From Campus to Cockpit: Chula-Thai Airways Unite for a Future-Ready Thailand

BANGKOK, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chulalongkorn University and Thai Airways International Public Company Limited have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote and develop educational potential and knowledge exchange to create value for organizations and society. This collaboration encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at driving sustainable development at the organizational, national, and international levels. The MoU was signed on May 29, 2025, at Room 111 of the Maha Chulalongkorn Building by Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, and Mr. Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways.

The purpose of this collaboration is to foster cooperation in education, research, innovation development, and knowledge exchange between academia and business sectors. The aim is to adapt to societal and technological changes while creating value for both organizations and society. Additionally, the partnership supports human resource development, lifelong learning, and upskilling of personnel, students, and the general public through co-created learning materials, knowledge exchange, training programs, and various creative activities. The long-term vision includes establishing new organizational value, and jointly supporting the creation of departments, academic programs, or projects aimed at enhancing professionalism, services, and related industries. The shared knowledge will be used to improve operational efficiency and strengthen relationships between public and private sectors, serving as a model of collaboration for national development.

As part of the event, Chulalongkorn University hosted the fourth session of the President's Distinguished Speaker Series under the theme: "From Turbulence to Triumph: Thai Airways' Journey from Recovery to Ascent." Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat opened the event, followed by a discussion featuring Dr. Piyasvasti Amranand, Head of the Business Rehabilitation Plan for Thai Airways, and Mr. Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways. The session decoded the airline's strategic turnaround from loss to profit and its service excellence upgrade. The panel was moderated by Dr. Weerapong Prasongchean, guest lecturer at Chula's General Education Center.

Prof. Dr. Wilert Puriwat remarked: 

"The role of universities today goes beyond simply delivering education — it includes learning from real-life experiences. These experiences become truly meaningful when we learn from actual challenges. It is an honor to learn from Thai Airways' transformation, a national organization of the Thai people. Both Chulalongkorn University and Thai Airways share a similar mission — to go global, acting as gateways to Thailand. Our efforts are, therefore, genuinely in service of the nation."

Dr. Piyasvasti Amranand, commenting on Thai Airways' recovery, stated:

"It has now been five years since Thai Airways filed for business rehabilitation with the Central Bankruptcy Court. Soon, the court is expected to issue an order concluding the rehabilitation process, which would mean Thai Airways can once again operate as a regular public company and resume stock trading on the exchange. However, all staff must remain honest and resilient. Do not succumb to external pressures — otherwise, we risk repeating past mistakes. Weakness among executives or employees opens the door to outside interference, especially in procurement. I urge our leadership to stay strong and uphold what is right."

Mr. Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways, summarized: 

"Aviation is a complex, highly competitive industry. Thai Airways envisions becoming a high-quality airline that reflects Thai identity through its services and achieves sustainable profitability. Since our performance has improved, we've incorporated elements of Thai soft power into our identity under the theme 'Good Taste for a Good Cause,' to tell our story and restore public trust." 

View the photo album of this article at https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/242541/

About Chulalongkorn University

"Chulalongkorn University proudly retains its No. 1 position among Thai universities and ranks 132nd in Asia out of more than 2,000 institutions in the THE Asia University Rankings 2025 — a testament to the excellence of Thai higher education on the regional stage."

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