Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) will reactivate three mothballed A330-300s and two B777-200s due to a rapid recovery in demand, especially on its European routes, Chief Commercial Officer Nond Kalinta told the English-language Nation Thailand.

"We believe this year's high season will see the highest number of passengers in the last two years. The airline expects 4.48 million passengers for the whole year and a total income of THB80 billion baht (USD2.2 billion) thanks to the lifting of travel restrictions for foreigners since July 1. For THAI, the average load factor is now at 70-80%, with European markets having the highest load factor at 90%. The advance booking rate in July is now at 60% and is rising continually," Nond said.

The airline mothballed the bulk of its widebody fleet after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thailand implemented strict travel restrictions, which were eased only in November 2021, practically halting Thai Airways' passenger operations except for repatriation charters. As the airline entered into judicial restructuring, it announced plans to simplify its fleet. First, it retired all B747-400s, B777-200s, and B777-300s. Subsequently, it also retired its A380-800s and B777-200ERs, leaving only the A330-300s, A350-900s, B777-300(ER)s, B787-8s, and B787-9s in its much-reduced fleet.

In an interview with ch-aviation in March 2022, Chairman of Rehabilitation Plan Administrators Piyasvasti Amranand maintained that the A330-300s and B777-200s would be sold, although the B777-200(ER)s were to remain in the fleet. Nond did not specify whether the airline was planning to reactivate the -200s or -200(ER)s but the spokesperson confirmed to ch-aviation that they will be non-ER variants.

The ch-aviation fleets module shows that Thai Airways currently operates six B777-200(ER)s, of which four are active and two have remained in storage at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport since March 2020. All six of the airline's own -200s are parked (five at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and one at Bangkok Don Mueang). The airline also operates nine A330-300s (and owns five more aircraft which are de-registered in Thailand already), of which seven are parked at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and two at Hong Kong International.