Phuket Air pilot suspended over work permit

[aussie dollar]

Phuket Air pilot suspended over work permit

BANGKOK (The Nation): The Ministry of Labour has ordered Phuket Air to ground one of its foreign pilots on suspicion that he does not have a work permit.

Sombat Niwesrat, Director of the Alien Occupational Control Division of the Department of Employment, said the airline had been given 15 days to produce the Indonesian pilot’s work permit or face legal action.

K. Sombat said the Indonesian would not be allowed to fly aircraft operated by the airline until the department had determined whether he was legally entitled to work in Thailand. He said the department had acted on a tip-off.

“We have checked [the airline’s] documents and found that this pilot has already flown two flights, though it’s highly likely he has not yet applied for a work permit,” K. Sombat said.

He said Phuket Air, and the pilot, would face legal action if the airline failed to produce the pilo t’s work permit before the July 15 deadline.

Somsak Srinual, Acting President of Thai Airways International’s labor union, said he had received complaints from Thai pilots that some airlines had been employing foreign pilots illegally.

Pilots working illegally often flew short domestic flights for low-cost airlines, he alleged, adding that they undercut their Thai counterparts by working for lower wages and generally had less flying experience.

“Such practices could prove dangerous for passengers,” K. Somsak said. He proposed the government add piloting aircraft on domestic flights to the list of occupations reserved for Thais.

Brought to you by:
The Phuket Gazette
12:15 local time (GMT +7)

[Mr Floatplane]

"Pilots working illegally often flew short domestic flights for low-cost airlines, he alleged, adding that they undercut their Thai counterparts by working for lower wages and generally had less flying experience."

- if they are undercutting, they must be paying the airline, as any undercutting would put them in the negative....

“Such practices could prove dangerous for passengers,” K. Somsak said. He proposed the government add piloting aircraft on domestic flights to the list of occupations reserved for Thais."

Yer, that will really make things safer!!!!