( CNN ) -- A Thai Airways plane that skidded off the runway while landing at Bangkok 's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday night had its logos blacked out by workers after the accident . More : Thai Airways plane skids off runway , 13 injured . After touching down in Bangkok at 11:20 p.m. , the Airbus A330-300 aircraft , which departed from Guangzhou , China , suffered a landing gear malfunction that caused it to slide off the runway , according to the airline . No passengers were reported injured during the actual landing , although 13 received minor injuries during the evacuation and were taken to hospital , the airline said . After the accident , workers on a crane painted over the Thai Airways logo on the tail and body of the aircraft in black . Known as the `` crisis communication rule , '' the practice of obscuring logos was a recommendation from Star Alliance -- of which Thai Airways is a member -- to protect the airline 's image , an airline official initially said . However , Star Alliance denied the claims . `` The Star Alliance crisis communications policy does not state that logos are to covered , '' in the event of an accident , a spokesman for the airline group , Markus Ruediger , told CNN . Thai Airways later issued a statement `` clarifying '' its policy . `` Though Thai generally practices the de-identifying of an aircraft after an incident ... the company also clarifies that this is not a Star Alliance policy . '' Established in 1997 , Star Alliance is a global airline network with 28 member airlines . `` Standard practice '' draws criticism . Judging from the attention -- even derision -- Thai Airway 's actions have attracted in this case , the effort to protect the airline 's image seems to have had the opposite of its intended effect . Attention on Twitter quickly focused as much on the obscuring of the logos as on the accident itself . One tweet questioned whether this was the `` Most bizarre piece of corporate spin ever ? '' `` Cover up that tail , '' another post joked . Landing gear malfunction . Thai Airways was investigating the cause of the accident on Sunday night , the airline said . `` After touchdown at Suvarnabhumi Airport , the landing gear malfunctioned and caused the aircraft to skid off the runway , '' said president of Thai Airways , Sorajak Kasemsuvan , in a statement on the company 's website . `` Sparks were noticed from the vicinity of the right landing gear near the engine ; the matter is under investigation . '' Airbus said it is awaiting further information on the event before it can comment . `` We are dispatching a team of experts to support both the investigation authorities and Thai Airways , '' the company told CNN . Second incident in fortnight . The incident is the second in two weeks for Thai Airways . At least 39 passengers were injured after an Airbus A380 with 500 passengers from Bangkok hit severe turbulence during its approach into Hong Kong International Airport on August 30 . Thai Airways International has established a hotline for information about the accident in Bangkok . The number inside Thailand is 02 545 3181 . From outside the country , the number is +66 2 545 3181 .
After accident in Bangkok , Thai Airways painted over logo on its aircraft . Thai Airways claimed obscuring logo was a recommendation from Star Alliance . Star Alliance denied the airline 's claim . Media attention suggests the action achieved opposite of desired result .