THAI backtracks on 'Crisis Communication Rule'

[BMF1960]

Lies, lies, and more damned lies . . . when will it ever end?

Another fine example of the first rule of speaking officially in Thailand - " open mouth without engaging brain ".

and then place both feet inside!

[sydneyjed]

Hahahaha! Someone obviously got their bottom slapped.

OK, fellow,s.

Please be realistic.

How were the " injury " of the passengers ?

I don,t believe this are any thing to speak about.

They were send out after a short check out.

Cannot be anything to complain about.

Let,s wait to se what were the problems, or what goes wrong, before blaim Thai.

As I understand there are a lot of rain and windshear, on this airport, just this time of the year.

Thai record of incidents, read safety, are around the highest in western world.

As I can se on the pictures the aircraft, have just set down the front landing gear, maybee outside of the runway.

This should not be any bigger concern for a modern airliner.

Maybe the "passenger " try to get economy compensation, from Thai?

Lets wait and se if I are wrong, or when the investigation are ready.

Airbus Industry have send their own investigators, and will for sure, release the result, soon.

This had nothing to do with weather rain or windshear ...this was a mechanical landing gear malfunction..Are you a ThaiAirways PR spokesman by any chance as it surely comes across as so!

[bobl]

I'd point out that this is, in fact, quite a common practice worldwide. It is NOTHING TO DO with "saving face", although it IS about brand imaging.

But doing so would pee on the parade of the Thai bashers who are having their best day for a while, so I'll keep quiet and let them have their fun...

[spidermike007]

Star Alliance gave senior Thai Airways people a realisation talk. Typical loss of Face they do not want to face the accident so try and block it out and not take responsibility and think that Star Alliance are idiots so blame the farangs. The longer I stay in Thailand the longer I find it easier to predict what Thai's will say and do. Blame the farang now there's a saying especially if you have a traffic accident. Having watched nearly all the series of "Air Crash Investigations" I have never seen a logo blocked out, but there again this is amazing Thailand.

And the amazing things about this, is that the planes are so readily recognized by the purple stripe and the identity package they created so not sure what they could have possibly been thinking. I suppose it was panic mode since it was their second incident in a month or so? No common sense or reason on this one.

[Rimmer]

One post removed:

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

[jbrain]

"Though Thai generally practices the deidentifying of an aircraft after an incident ... the company also clarifies that this is not a Star Alliance policy," CNN reported.

But if it was a foreign plane, for sure there would be pictures with lots of Thais pointing at the logo of the plane.

[kkerry]

Hahahaha! Someone obviously got their bottom slapped.

OK, fellow,s.

Please be realistic.

How were the " injury " of the passengers ?

I don,t believe this are any thing to speak about.

They were send out after a short check out.

Cannot be anything to complain about.

One passenger was reported as having a broken arm or wrist... I wouldn't be very happy if that happened, not something I would want on vacation.

Edited September 10, 2013 by kkerry

[tingtongteesood]

This is the 'unique Thainess' they keep talking about. If you cause an accident then you must run away, in this case there is face to be saved so you must try and cover it up to save face. Typical Thailand BS.

[tullynagardy]

I'd point out that this is, in fact, quite a common practice worldwide. It is NOTHING TO DO with "saving face", although it IS about brand imaging.

But doing so would pee on the parade of the Thai bashers who are having their best day for a while, so I'll keep quiet and let them have their fun...

bobl I admit my knowledge of plane crashes is limited to watching tv shows on it regularly, but I have never once seen this.

Have you got some links perhaps to back this up?

[lineofentry]

The Ryan Air of Asia.

[KireB]

I'd point out that this is, in fact, quite a common practice worldwide. It is NOTHING TO DO with "saving face", although it IS about brand imaging.

But doing so would pee on the parade of the Thai bashers who are having their best day for a while, so I'll keep quiet and let them have their fun...

If its such a common practice, why has almost every media outlet in the world made an item out of it? Call me and the other 6 billion earthlings Thai bashers any day!

[Just1Voice]

go to Youtube and you'll see videos of news reporters actually laughing while reporting on this "black paint" issue.

