Thai Airways hires foreign HR firm to assess six CEO candidates
Thai Airways has brought in an overseas HR consultancy to assess six CEO candidates after interviews, with the board expected to select a new chief by December.
Thai Airways International has hired an overseas human resources consultancy to independently assess six candidates competing to become its next chief executive, as the national carrier seeks a broader evaluation beyond interviews and vision presentations.
Lavaron Sangsnit, Finance Ministry permanent secretary and chairman of Thai Airways International Plc, said the recruitment process had moved to individual competency assessments following interviews with the six shortlisted candidates on October 18.
Lavaron said the airline had appointed a professional overseas HR firm to conduct assessment tests so the selection committee would have another set of information when determining which candidate was most suitable for the job.
The assessment is intended to examine candidates more comprehensively rather than relying solely on their interview performance or ability to present a vision for the airline.
“We want to be confident, so we have brought in a professional HR firm with recognised standards to conduct assessment tests for each candidate,” Lavaron said.
“This will give us another set of information to consider because, if we rely only on interviews or vision presentations, candidates who are good speakers may have an advantage.”
Six candidates remain in race
According to the latest recruitment figures, nine people applied for the chief executive position, comprising seven current or former Thai Airways executives and two outside applicants.
The two external applicants failed the initial qualification screening because they did not meet requirements concerning the size of the organisations where they had worked. The criteria require an applicant’s organisation to have assets of at least 200 billion baht and annual revenue of at least 40 billion baht.
That left seven internal or former Thai Airways executives in the process, before one candidate withdrew, leaving six to attend interviews and present their visions on October 18.
The six remaining candidates are:
- Chai Eamsiri, the airline’s chief executive who has been suspended from performing his CEO duties. He submitted his application before the operational problems involving delayed flights and a backlog of passenger baggage emerged.
- Chawan Rattanawaraha, Chief, Operations.
- Cherdphan Chotikhun, Chief, Technical.
- Varangkana Luerojvong, Chief, Aviation Business Unit.
- Nond Kalinta, former Chief Commercial Officer.
- Korakot Chatasingha, former Chief Commercial Officer.
Seven-member committee overseeing selection
The board has assigned a seven-member ad hoc selection committee to consider the candidates’ qualifications and suitability.
The committee includes representatives from different board committees as well as specialists with experience in the aviation and logistics industries.
The HR assessment will provide additional information to the committee alongside candidates’ qualifications, interviews and vision presentations before a recommendation is submitted to the Thai Airways board.
The selection comes as Chai remains subject to a separate internal investigation after the board suspended him from his chief executive duties on October 2.
The suspension followed operational disruption involving passenger baggage and ground services, while Thai Airways established internal inquiries into issues surrounding his management. His existing employment contract is due to expire on January 31, 2027.
Chai investigation separate from CEO assessment
Lavaron said the investigation into Chai would proceed separately from the selection of the new chief executive.
The inquiry is being conducted within a 30-day timeframe, while Chai remains one of the six applicants being considered for the next CEO term.
The involvement of the overseas HR consultancy in evaluating all six candidates is intended to ensure the recruitment committee has comprehensive information when assessing their abilities and suitability.
The two processes — the investigation into Chai’s previous performance and the recruitment of the next CEO — will therefore continue in parallel but will be treated separately.
New CEO targeted to start January 1
Lavaron expects the recruitment process to be completed and the preferred candidate submitted to the Thai Airways board for consideration by December 2026.
The target is for the new CEO to take office on January 1, 2027, allowing time for an orderly handover before the existing chief executive’s employment term expires later that month.
The appointment will come as Thai Airways seeks to maintain its business recovery while addressing operational performance, service standards and management challenges following its return to normal corporate governance after completing its business rehabilitation process.
