Thai Airways has suspended CEO Chai Eamsiri following flight cancellations and baggage delays during flooding in Bangkok, as he separately faces allegations of wrongdoing over a wine purchase reportedly worth more than US$24 million.
According to the airline’s board announcement, Chai was suspended from his duties October 2 pending a fact-finding investigation and a review of its crisis management procedures. It appointed board member Samrit Samniang as acting CEO, according to reporting on the company’s stock exchange announcement.
The wine allegations concern the reported purchase of about 860,000 bottles for onboard service from a single supplier. Thai news outlet put the value at more than 800 million baht (US$24 million). Other reports described the transaction as approaching 1 billion baht.
Chai fervently denied wrongdoing in a personal Facebook post on October 4, saying the wine procurement followed detailed procedures under the airline’s regulations and could be examined at any time.
“I can listen to criticism on other matters, but I really cannot accept accusations that I am corrupt,” he wrote.
Chai said his 41-year career had been free of corruption scandals and that he was willing to face scrutiny from any agency in Thailand. He argued that allegations should be resolved through an investigation rather than media speculation.
While local media have linked the wine allegations to his suspension, the airline’s stated reason for the management review was the disruption caused by late-September flooding and its impact on the company’s business and reputation.
Bangkok’s severe flooding in late September has disrupted flights, cargo operations and baggage handling at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Bangkok was declared a disaster-affected zone after receiving 320 millimeters of rain over three days, roughly its typical rainfall for the whole of September, Reuters reported.
Thai Airways’ recent financial reports do not separately identify annual spending on wine and spirits, making it difficult to compare the disputed purchase with its normal procurement.
The only public record showed that in 2016, the airline allocated 129 million baht (US$3.8 million) for red and white wine procurement program, which is relatively modest compared with other leading airlines.
Emirates spent about US$51 million in wine and Champagne a year. Air France spent more than €30 million annually on wine and spirits, according to a January 2024 report in Le Monde. A firsthand account of a Singapore Airlines wine presentation in 2020 put its annual wine budget at S$30 million.
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