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Thai Airways orders probe into baggage delay crisis following Bangkok airport flooding
October 16th 2026
Thai Airways International (THAI) has ordered a fact-finding investigation into its recent baggage and ground-service crisis to be completed within 30 days, The Nation reported. Read More » Lavaron Sangsnit, permanent secretary for finance and chairman of the Thai Airways board, said the investigation would examine how the airline handled the disruption. The board has assigned Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, deputy national police chief and a Thai Airways director, to chair the fact-finding committee. The committee must complete the investigation within 30 days of its formal appointment. Lavaron said the investigation would seek to identify weaknesses in the airline’s response and prevent similar problems in future. The review will focus on staffing, after as many as 200 frontline employees were unable to report for work because of flooding in Bangkok. The review will also examine delays in activating emergency procedures. According to Lavaron, Thai Airways did not move quickly enough during the initial disruption to use existing arrangements for bringing in reserve personnel, including military personnel, to support ground operations.
The baggage disruption crisis took place after flooding at Bangkok Airport on September 30, 2026. The disruption delayed 20,000–25,000 pieces of passenger baggage and affected more than 200 flights. Following the incident, the board suspended the airline’s CEO, Chai Eamsiri, from his duties.
