Bangkok, Thailand – Thai AirAsia Co., Ltd. has appointed Phairat Pornpathananangoon as general manager, effective 31 January 2026. He currently serves as chief financial officer. Pornpathananangoon will succeed Santisuk Klongchaiya, who is retiring. Klongchaiya will remain with the company as an advisor.
Pornpathananangoon has been with AirAsia for more than two decades, first joining Thai AirAsia as financial planning manager in 2004. In 2014, he was promoted to chief financial officer at Thai AirAsia X, before returning to Thai AirAsia in 2021 to fulfil the same role. He has been recognised by the Investment Analysts Association, receiving the Best CFO award in the transportation sector in 2024 and 2025.
During his tenure, Pornpathananangoon was involved in financial management, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. His responsibilities included overseeing cost management and restructuring measures as the company navigated the operational disruptions caused by the pandemic.
“Having been with the AirAsia family for 21 years since its inception and part of the team that led AAV’s successful IPO, I have developed a deep-rooted understanding of the aviation industry’s strategic and financial complexities,” said Pornpathananangoon. “I have applied the invaluable insights gained from our visionary leaders to navigate the company through both crises and periods of rapid expansion.”
The board has also appointed Thanit Thanathanmanont to succeed Pornpathananangoon as chief financial officer. He has been with AirAsia since 2011, starting as manager of commercial strategy and development at Thai AirAsia. By 2023, he was head of group financial planning at AirAsia SEA Co., before becoming interim chief financial officer at AirAsia Philippines in 2024.
