Thai Airways Company

This article is about the defunct airline in Thailand. For the present day airline, see Thai Airways.
Thai Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
TH THA THAI AIR
Founded November 1, 1951 (1951-11-01)
Ceased operations April 1, 1988 (1988-04-01) (merged into Thai Airways International)
Hubs Don Mueang International Airport
Focus cities
Fleet size 11
Destinations 26
Parent company Thai Airways International
Headquarters Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, Thailand
Key people N/W
Website thaiairways.com

Thai Airways Company or Thai Airways (TAC; Thai: เดินอากาศไทย) was the domestic flag carrier of Thailand. Its main base was the domestic terminal at Don Mueang International Airport, then known as Bangkok International Airport. Its head office was located in Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok.[1] In 1988 Thai Airways merged to become Thai Airways International (Thai: การบินไทย).

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.[2]

Hawker Siddeley 748 of Thai Airways at Bangkok Airport in 1974

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.[3]

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.[2]

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.[4] 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.[5]

Destinations

Domestic Destinations of Thailand:

from/to Bangkok (Don Mueang International Airport)

from/to Chiang Mai (Chiang Mai International Airport)

from/to Hat Yai (Hat Yai International Airport)

International Destinations:

Fleet

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.[6]
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.[7]
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.
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.[8]
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.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 29 March 1986. 130.
  2. 1 2 Thai Airways International - Company History http://www.thaiairways.com/about-thai/company-profile/en/history.htm
  3. ↑ Thai Aviation History - Thai Airways Fleets http://www.thai-aviation.net/airlines-ThaiAW.htm
  4. ↑ Thai Airways International - Developments and Advancements of THAI AD. 1979–1988 http://www.thaiairways.com/about-thai/company-profile/en/developments-and-advancements-of-thai-ad-1979-1988.htm
  5. ↑ "THAI Shop Contact Us." Thai Airways International. Retrieved on 4 March 2010.
  6. ↑ Accident description for HS-TDH at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 2015-08-09.
  7. ↑ Accident description for HS-THG at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 20 February 2014.
  8. ↑ Accident description for HS-THI at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 4 February 2014.
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