Thai Airways has reportedly asked employees to avoid potentially damaging social media posts following the suspension of its chief executive, as new details emerge about a disputed wine and champagne purchase worth a reported 180 million baht.
According to Daily News, on October 9, airline management circulated an internal notice requesting that staff exercise caution when posting opinions, sharing information or commenting on matters that could mislead the public or damage the airline’s reputation.
The notice reportedly urged employees to rely primarily on official company communications to ensure that information remained accurate and consistent.
Other publications also reported the notice, which follows public discussion of the October 2 suspension of Chief Executive Chai Eamsiri and allegations concerning Thai Airways wine procurement.
The controversy centres on earlier reports alleging irregularities in an order involving approximately 860,000 bottles of wine, reportedly worth more than 800 million baht.
However, new accounts put the procurement at around 700,000 bottles of wine and champagne, costing approximately 180 million baht. The reported order covered drinks served across economy, business and first class during 2026.
According to the latest reports, champagne was purchased through competitive bidding involving multiple suppliers, while certain wines were sourced through existing suppliers to maintain consistency and reflect passenger preferences.
The selection process reportedly began in 2023, with the purchase approved in November 2025 during Chai’s tenure. The airline is now said to be preparing procurement specifications for its 2027 drinks supply.
Bangkok Biz News cited a Thai Airways source as saying the purchasing process involved reviews by the legal and procurement departments rather than a decision made solely by the chief executive.
The conflicting figures have not been reconciled through publicly released procurement contracts, and no finding of corruption has been established.
Chai denied wrongdoing in a Facebook statement on October 4. He maintained that the wine purchases followed company procedures and welcomed scrutiny of the transactions.
The airline’s official Stock Exchange of Thailand filing linked his suspension to a review of its crisis management following severe flooding that disrupted ground operations, delayed flights and left thousands of passenger bags stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The board appointed Director Samrit Samniang as acting chief executive while the review continues. Chai retained his position as a company director.
Daily News also reported that Deputy National Police Chief Tatchai Pitaneelaboot was being considered to lead the investigation into the baggage disruption and flight cancellations, although the inquiry had not formally begun.
The proposed panel would examine the operational failures rather than the disputed wine procurement. The airline has not publicly confirmed that the wine allegations formed part of the official reasons for suspending Chai.
In related news:
- Thai Airways CEO suspension followed by 30-day review
- Thai Airways apologises as floods delay flights, strand 5,600 bags
- ‘I don’t think I can continue to defend the company,’ Thai Airways worker says
The story Thai Airways wine spending debated after CEO sidelined as seen on Thaiger News.
