Thai Pilots Association opposes eased restrictions for foreign pilots

[snoop1130]

 

The Thai Pilots Association vehemently opposed a controversial government proposal to ease restrictions on foreign pilots flying with Thai carriers temporarily.

 

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin recently pinpointed the slow resumption of flights as a significant hurdle for Thailand’s tourism sector. Post-pandemic personnel shortages are a global issue, but the prime minister believes Thailand needs a quick fix. During a visit to Agoda’s Thai offices, Srettha urged airlines to ramp up their operations to help revive tourism.

 

“We will discuss this issue with the Ministry of Labour to seek a possible solution, including lifting this restriction temporarily.”

 

However, the Thai Pilots Association isn’t having it. Teerawat Angkasakulkiat, president of the association, firmly rejected the idea. He explained that the pandemic forced airlines to furlough numerous Thai pilots and halt hiring new graduates.

 

“Thailand has around 1,200 student pilots who still cannot find a job.”

 

According to Teerawat, experienced pilots laid off during the pandemic haven’t returned to the cockpit because airlines haven’t fully recovered their fleets. He warned that allowing foreign pilots might save time, but it would cost Thai pilots their jobs.

 

Pre-pandemic, airlines sponsored pilots for nine-month training programmes to obtain specific aircraft licences, bearing all related costs. However, the post-pandemic landscape has shifted, with some airlines adopting a pay-to-fly scheme. This scheme, popular among European carriers, requires new graduates to pay between 1.7 million to 3.5 million baht for training in exchange for jobs.

 

Teerawat slammed this scheme as unfair, burdening new graduates with huge financial costs. He emphasised that the Thai Aviation Academy produces highly trained pilots ready for commercial flights, arguing that expanding fleets will eventually allow time to train new pilots, reported Bangkok Post.

 

“We should prioritise our student pilots. There is no need to open this job to foreigners.”

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-06-07

 

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[Georgealbert]

Here is a guide of how to become a pilot in Thailand in 2024.

 

https://www.aviationfly.com/how-to-become-a-pilot-in-thailand/
 

 

[retarius]

Why don't other nationalities say no Thai pilots in US, EU or elsewhere? Or do they?

[riclag]

Scary 

[Tropicalevo]

So, instead of having trained, qualified and experienced pilots, we may be getting novices not long out of university.

Yes, I realise that a more experienced pilot will be in he cockpit to fly the thing, but if there is a problem and he goes to the toilet or has a medical emergency.........?

[captnhoy]

What are the restrictions and are they relatively new? Having flown out of Ranong regularly 10 years ago I remember seeing foreign pilots, one of them a woman.

[Zack61]

Don’t know how many experienced pilots out there are looking for temporary positions flying for the airlines. They may need to offer something more substantive. 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

According to Teerawat, experienced pilots laid off during the pandemic haven’t returned to the cockpit because airlines haven’t fully recovered their fleets. He warned that allowing foreign pilots might save time, but it would cost Thai pilots their jobs.

A fair point.

[hotchilli]

8 minutes ago, Zack61 said:

Don’t know how many experienced pilots out there are looking for temporary positions flying for the airlines. They may need to offer something more substantive. 

A temporary position means getting back into the simulators for much needed training and gaining the necessary requirements to get back on to a flight deck .

 

[watchcat]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“Thailand has around 1,200 student pilots who still cannot find a job.”

 Well I wouldn't fly with a student thats for sure.

[Aviatorhi]

13 hours ago, retarius said:

Why don't other nationalities say no Thai pilots in US, EU or elsewhere? Or do they?

They don't have enough of their own, Thailand does, if they can get the training pipeline flowing. 

[chiman]

Another reason I don't like to fly Thai carriers.  Pathetic and dangerous attitude... 

[node]

Who in their right mind would come to Thailand and work as a Pilot for this low pay. Thai pilots are leaving because of that, and to become a Capt. takes forever. 

Like Japan and South Korea the First Officers would hate you, because you are sitting on their seat as a Capt.

Their recurrent training would be in Thai, like the Koreans do theirs in Korean, forget who is English sitting in the classroom.

English is the language of Aviations, but many Asians and Non- speaking English countries respect this.

[Bangkok Barry]

 

 

The PM says there is a shortage of Thai pilots. The association says there is not and pilots are unable to get work as there are less planes flying. So which is it? Between the pilot's association and the PM, I'd pick the former, who are qualified in what they are doing. The latter is not. He's a real estate mogul.

