BANGKOK- The Thai Pilots Association has escalated concerns over a recent cabinet decision allowing foreign pilots to operate domestic routes, formally challenging the policy through an official letter submitted to the Labour and Transport ministries.
Last week, the government approved a temporary six-month measure permitting foreign pilots to fly domestic routes, citing a need to address commercial pilot shortages fueled by Thailand’s surging tourism sector.
Thai Pilots Apposes Foreign Pilots
Teerawat Angkasakulkiat, president of the Thai Pilots Association, strongly disputes the rationale behind this decision.
Angkasakulkiat argues that the cabinet’s approval fundamentally conflicts with existing legal frameworks. He maintains that piloting remains a prohibited occupation for foreign nationals and categorically rejects the assertion of a genuine pilot shortage in the country.
He also emphasized the policy’s misalignment with the 20-year national labor strategy, specifically challenging the 2023-2027 strategic framework focused on future industries and service sector development.
The proposed wet lease arrangements potentially compromise domestic pilot employment, particularly in specialized aircraft operations like Airbus A320, where Thai pilots demonstrate exceptional technical proficiency.
Teerawat warned that permitting foreign pilots could substantially undermine job security for local aviation professionals.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand revealed precise workforce statistics, documenting 3,024 commercial pilots in 2023. The pandemic’s economic disruption resulted in 1,026 pilot layoffs, while 1,219 pilot school graduates currently hold commercial licenses and await airline employment opportunities.
Teerawat highlighted potential downstream consequences, including potential precedent-setting scenarios where foreign operators might expand into critical domestic domains like agricultural drone operations.
Local airlines seek to utilize wet lease arrangements under Section 33/1 of the Thailand Air Navigation Act. However, critical sections of this legislation fail to align with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program.
Pilots Salary in Thailand
According to reports, pilots in Thailand earn around US$57,509 per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about $31,126 to the highest average salary of $87,200. Further, the median salary for a Pilot in Thailand is close to $53,000.
Here’s the average salary range of pilots in Thailand based on experience:
- 0 – 2 Years Experience. A Pilot in Thailand with less than two years of experience can expect to earn $36,024.
- 2 – 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience, the average Pilot salary would increase to $45,515.
- 5 – 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Pilot, the average salary would be $59,956.
- 10 – 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience, the average salary reaches around $70,921.
- 15 – 20 Years Experience. A Pilot with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of $78,321.
- 20+ Years Experience. For a Pilot with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to $83,268.
Note all these are base salaries and pilots get multiple allowances and compensation.
We will make a detailed article on salary according to airlines in Thailand. Until then read the articles we have written on the salary of pilots in the United States, India, and some other countries here: Pilots Salary Articles.
Let’s take a real case study.
Lion Air 737 Captain Salary
Lion Air (JT), a prominent low-cost airline, offers comprehensive employment opportunities for qualified pilots with specific requirements and competitive compensation structures.
Pilot recruitment mandates a minimum of 4,000 total flight hours, with 2,000 hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC). The airline uniquely provides type rating training, eliminating additional certification costs for candidates. Applicants must demonstrate 1,000 PIC hours on the specific aircraft type, with the most recent Boeing 737NG flight occurring within the preceding 12 months.
Mandatory qualifications include an ATPL license issued by an ICAO-recognized authority, a valid Class 1 medical certification, and an ICAO English Language Proficiency level of 4. Vaccination requirements remain unspecified.
Pilots can anticipate a monthly flight time between 75 to 80 hours, structured on an 8-weeks-on, 2-weeks-off roster system.
Compensation Package Breakdown in USD:
- Base Salary: $5,882 per month
- Flying Allowance Rates:
- 01-30 hours: $61.76 per hour
- 31-50 hours: $79.41 per hour
- 51-70 hours: $102.94 per hour
- 71-80 hours: $114.71 per hour
- Over 80 hours: $129.41 per hour
- Housing Allowance: $735 per month
- Productivity Allowance: $441 per month
- Overnight Allowance: $44 per trip
A total of 80 hours a month comes out to be around 15,000 USD. That means around $180,000. per year. This includes a base salary of $70,000. So the allowance and flight hours exceed the fix base pay.
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