on flights and bags
Thousands of bags were stranded at Suvarnabhumi. The airline cut 15 flights on 1 October and 9 flights on 2 October. Thai Airways said full scheduled operations would resume from 3 October, and that it mobilised staff from across departments to make that happen. It also said it will review its management procedures to lower the risk of a repeat.
Other headlines around the story give a sense of the mood:
- A minister said the baggage delays "affect country's image".
- The Thai Air Force helped move delayed luggage.
- A viral video showed a passenger organising flight queues.
- A Thai Airways worker said, "I don't think I can continue to defend the company."
A separate wine investigation
A different investigation covers the purchase of about 860,000 bottles of wine for onboard service. Its committee was set up before the operational-crisis review.
On 4 October, Chai denied wrongdoing. He said the purchases followed procurement procedures and can be fully examined. He added that he has worked at Thai Airways for 41 years with no link to corruption.
What this means for travellers
- Flights: Schedules were reported back to normal from 3 October, so the cancellations look to be over. Still, check your flight status before you travel. The flooding is ongoing, and other Thaiger headlines say heavy rain covers 46 provinces, including Bangkok, on 5 October.
- Bags: Luggage may still be delayed or caught in the backlog. Keep your bag tags and take photos of your luggage. File a delayed-baggage report at the airport before you leave it, and put essentials in your carry-on.
- Connections: If you have a connection or a tight onward leg from Suvarnabhumi, allow extra time. Don't book a same-day onward flight to Koh Lanta, Krabi or Phuket without a buffer.
- Tickets and bookings: The executive suspension has no direct effect on them.
- What comes next: The review will take about 30 days, so the airline's service recovery and any policy changes are likely to be in the news into November.
Information sourced from The Thaiger.