Thai Airways Company

History

Siamese Airways Company Limited was the domestic flag carrier of Thailand on March 1, 1947, according to a cabinet resolution. The first squadron had Douglas DC-3, Beechcraft C-45, L-5 Sentinel, Rearwin, Fairchild. The first flight was Bangkok-Phitsanulok-Lampang-Chiang Mai. And after 2 days, It opened Chiang Mai-Mae Sariang-Mae Hong Son. The first International flight had opened on December 1947, flight Bangkok-Songkhla-Penang.

The Government of Thailand had a resolution on November 1, 1951, merged with Pacific Overseas Airline (Siam) Limited (POAS), and changed name to Thai Airways Company Limited (TAC) (Thai: บริษัท เดินอากาศไทย จำกัด (บดท.)). It also called Thai Airways.

Thai Airways established the international flag carrier in 1960, Thai Airways International Company Limited (THAI; Thai: บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด), as a joint venture between Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) with the Scandinavian carrier initially providing a 30% share capital of two million Baht.

Thai Airways bought the turboprop Avro 748 in 1963, the jet Boeing 737-200 in 1977, Short 330 in 1982, Short 360 and Airbus A310-200 in 1985.

On April 1, 1988, Thai Airways Company Limited (TAC) merged with Thai Airways International, under the cabinet resolution, single national airline of the Kingdom of Thailand, as authorised by General Prem Tinsulanonda, Prime Minister at the time.

Thai Airways's 11 aircraft, consisted of 3 Boeing 737-200, 4 Short 330, 2 Short 360 and 2 Airbus A310-200, combined fleet with Thai Airways International, total up 41 aircraft. And airline codes had changed to Thai Airways International's airline codes on end of 1988.

Thai Airways International operates the Larn Luang Office, the former Thai Airways Company head office, in Pom Prap Sattru Phai.

Destinations

Domestic Destinations of Thailand:

from/to Bangkok (Don Mueang International Airport)

Chiang Mai

Chiang Rai

Hat Yai (formerly destination as Songkhla)

Khon Kaen

Lampang

Phitsanulok

Phuket

Nakhon Sawan

Nakhon Si Thammarat

Sakon Nakhon

Surat Thani

Surin

Trang

Ubon Ratchathani

Udon Thani

Uttaradit

from/to Chiang Mai (Chiang Mai International Airport)

Chiang Rai

Mae Hong Son

Mae Sariang

Mae Sot

Nan

from/to Hat Yai (Hat Yai International Airport)

Phuket

Pattani

Narathiwat

International Destinations:

Penang, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hanoi, Vietnam

Fleet

2 Airbus A310-200

3 Avro 748

2 Beechcraft C-45

4 Beechcraft Bonanza

1 Bell 206

5 Boeing 737-200

1 Consolidated Canso A

1 Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina

10 Douglas C-47

2 Douglas C-54

1 Douglas DC-4

1 Fairchild 24

3 Lockheed Super Constellation L-1049G

6 L-5 Sentinel

5 Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman

2 Rearwin

1 Piper PA-23

4 Short 330

2 Short 360

Incidents and accidents

25 December 1967

Thai Airways Flight 002, a Douglas C-47A (HS-TDH), crashed at Chiang Mai International Airport due to pilot error, killing 4 out of 31 passengers and crew on board.

April 27, 1980

Thai Airways Flight 231, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 en route from Khon Kaen to Bangkok, lost altitude during a thunderstorm and crashed about 8 miles from Don Mueang International Airport (formerly: Bangkok International Airport). All four crew members and 40 of the 49 passengers were killed.

June 21, 1980

A Thai Airways Hawker Siddeley HS 748 (HS-THG) overran the runway on takeoff at Chiang Rai Airport after failing to get airborne; all 21 on board survived, but the aircraft was written off.

April 15, 1985

A Thai Airways Boeing 737-200 (HS-TBB) hit high ground on Phuket and was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. All four passengers and seven crew members were killed. The accident occurred after a failure of both engines was reported. [1]

April 28, 1987

A Thai Airways Hawker Siddeley HS 748 (HS-THI) made a wheels-up landing at Chiang Rai Airport after the co-pilot forgot to lower the landing gear; all 43 passengers and crew on board survived, but the aircraft was written off.

August 31, 1987

Thai Airways Flight 365, a Boeing 737-200 flying from Hat Yai to Phuket, crashed into the sea off Phuket. All nine crew members and 74 passengers were killed.