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Sobering thoughts

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For many people, one of the few compensations for being crammed into an airborne sardine can for hours on end is the prospect of a free drink.

But for flight attendants on state-run Thai Airways, unlimited free alcohol is proving a recipe for sexual harassment. They claim that intoxicated passengers are disruptive and can get out of hand, particularly with women hostesses, although male attendants also report being harassed.

Groping, verbal abuse and even attempted rapes are unwelcome hazards of the job, according to the Cabin Crew Association at Thai Airways.

One Thai businessman was recently convicted of sexually harassing a female attendant on board a Thai Airways flight to Dubai in 2003. He received a suspended jail term and a fine.

A study by Bangkok's Thammasat University has claimed that Thai Airways attendants suffer more harassment than cabin crew on other airlines. Now, they have won support from the Ministry of Social Development, which wants the airline to do more to protect employees from sexual harassment.

One solution, says the attendants' union, is to cut back on the number of drinks served. Presumably this would also save the airline some money. Surely most airlines struggling with rising fuel costs would welcome the chance to shave off some costs in these competitive times?

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