A Nok Air co-pilot and a Thai AirAsia trainee pilot are facing punitive action after joking in a Line app chat group about crashing the plane that former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was due to take on Sunday to Bangkok.
A screenshot of the group chat circulated on social media, along with a photo of Ms Yingluck and a caption that read she was taking a Nok Air flight from Phrae back to Bangkok on Sunday afternoon.
The co-pilot took a photo of Ms Yingluck and her entourage as they were boarding the Nok Air flight from Phrae to Bangkok. He posted it in a group chat with around 30 pilots and wrote: "Here are our victims."
Another person, an Air Asia pilot trainee, commented "Do a CFIT, please".
- Earlier report: Apology for 'inappropriate comment'
The "CFIT" comment caused wide debate on social media. In aviation speak it means "controlled flight into terrain" -- an incident in which an airworthy aircraft, under pilot control, is inadvertently flown into the ground, a mountain, or body of water.
Supporters of Ms Yingluck, particularly acting Pheu Thai Party secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai, urged Nok Air chief executive Patee Sarasin to take action over the comments.
Chusak Sirinil, the party's chief legal adviser, was also on the flight with Ms Yingluck. He said although the comment was made in jest, pilots had an ethical and professional responsibility to their passengers.
Mr Patee apologised to Ms Yingluck and for the co-pilot's inappropriate behaviour. On her Facebook, Ms Yingluck thanked Mr Patee for pursuing the case for her.
Norahuch Ployyai, Nok Air deputy COO, said the co-pilot has been suspended from duty for up to two weeks.
However, he meant no harm to Ms Yingluck, Mr Norahuch said of the co-pilot, and the remark was simply a poor joke that had nothing to do with politics.
The co-pilot had even asked the captain of the flight for permission to take a photo from the cockpit of Ms Yingluck and her aides as they were boarding the flight on the tarmac at Phrae airport.
After posting the "victim" message to Line, the co-pilot switched off his mobile phone. In response, the CFIT message was then sent by the Air Asia pilot trainee.
Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Asia Aviation Plc which owns Thai AirAsia, said its offending staff member has had his training suspended. He had only three days of training prior to the incident. The trainee pilot will also be made to undergo an attitude test and his behaviour will be closely monitored, said Mr Tassapon.
Mr Norahuch said Nok Air will inform the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand of the punitive action it has taken against the co-pilot.
Mr Tassapon said he also phoned Ms Yingluck to offer her an apology.
Ms Yingluck has been annoying authorities for the past several weeks by touring provinces and drawing huge crowds of admirers in the North and Northeast, allegedly to celebrate reaching 5 million followers on her Facebook account. (AP photo)