Thailand: Move to employ foreign pilots riles Thai pilots

The domestic aviation industry is thriving, with the cabinet on Tuesday approving foreign pilots flying domestic routes temporarily to address the pilot shortage, while the Thai Pilots Association is preparing to submit a petition to restrain this amendment. Teerawat Angkasakulkiat, president of the Thai Pilots Association, said the statement from the government citing a pilot shortage totally missed the point as there are many unemployed pilots in the country. Within this week, the association plans to express its objection by submitting the petition to both the Labour Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). "Not only for this year, but we're concerned that during the next high season, the government might consistently allow foreign pilots to fly domestic flights, which would eventually affect local pilots in the long run," he said. Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesman, said on Tuesday that the tourism boom has led to a shortage of commercial pilots.<br/>