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Published on September 19, 2007

Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld is playing a significant role in the aviation industry, now that his company is the country's largest low-cost airline and enables millions of people to fly at budget prices.

He dares to say he will build the airline, which began operating in 2004, into one of the top 10 companies that people want to work for.

"This is a five-year plan I am dreaming of. Why? Because air travel is gradually growing in all countries, including Thailand. This is a very simple reason to grow. However, there will be many things to revise or enhance," he says.

To reach his target, Tassapon believes his company needs to change two things: products and services; and internal management.

Regarding products and services, Thai AirAsia will make one major change between next year and 2013. It will introduce a new fleet of 40 Airbus A320s, with the first one scheduled for delivery next year.

The new fleet will help the airline offer more services to passengers, who always like to experience new things.

The airline will transform its on-board food and drink menu to offer new tastes and greater variety.

Moreover, it will revise its corporate image into something that tells people what Thai AirAsia has to offer, as the airline gears up to expand its local and international destinations in line with taking delivery of its new aircraft.

"As well as being the biggest budget airline in Thailand, we'll be a fresh airline in terms of products," says Tassapon.

Another important change will be enhancing internal management by making it clearer and more transparent.

The airline was once criticised over the "cleanness" of its operations, particularly when ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Shin Corp held a large stake. But the picture has become clearer since the beginning of the year, when the airline revised its shareholders.

"I want to show everyone the airline is operating in a clean manner and morally. This will make the company attractive to job-seekers," says Tassapon. "The combination of a good product and good morals will help the airline grow in a sustainable manner."

Tassapon graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Assumption University and a master's degree in marketing management from Thammasat University.

His first job was at confectionery distributor Adam, where he worked for four years. He moved to agricultural firm Monsanto for four years and then to Warner Music, where he stayed for three years.

On his first day at Thai AirAsia, Tassapon still recalls he was the first employee with an ID number: TAA001.

Throughout the past three years, Tassapon has been energetic as the leader of the team in establishing the business.

During that time, Thai AirAsia has been questioned about many parts of its operation and has had to address poor understanding of the low-cost, no-frills concept for airline travel.

However, Tassapon believes all low-cost carriers have educated people about the emerging services of budget airlines.

Only one airline has shaken the aviation industry by offering extremely low fares. Thai AirAsia has at times offered fares of only Bt9 a sector for domestic routes or starting at Bt18 a ticket for international routes, excluding tax.

The birth of Thai AirAsia has also forced some airlines to upgrade themselves and focus on more expensive markets, due to direct competition from low-cost carriers.

"Today, I am very happy helping people to get closer to each other. Parents are able to see their children more often, while many Thais can now travel by air instead of using traditional transport like trains and buses. And the most important thing is giving people their first chance to travel by aeroplane," says Tassapon.

The airline has served more than 6 million passengers in the last three years, a figure expected to grow in the long term.

Tassapon will soon move all 1,200 staff - currently working at a call centre on Bangkok's Ratchayothin Road and a head office on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road - to a new home near Suvarnabhumi Airport on Kingkaew Road.

Apart from taking care of staff and working hard, Tassapon divides his leisure time between two hobbies: reading and watching movies.

"I always read business books to learn about management. My current book helps me learn how to fight and to devise plans that I can adapt for my management," he says.

"I usually go to the cinema to see movies that help me in the same way as books."

Suchat Sritama

 The Nation