Thai Airways ousts CEO Chai Eamsiri after flood-related baggage and flight chaos

Thai Airways International (THAI) has removed Chai Eamsiri as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect, following a week of flight disruptions and a severe baggage backlog at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), triggered by flooding in Bangkok.

The decision was made at a special board meeting on October 2, 2026, as first reported by Thai news outlet The Thaiger. The board, chaired by Lavaron Sangsnit, appointed Director and executive committee member Samrit Samniang as acting CEO.

Chai will remain a director of the airline while a fact-finding investigation into the disruption is carried out, according to The Nation.

Flooding hits ground operations

The crisis began when heavy rain and flooding swept through Bangkok and surrounding provinces from September 25, 2026.

Many of THAI’s ground-handling staff could not get to work, either because their homes were flooded or because they stayed behind to protect family and property, even after the airline sent vehicles to collect them.

The staff shortage was quick to impact on baggage handling, flight operations and ground services at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), the airline’s main hub. 

On September 28, 2026 alone, 34 THAI flights were delayed, and baggage from 52 flights operated on September 26 and 27 had yet to be sorted and delivered two to three days later.

As of October 2, 2026, Chai insists that most of the remaining backlog is expected to be cleared within two days.

Chai suggested that THAI was hit harder than other carriers because Suvarnabhumi is its busiest base, with the airline also providing ground handling for partner airlines. He apologized publicly, saying that the airline “offers no excuses”.

To clear the backlog, Airports of Thailand coordinated additional manpower from the Royal Thai Air Force, military personnel and Thailand Post, which helped to sort and deliver bags directly to passengers’ homes and hotels. THAI also shifted part of its third-party ground-handling work to other service providers and expanded its call center from two lines to 24.

Government pressure mounts

On September 30, 2026, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul inspected the airport and called on THAI executives to consider resigning if they were unwilling to resolve the crisis as it was damaging Thailand’s image, Thai PBS World reported.

Surasak accused the airline of assigning its limited ground staff to partner airlines to avoid contractual penalties, leaving its own passengers short of support. Similar reports in local media claimed that THAI had prioritized partner flights over its own. The minister also criticized the airline’s coordination with soldiers sent to help, arguing that they had not been given food or accommodation.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat and Surasak both called for an urgent board meeting. The Finance Ministry is THAI’s largest shareholder.  

To stabilize operations, THAI trimmed its schedule further, canceling 15 flights on October 1, 2026 and nine on October 2, with full operations planned from October 3, 2026.

Board removes CEO, launches two probes

At the October 2, 2026 meeting, the board cited persistent operational failures, including flight delays, baggage handling problems and broader ground service breakdowns. 

Chai currently faces two internal investigations. The first examines the operational breakdown, including concerns that ground and cargo work had been outsourced through several layers of subcontractors. 

The second concerns the purchase of around 860,000 bottles of in-flight wine, worth more than THB 800 million (about US$24 million), from a single supplier.

The airline has announced that it will review its management structure and its employment arrangements for ground and warehouse staff to prevent a repeat.

Chai claims no reason was given

Speaking to local press after the meeting, Chai claimed that he had not been given a clear explanation for his removal. The non-executive directors had continued the meeting without him, and he said that he learned of their decision before returning to the room.

“I found out from the news,” he told The Nation.

Chai stressed that his removal came as operations were nearly back to normal, with most of the baggage backlog expected to be cleared within two days. He declined to comment on whether internal politics played a role, noting that he had worked in the industry for 41 years.

Chai rose through THAI’s finance function. He served as acting Executive Vice President of finance and accounting from late 2020 and became Chief Financial and Accounting Officer in 2021. He also chaired the airline’s former subsidiary, Thai Smile Airways, from 2023 to 2025, and has chaired Thai MRO Group and Thai MRO Services since October 2025, as well as Thai-Amadeus Southeast Asia since 2024.

He holds an MBA in management from Kasetsart University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Assumption University.

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