Civil Aviation: Thai Airways plane at Kathmandu Airport

From the archive record

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline has its corporate headquarters in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and primarily operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. THAI is a founding member of the Star Alliance. The airline is the largest shareholder of the low-cost carrier Nok Air with a 49% stake, and it launched a regional carrier under the name Thai Smile in the middle of 2012 using new Airbus A320 aircraft. From its hub at Suvarnabhumi Airport, THAI flies to 75 destinations in 35 countries, using a fleet of more than 80 aircraft. The airline was once the operator of two of the world's longest nonstop routes between Thailand and Los Angeles and New York, but due to high fuel prices and the withdrawal of aircraft, th