THAI AIRWAYS INTERNATIONAL TO ALMOST DOUBLE FLEET
Thai Airways International plans to
expand its fleet to 58 from 30 aircraft by 1995, company
officials said.
    Thamnoon Wanglee, vice-president for finance, told a
weekend marketing conference Thai would finance the expansion
by borrowing, but he did not give details.
    He said the airline planned to reduce its yen borrowing to
36.4 pct of overall debt by September 1992. It is currently
64.3 pct of overall debt.
    He said dollar borrowing should rise to 56.2 pct of overall
debt in the same period, compared to 15.7 pct now.
    Other company officials said the state-owned airline had no
plans to go private. They said the airline is studying a
government proposal for it to merge with Thai Airways Company,
the state-owned domestic carrier.
    A report presented to the conference showed the airline
expects passenger sales revenue to be 13 pct higher in 1987
than in 1986. This follows a 20 pct jump in passenger sales
revenue in the past four months.
    Executive vice president Chatrachai Bunya-ananta said the
current expansion of Bangkok airport would be completed this
year.
 REUTER
