16 Thai airlines suspend their operations after failing safety assessments

By THE NATION

 

File photo: Suvarnabhumi Airport

 

BANGKOK: -- SIXTEEN airlines registered in Thailand have failed safety and related regulatory assessments conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), requiring them to suspend operations until they get new Air Operator’s Certificates (AOCs), as authorities enforce stricter rules in accordance with requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The ICAO is due to send delegates to inspect Thailand’s new aviation safety regulatory system later this month or in early October, after which the agency is expected to consider lifting its “red flag”, which was imposed in 2015 due to safety concerns.

 

According to a government committee chaired by Deputy Premier Prawit Wongsuwan, Thai authorities had already issued AOCs to nine airlines under the new regulatory system, while another 11 airlines were in the process of applying for AOCs.

 

New challenges

 

Due to the Thai aviation sector’s rapid growth rate over the past decades, there have been concerns about safety and other issues facing a large number of airlines registered in Thailand.

 

In addition, the regulatory system needs to be overhauled to cope with new challenges resulting in the restructuring of multiple agencies, including the CAAT.

 

As a result of failing to pass the CAAT’s assessments, all 16 airlines were ordered to suspend their service as of last Friday, in line with the ICAO’s regulations.

 

According to Colonel Sirichan Nga-thong, a spokesperson for Prawit, the ICAO had already inspected the safety and other related aspects at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang international airports as well as those of the CAAT in July. The results are understood to be satisfactory with no significant safety or related concerns.

 

After ICAO delegates review the country’s overall aviation safety and regulatory system, the agency is expected to report its assessment within the next 60 days, especially regarding the status of the red flag affecting Thailand.

 

Thailand has faced a shortage of qualified personnel and training officials regarding aviation and safety issues following years of a boom in the aviation and tourism sectors.

 

The number of foreign tourists has increased rapidly over past decades to about 30 million this year.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30325783

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-05

And the 16 airlines are ???

LOL. When pigs fly.

36 minutes ago, davehowden said:

And the 16 airlines are ???

I thought the same, but I guess you can find out easy enough as they are the ones who wont be able to sell you a ticket right now. I have to say I find this amusing in that only a few short weeks ago, we were told Thailand was to become the hub in Asia for aircraft maintenance, yet now it seems their abilities on this front are as poor as most comments on the subject suggested.

44 minutes ago, davehowden said:

And the 16 airlines are ???

 

"Sorry, that's classified information."

Take your pick

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airlines_of_Thailand

Edited September 4, 20178 yr by Dave67

Good job Yingluck got out when she did

Every type of transportation in Thailand would be suspended if there was an international body involved, it costs money to implement safety standards including training - infrastructure and enforcement, unfortunately the money goes elsewhere - it's all about priorities and ability.....money number one   

A little confused here. The above article stated that...

 

As a result of failing to pass the CAAT’s assessments, all 16 airlines were ordered to suspend their service as of last Friday,..

 

If this really happened, then surely in the last four days, Thailand would have seen a social media storm about cancelled flights.

I thought the same, but I guess you can find out easy enough as they are the ones who wont be able to sell you a ticket right now. I have to say I find this amusing in that only a few short weeks ago, we were told Thailand was to become the hub in Asia for aircraft maintenance, yet now it seems their abilities on this front are as poor as most comments on the subject suggested.

More correctly, they won't be able to fly you.
I wonder if they will shutdown their booking systems in line with the shutdown of flights?

1 hour ago, davehowden said:

And the 16 airlines are ???

Defamation Laws...

So let me understand something here, all those airlines we flying

and or offering air transportation already while not

fit or fully qualified to be engaged in such services? it's with the grace of god

that no accidents happened to those operations....

1 hour ago, Dave67 said:

Take your pick

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airlines_of_Thailand

Doesn't leave to many flying so the sky will be clear over Thailand of aircraft !

1 hour ago, davehowden said:

And the 16 airlines are ???

Just pick one.

1 hour ago, davehowden said:

And the 16 airlines are ???

 

Good question  ...  and then they illustrate the story with a stock-photo of a Thai-International plane !

 

Better reach for the Sno-Pake/paint-can !

1 hour ago, Dave67 said:

Take your pick

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airlines_of_Thailand

Yes, don't panic. The affected airlines are absolutely NONE of the ones that the general flying public would expect to fly on. Those itching to have a free pop at Nok and the likes can go find another, easier target.

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

LOL. When pigs fly.

 

I understand that they're still mulling the draft-proposal, ahead of setting-up a committee to develop recommendations, for establishing an inspection-body for flying-pigs !  Oink Oink ! 

Progress is sometimes a step backwards.

Waiting for the first catastrophe to happen at Suvarnabhumi! It's due


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Yes, don't panic. The affected airlines are absolutely NONE of the ones that the general flying public would expect to fly on. Those itching to have a free pop at Nok and the likes can go find another, easier target.

Umm no! Nok should be in the group but I doubt they've been included

1 minute ago, shanesox said:

Waiting for the first catastrophe to happen at Suvarnabhumi! It's due


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Your salivation is palpable.

24 minutes ago, ezzra said:

So let me understand something here, all those airlines we flying

and or offering air transportation already while not

fit or fully qualified to be engaged in such services? it's with the grace of god

that no accidents happened to those operations....

Airline safety is of particular importance because when an accident or failure happens there is zero chance of survival, there are so many people and sectors involved in the safety of air travel it really is a massive task to ensure they are "all" meeting international standards, you also have to consider that aircraft flying into and out of Thailand become subject to international influence because they are carrying international passengers and entering - leaving - flying over other countries airspace and using the facilities of other countries - they must comply

 

It has to be more than "by the grace of god" that they operate safely, the standards (thank god) are not an option for Thailand - they are a rigorously controlled and enforced set of standards, it is usually ?money number one" for Thailand but in this case it is "safety and standards number one" - money doesn't enter into it. 

7 minutes ago, shanesox said:

Umm no! Nok should be in the group but I doubt they've been included

Here we go...

45 minutes ago, ezzra said:

So let me understand something here, all those airlines we flying

and or offering air transportation already while not

fit or fully qualified to be engaged in such services? it's with the grace of god

that no accidents happened to those operations....

Easy there Tonto... there's absolutely NONE of the usual Thai bashers flying with ANY of these 16 suspended airlines unless they do private charters or shift cargo.

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

LOL. When pigs fly.

They are not one of the banned entities either.

The story has a pic of Thai Airways so that MUST BE one of them?  why the secrecy?  typical  "Thainess"

Edited September 5, 20178 yr by LannaGuy

Your salivation is palpable.

judgement based on reality ! Your opining is misplaced !


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It is not as if the Thai airlines haven't been warned. However, affected Thai airlines presumably have their hands tied in not being able to recruit qualified overseas staff.

30 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Yes, don't panic. The affected airlines are absolutely NONE of the ones that the general flying public would expect to fly on. Those itching to have a free pop at Nok and the likes can go find another, easier target.

Since you have information that other posters don't have, please tell us which airlines are / are not affected.

Thank you.

I remember awhile back, didn't the CEO? of Swampy blame several mantainance issues on, "bad spirits",,, and claimed some new spirit houses needed to be build at the airport to appease them...