Thai Airways fires cargo chief over lease deal

Thai Airways International has fired executive vice-president Pruet Boobphakam after investigations into irregularities involving a deal to lease two freighter aircraft from US-based Southern Air. The probe found that Pruet failed to comply with the airline's procurement protocol and intentionally reported inaccurate key data involving the deal. Under the deal with Southern Air, Thai Airways agreed to lease two Boeing 777-200 aircraft for two years, starting in March as the cargo carrier worked to rebuild its position in the maindeck market after an absence of two years.