CARRIES COULD MISS REVENUE, PROFIT TARGETS

       Thai Airways International could miss its revenue target of Bt150 billion this year due to the fluctuation in oil prices and a low passenger yield, its president Piyasvasti Amranand said yesterday.
       The national carrier may also fail to achieve this year's profit target of Bt7 billion, he said.
       "The overall operation in the third quarter was positive, with a higher load factor. However, we are still facing a crisis," Piyasvasti said at a press conference.
       THAI in the first half of the year registered Bt75.9 billion in revenue and Bt2.47 billion in net profit. It has not yet released third-quarter financial results.
       The company earlier lowered its revenue target from Bt180 billion to Bt150 billion, due to political instability and the global economic crisis. Last year's revenue was Bt202.6 billion.
       Passenger yield in the third quarter was Bt1.90 per seat per kilometre, compared to Bt2.20 in the same period last year.
       The yield is forecast to rise to Bt2.10 next year, Piyasvasti said.
       He said THAI would hold an executive management workshop on Monday and Tuesday to discuss how the airline should handle the current situation. The working group will also evaluate overall operations in the current quarter. A press conference will be held after the two-day meeting.
       The company will submit the conclusions reached to the executive board on November 18 for further action.
       Piyasvasti said one of the cost-cutting measures being implemented was to reduce the number of free tickets and privileges. The airline issues 180,000 free tickets each year to the company's staff, as well as to current and former executives.
       "We will cut back on free tickets just during this peak season from November to January, in order to reduce operating costs," he said.
       Meanwhile, the executive board yesterday appointed three directors to new executive positions, with immediate effect. Woranate Laprabang, formerly director for the Strategic implementation and evalution department, is appointed vice president for corporate strategtgy and planning development.
       Jirawan Chaisakul, formerly director of the product and service information system department, is appointed vice president for the information technology services department.
       Ruangyos Pamonmontri, formerly director of the Europe and Africa department, is appionted vice president for the sales and distribution department.