Thai Airways Company

Thai Airways traces its roots to the Siamese Airways Company Limited, the domestic flag carrier of Thailand formed on 1 March 1947 by a cabinet resolution. The fleet initially consisted of Douglas DC-3, Beechcraft C-45, L-5 Sentinel, Rearwin and Fairchild aircraft. The inaugural flight was Bangkok-Phitsanulok-Lampang-Chiang Mai and a Chiang Mai-Mae Sariang-Mae Hong Son service began two days later. The first international flight, a Bangkok-Songkhla-Penang service, took place in December 1947.

Siamese Airways merged with Pacific Overseas Airlines (Siam) (POAS), to form Thai Airways Company Limited (TAC) (Thai: บริษัท เดินอากาศไทย จำกัด (บดท)) - commonly Thai Airways, following a government resolution on 1 November 1951.

In 1960, Thai Airways established the international flag carrier, Thai Airways International Company Limited (THAI; Thai: บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด). The international carrier was a joint venture between Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) with the Scandinavian carrier initially providing a 30% share capital of two million baht.

Thai Airways acquired an Avro 748 turboprop in 1963, a Boeing 737-200 jet in 1977, a Short 330 in 1982, and Short 360 and Airbus A310-200 in 1985.

On 1 April 1988, Thai Airways Company Limited (TAC) merged with Thai Airways International to create the unitary national airline of the Kingdom of Thailand, under a cabinet resolution and direction of the Prime Minister, General Prem Tinsulanonda.

Thai Airways's 11 aircraft, comprising three Boeing 737-200, four Short 330, two Short 360 and two Airbus A310-200, combined fleet with Thai Airways International, for a total of 41 aircraft. Airline codes changed to Thai Airways International's airline codes at the end of 1988.

Destinations

Domestic Destinations of Thailand:

from/to Bangkok – Don Mueang International Airport

Chiang Mai – Chiang Mai International Airport

Chiang Rai – Old Chiang Rai Airport

Incidents and accidents

25 December 1967: 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.

21 January 1968: At 10000 feet over Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi Province, a Thai Airways Sud Caravelle IA (HS-TGL) collided with Royal Thai Air Force Beechcraft Queen Air 02018 that was photographing the Caravelle in flight; the Baron lost control and crashed, killing all six on board, but the Caravelle landed safely at Bangkok.

7 May 1971: A Thai Airways Douglas C-47A (HS-TDE) undershot the runway at Mae Hong Son Airport, landing hard and bouncing in the process, after which it veered off the runway and turned around; all 21 on board survived, but the aircraft was written off.

27 April 1980: 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. All four crew members and 40 of the 49 passengers were killed.

21 June 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.

15 April 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.