Surasak harshly criticized Thai Airways for failing to resolve the baggage backlog and for not cooperating with assisting agencies. Military personnel came to help with baggage handling but had to return to their units for meals. He also criticized the executives nearing the end of their terms, saying that if they are not ready to solve the problems, they should consider resigning.
At 09:45 on 29 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Surasak Phanjaroenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, gave an interview at the Government House regarding Thai Airways’ issues with accumulating passenger baggage and flight delays, which he personally experienced after recently traveling on a Thai Airways flight from Japan.
Surasak stated that the incident severely damaged the country’s image and tourism confidence. Although partly caused by employees being unable to work normally due to flooding, the main cause was Thai Airways’ own lack of management preparedness.
He estimated the problem arose because the airline assigned its employees to serve other airlines that handle ground services to avoid contractual fines, resulting in severe delays on Thai Airways’ own flights. Suvarnabhumi Airport confirmed that flight delays were not weather-related but due to the airline’s technical and management shortcomings.
Meanwhile, reports from other agencies assisting revealed that Thai Airways lacked proactive cooperation with external units, including military personnel from the Ministry of Defense who helped move baggage. The airline failed to provide food or accommodation support, forcing the soldiers to return to their units for meals.
“All agencies tried to assist, but Thai Airways did not respond well or cooperate sufficiently. This not only inconveniences passengers but also harms the country’s image and reputation,” he said.
The Minister further said Thai Airways executives must adopt a more proactive approach. If they feel their terms are ending and they are not ready to resolve the issues, they should consider resigning to allow more committed leaders to take over. He also suggested that, although Thai Airways is a private company, the Ministry of Finance as the major shareholder should convene the board to seriously address and fix the problems and their impacts.
“Executives must be more proactive. If they think their term is ending and choose to do nothing, that’s unacceptable. If they do not want to act, they should consider stepping down soon so others willing to help can take over.”