[SamMunich]

The problem, that showed up here again is the inferiority feeling of many people in Asia,- not only in Thailand. If you were assured of your own standing, you wouldn't need to save face again and again. A tough thing to solve.

Here we got the usual case, that in trying to save face somebody made the loss of face even bigger.

The whole thing about this incident is so ridiculous, because the painting of the airplane's body shows, that it's a Thai International plane. They would have had to paint the WHOLE body of the plane.

In fact the loss of face did (mentally?) hurt somebody so much, that he or she decided to have the logo covered up. And don't forget, this is the second incident within short time after the Hong Kong incident. And ThaI Inter staff don't want to be on the same level like the railway staff,- I guess...

SamM.

[bubblegum]

Funniest thing I've read in a long time

[HerbalEd]

The Thai propensity to make up something and state it as a fact is quite worrying. They simply do not seem to recognise the difference between truth and lies and are quite willing to say anything, no matter how ridiculous or easy to disprove.

Actually that sounds like a lot of corporations and governments all over the world. The Thai's definitely don't have an exclusive on such behavior.

[Gulfsailor]

When I heard the 'Star alliance reason' for painting the logo and name over, I had to laugh, because they forgot to actually paint over the actual Star alliance logo itself.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Further unacceptable posts removed.

Please note forum rules:

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

[Bagwan]

Lies, lies, and more damned lies . . . when will it ever end?

Another fine example of the first rule of speaking officially in Thailand - " open mouth without engaging brain ".

Do you think that engaging brain would make a difference?

[jackinthebox]

You could blame the italians too. Alitalia for example did the same after an ATR 72-crash in Rome earlier this year.

Alitalia is not a member of Star-Alliance, but of the second big group "Sky-Team". So who knows?!

Sorry, found only a german link so far...

http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article113352332/Alitalia-uebermalt-eigenes-Absturz-Flugzeug.html

[Patje]

Loose face big time !!! Next time they will paint the injured people black too

[KhaoNiaw]

I'd point out that this is, in fact, quite a common practice worldwide. It is NOTHING TO DO with "saving face", although it IS about brand imaging.

But doing so would pee on the parade of the Thai bashers who are having their best day for a while, so I'll keep quiet and let them have their fun...

bobl I admit my knowledge of plane crashes is limited to watching tv shows on it regularly, but I have never once seen this.

Have you got some links perhaps to back this up?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/09/thai-airways-logo-crash-etiquette

[cnx355]

An Air Canada Regional jet skidded on landing in Fredericton, Canada in December 1997 and I remember that following the incident the Air Canada logo and aircraft registration were painted white. We could see that on the newspaper photo.

Possibly some Airlines do this if the aircraft can not be moved away quickly for marketing reason.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Another unhelpful comment removed.

If you have nothing constructive to add, then head elsewhere

[noitom]

What else did the Thais tamper with? Star Alliance should immediately terminate Thai Airways membership in Star Alliance. This is a reprehensible act on the part of Thai Airways management and they should be terminated immediately. It's shocking that Thai Airways would do such a thing and world airlines should take notice of "tampering' at an accident scene.

[gbswales]

how utterly pointless - do they think the plane cannot be recognised without the logo - the colours are distinctive enough without them. Someone at Thai should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for this pathetic cover up job. I have never seen this happen in any air crash that I have seen photos of before this. This photo should be republished as many times as possible with the Thai airways logo plastered all over it.

[Thai at Heart]

Backtrack.

Nice euphemism for" admits lying".

[ChangMaiSausage]

Who actually cares? the main thing is no-one got serioulsy hurt in the incident.

I personally do not care that they painted the Thai Airways logo from the plane (big deal) Why should anyone else, unless its your logo they have just painted over

It was an accident these things happen.

[GeorgeO]

Lies, lies, and more damned lies . . . when will it ever end?

Another fine example of the first rule of speaking officially in Thailand - " open mouth without engaging brain ".

and make sure the blame is shifted elsewhere....!

[noitom]

Backtrack.

Nice euphemism for" admits lying".

Thai "backtrack" often.

[Kananga]

The Ryan Air of Asia.

Surely that would pronounced Lyan Air, or even better the Lying Air of Asia.