The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified 26 flaws in Thailand’s aviation standards during its recent inspection and has recommended that they be rectified if Thailand is to regain Category One status.
Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand director Mr. Chula Sukmanop said that some of the 26 flaws recently identified were already known and were in the process of being rectified. These include the number of personnel assigned to aviation safety, which must be adjusted to conform to the required aviation standard.
He said that the US’s FAA would submit its official inspection report to the CAAT within 60 days through the US embassy in Bangkok. Following that, the CAAT will make rectifications as recommended before asking the FAA for re-inspection.
If Thailand passes the FAA’s standard checks, the country will be upgraded to Category One status, which means that Thai airlines could start new routes in the US as well as in other countries which follow the FAA’s aviation standard assessments, such as South Korea.
Thailand was downgraded into Category Two in 2015 by the FAA and, in the same year, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) imposed a red flag over safety concerns relating to Thai aviation standards. Two years later, the red flag was lifted after the ICAO was satisfied with the improvements made.
