Thai Airways try to “cover-up” incident at Suvarnabhumi Airport

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Late last night, an Airbus A330-300 belonging to Thai Airways skidded off the runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is the statement from Dr Sorajak Kasemsuvan, the THAI president:

After touchdown at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the landing gear malfunctioned and caused the aircraft to skid off the runway. Sparks were noticed from the vicinity of the right landing gear near the engine. The captain took control of the aircraft until it came to a complete stop and passengers were evacuated from the aircraft emergency exits. The aircraft carried 288 passengers and 14 cabin crew. Initially, 13 passengers received minor injuries while evacuating the aircraft.

This incident happened at about 11:20pm on Sunday night. Obviously too late for today’s papers. But it was on all the morning news shows on every channel. What was interesting is that someone at Thai Airways decided to cover up the fact that it was one of their airplanes. As you can see by this picture snapped by a Bangkok Post photographer last night, one of the first decisions THAI made was to have the logo on the tail fin covered up. Seriously? Do they think we are stupid?

So, just in case you missed it, an Airbus A330-300 belonging to Thai Airways skidded off the runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

What do you think about this? Will this attempt at a cover-up turn into a PR-disaster for THAI? Should they have left it?

26 thoughts on “Thai Airways try to “cover-up” incident at Suvarnabhumi Airport

  • September 9, 2013 at 9:18 pm
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    That plane is 18 years old or young depending on your point of view.

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  • September 9, 2013 at 5:19 pm
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    Alitalia did the same last February after an accident occurred at Fiumicino airport (Rome), so I guess this is standard procedure for all the companies when something like this happens.

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  • September 9, 2013 at 3:34 pm
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    It’s defo not a coverup or anything to do with Thai culture. It’s standard procedure for airlines to do this. Happens all over the world.

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    • September 9, 2013 at 6:33 pm
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      True, but can’t we make fun of them for doing it? After all, British TV just did the same.

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    • September 9, 2013 at 7:37 pm
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      Star Alliance just tweeted to say this is not necessarily true:

      RT @staralliance: Regarding the painting over of logos on the aircraft of @ThaiAirways flight 679. This is not in line with @staralliance crisis guidelines. It would appear that the official quoted was misinformed.

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  • September 9, 2013 at 1:10 pm
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    As in all of Asia the Thai people are afraid to “loose face” and so it will continue these cover ups etc. Perhaps the Chinese started this way of life followed by Vietnam, Cambodia, North Korea and of course Myanmar maybe the most secretive society ever! This Incident will cause the Thais to now loose face and everyone will just laugh at them, they would have been better coming clean and praising the Captain of the plane for his quick reactions etc.

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  • September 9, 2013 at 12:17 pm
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    I just posted that very same thing on facebook. As if that’s going to fool anyone!

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  • September 9, 2013 at 12:15 pm
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    It’s a normal procedures airlines does when their plane involves in an accident. Every airlines does it.

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    • September 27, 2013 at 5:31 pm
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      In no way is this normal procedure. Where do you get that nonsense from?

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    • September 9, 2013 at 1:23 pm
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      Will the captain be pointing at the landing gear?

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:33 am
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    A cover up?
    In Thailand?
    Nah nothing here boys just move along now!

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:33 am
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    Actually on their facebook-page Thai Airways is acknowledging the accident. And what Thai Airways is doing seems to be “international practice” … Alitalia and China Airways did the same.

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    • September 9, 2013 at 1:12 pm
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      Chinese….. secret society!!!!

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:33 am
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    a better idea would have been to cover the plane to “preserve the evidence”

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    • September 9, 2013 at 1:13 pm
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      Why? there’s no crime, just a accident

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:32 am
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    How many airlines in the world have a colour scheme like that on the fuselage?

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:31 am
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    That is just nuts.. the story will get more traction because of the paintover….

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:31 am
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    A friend of mine had a towing service in the US and worked for United Parcel Service. When one of their trucks was in an accident, the first priority was to cover the UPS logo with brown wrapping paper and masking tape. Same same but different.

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    • September 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm
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      Afraid of loosing Buisiness….. the world gone crazy!

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:30 am
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    Hmm?? What for? It’ll be all over the news anyway. Don’t understand what they’re thinking.

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:08 am
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    Entire plane should have been covered in banana leaves.

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  • September 9, 2013 at 11:08 am
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    It’s good to see they have their priorities in place.

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    • September 9, 2013 at 1:15 pm
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      correct!!

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