Thailand: Aviation boss denies claims that airlines in South are price-gouging

Although airlines operating in Southern provinces have kept fares below the stipulated price ceiling, many people have accused them of overcharging, according to the head of the aviation authority. The development came as industry leaders said they did not believe the flooding in the South would affect long-term tourism in the region. Chula Sukmanop, director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), said airlines operating in the South had kept fares below the stipulated price ceiling, so there was no need for CAAT to intervene regarding pricing. “We have monitored airfares and found that no airline was setting prices higher than the ceiling level, which meant there is nothing wrong with airfares." <br/>