[HappyExpat57]

A good friend of mine works for a major airline. He was telling me how, globally, corporate greed is starting to suffocate airlines just as it is doing to everything else. Pay and benefits have been cut drastically and they're having trouble finding pilots who will work under such conditions.

 

I can only imagine the Thai airlines are following suit and soon perhaps the guy selling chicken nuggets on the street may be offered a job flying planes.

[Gsxrnz]

A mate who held a senior position in Air New Zealand's engineering department once told me that apart from JAL and SAL, don't ever contemplate flying on any other Asian airline.

 

Good advice. 

[Sir Swagman]

Just now, Gsxrnz said:

A mate who held a senior position in Air New Zealand's engineering department once told me that apart from JAL and SAL, don't ever contemplate flying on any other Asian airline.

 

Good advice. 

 

Just now, Gsxrnz said:

A mate who held a senior position in Air New Zealand's engineering department once told me that apart from JAL and SAL, don't ever contemplate flying on any other Asian airline.

 

Good advice. 

I flew for TG (some time ago) - he is right......

[Mywayboy]

Looks too me they want to put the potential people up up in a tree shake it .The ones that stay up are Flight deck,the ones that fall are ground crew.

[Shocked farang]

2 hours ago, watchcat said:

 Well I wouldn't fly with a student thats for sure.

How would you know that the pilot in your flight is a student or not? 

[Shocked farang]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

 

The PM says there is a shortage of Thai pilots. The association says there is not and pilots are unable to get work as there are less planes flying. So which is it? Between the pilot's association and the PM, I'd pick the former, who are qualified in what they are doing. The latter is not. He's a real estate mogul.

Next time you go to Suvarnabhumi airport take the time to check out the incredible number of Thai Airways planes completely inactive, in need of maintenance perhaps, that's still consequence of the Covid times. 

[sambum]

2 hours ago, watchcat said:

 Well I wouldn't fly with a student thats for sure.

 

How would you know?

[simon43]

2 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

How would you know?

You can check after the plane crashes.....

[sambum]

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

You can check after the plane crashes.....

 

YOU wouldn't know - the crash investigation team might!

[Georgealbert]

7 minutes ago, Shocked farang said:

Next time you go to Suvarnabhumi airport take the time to check out the incredible number of Thai Airways planes completely inactive, in need of maintenance perhaps, that's still consequence of the Covid times. 

Most of the older aircraft parked there are not part of the Thai Airways current active fleet, and are either up for sale or have been sold. Last few months Thai airways reported they have sold all their Boeing 747s and Airbus A380. In 2022 it sold 5 Airbus A340s, which had taken 13 years to sell.

 

As of this morning, 8 June, Thai has 7 current aircraft parked for routine maintenance.

 

1 x A330

3 x A350

1 x 777

2 x 787

[BoganInParasite]

1 hour ago, Gsxrnz said:

A mate who held a senior position in Air New Zealand's engineering department once told me that apart from JAL and SAL, don't ever contemplate flying on any other Asian airline.

 

Good advice. 

Half my career was in the airline industry and had/have friends and relatives in it as well but they were tech and cabin crew. Some of them had first hand knowledge of sims, line checks and upgrades being passed through means not generally requiring proficiency and competency. There are several SE Asian airlines I would never ever fly on.

[Georgealbert]

8 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

YOU wouldn't know - the crash investigation team might!

If you read any crash investigation report, it will state the pilots experience, including flight hours on the type of aircraft involved in crash, plus in what role, captain, 1st officer, and history of experience on other aircraft.

[ignore it]

These is Thai sky and you can't fly in it!

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, retarius said:

Why don't other nationalities say no Thai pilots in US, EU or elsewhere? Or do they?

Not to my Knowledge, had a Scottish Pilot on a Royal Bruni flight, who on landing in Bruni

accidently on purpose left his mike on and said  and I quote " I could 'alf go a 'Bacon' sandwich now''  I just burst out laughing, it seemed I was the only one who got his wry comment. 

[Umlungu]

17 hours ago, retarius said:

Why don't other nationalities say no Thai pilots in US, EU or elsewhere? Or do they?

I hope they do!

[paul1804]

That is a dangerous precedent to set, they need qualified experienced pilots to fill the gap whether full time or on a temporary basis but the Pilots association is to short sighted and biased to realise and admit it makes sense! Mind sets like this are the reasons why Thailand is still a third world nation in many respects!