Twenty six employees of Thai Airways are accused of faking their own deaths to collect a death benefit, but still going to work and continuing to collect a paycheck.
It’s a small example of one of the four reasons Thai Airways was on the verge of collapse even before the pandemic. In fact, it may even be an example of three of the four: corruption, incompetence, and bureaucracy.
Twenty members of the Savings Cooperative for Employees of Thai Airways International (THAI) and their lawyers filed a complaint on Tuesday with the Crime Suppression Division, urging an investigation into some members of the cooperative who might have used fake death certificates to receive funeral allowances that the company has been providing via the savings cooperative.
“The cooperative has found that the number of members filing for funeral allowance has increased suspiciously over several years,” said cooperative representative Weerayut Thuankong, who joined the 20 in filing the complaint.“We checked the evidence they submitted and found that the death certificates appeared to be fake, as the persons declared dead are still working for the company.”
Credit: Thai Airways
Since 2013 they’ve discovered 26 cases of people submitting death certificates, collecting a benefit, but continuing to work for THAI. At a nearly $18,000 payout per employee this fraud has cost the company nearly half a million dollars. It’s likely more cases exist, including prior to 2013 which is as far back as the investigation has looked so far.
(HT: One Mile At A Time)
Makes you wonder if Rush Limbaugh faked his death to later expose liberals for the disgusting comments they’re making across the web. The New York Times obituary even poked fun at his weight. I’m pretty sure the New York Times would oppose fat-shaming, if asked.
Nice spin on the classic ghost employee fraud. Would work well in the US where I have heard political activists are now seeking protection from discrimination for living employees who self-identify as dead and dead social security recipients who self-identify as living.
Two observations:
1) There is life (and also work!) after death
2) If you look at the original article, several employees/representatives are not wearing masks or wear them below the nose. I think it is OK if you are officially dead .
Actually, TG Cooperative is a totally seperate entity from Thai Airways, so the company does not lost half a million dollar, but rather the cooperative.
its easy money. Better then some of the flight staff that pimp themselves to customers during a flight