Govt won't let THAI go under: Somkid

Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak on Monday said the government will not allow ailing flag-carrier THAI to collapse and dismissed rumours of impending lay-offs as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Somkid said the government is ready to help the national airline, which was already beset with financial difficulties even before the pandemic began. While he insisted that THAI won't lay off any employees, the deputy premier urged the THAI board to come up with a business plan which proves that the company can still grow and expand after the crisis. "All rumours [about a lay-off] aren't true. News involving THAI that didn't come from the Finance Ministry should be considered false," he said. THAI employs about 20,000 staff, while its sister company Wingspan, which offers aviation-related services, has about 4,900 workers on its payroll. The deputy premier said the Finance Ministry wants to see a proposal which clearly outlines how THAI plans to review its management structure and business strategies, so it can remain competitive in the aviation market once the pandemic subsides.<br/>