The Supreme Administrative Court has revoked a controversial Labour Ministry announcement that allowed foreign pilots to temporarily operate domestic flights in Thailand.
The ruling was issued on Monday and took effect immediately, with the court finding that the ministry’s approval, announced on December 13, 2024, hindered job opportunities for Thai pilots.
The decision marks a significant victory for the Thai Pilots Association, which filed the lawsuit against the ministry and another party.
The association has long argued that domestic routes should be reserved for Thai nationals and that allowing foreigners to take the helm undermines the profession.
Two weeks earlier, the same court declined to grant a temporary injunction to halt the use of foreign pilots on domestic routes, dealing an initial setback to the association.
After that ruling, the group proceeded to request the full cancellation of the ministry’s special permission.
The disputed announcement was issued to grant Thai Vietjet temporary approval to use foreign pilots on local flights, following the airline’s decision to wet-lease two aircraft last year to meet rising demand during a shortage of available planes.
In aviation, a wet lease is an arrangement in which an aircraft is rented along with crew and other necessary services.
Although the special permission for Vietjet Thailand is set to expire on January 31 this year, the pilots association has expressed concern that other airlines may use similar reasons, such as aircraft shortages, to lease planes and operate domestic routes without employing Thai pilots.
