South Korea bans Thai charter flights, affecting 10,000 passengers

[clockman]

They only way with Thailand, is force them. To do something.

[Lupatria]

So thailand is not that special or different.

Not special- not different- but all same same...

[Garry]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Not so much point taking the piss out of the Thais but more important to concentrate on the real cause of the problem.

If I read an external link correctly...part of it was that cabin crew were failing spot / competence checks on safety procedure knowledge.

[mikemac]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Costas, I'm sure that Thai airlines are operated just as well as Thai railroads, Thai tour buses, Thai highways, and Thai bar fights.

Cheers

They have a Department of Thai Bar Fights ??? Has this only been around since the coup ?

[Lupatria]

South Korea is banning charter flights from Thai airlines after Thai negotiation team failed to convince Korean civil aviation authorities in the first-round talk.

I wonder now if the Thais will accept the blame and find a solution or will this be more of the same ... blame everyone else because Thailand is superior.

Will they ever learn?

Oh, it looks like they learned something here- article 44 stops at the border.

[Rhys]

Glad to see S Korea can see through the BS meters provided by the Thai Airline industry.

[mikemac]

They only way with Thailand, is force them. To do something.

In the years I have been dealing with Thai people in the wholesale handicrafts/home decor business, I have found if you want them to do something correctly it will cost them money if they don't.

That is it, in any dealings you have with them. Hit them in the pocket.

It works !

[CNXBKKMAN]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Not so much point taking the piss out of the Thais but more important to concentrate on the real cause of the problem.

Over the last few years there have been a bunch of new thai charter airlines started. They get hold of single or couple of worn out 767's or 737-300 or 400's(state of the art in 1985) and begin holiday flights to China, Korea Japan. They start from nothing, have no experience, no mechanical skills, no safety programmes, no procedures or not the correct ones. They probably do the best they can and may have some experienced staff and a load cheap young people who couldn't get a job at Thai or Bangkok Airways. You needs tones of cash to start an airline and when you theres a list of 10 tech issues need fixing after every flight there might not be the cash flow, skills or staff to sort these things out. Plus the planes due on its next flight in a couple of hours.

These are the airlines that are dragging thai aviation down and revealing that the thai civil aviation authorities are not up standard either. They have badly let down Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways who must be really pissed that they are being dragged into this through no fault of there own.

I would have no worries flying with Thai, Bangkok Air, Air Asia or Nok Air. I wouldn't fly on the little known thai charter airlines but I am not going to book a package holiday with some back street agent either , which is how you end up on these charter flights.

[MobileContent]

So thailand is not that special or different.

Maybe, but they seem to have managed to convince the Japanese to allow the flights according to this report.

You are correct and I guess Japan has that high-speed railway project lined up. The Koreans are currently not participating in any large scale infrastructure project here in Thailand so they have nothing to loose.

[FredNL]

The Thai really don't get it that maintenance is more than: "I clean it last month".

[johnklinrak]

About three years ago I had a conversation with a French pilot who had been working for Thai Airways as an instructor but had been forced to resign as he was failing pilots on their yearly (or whatever time scale it is) checks. He would test a pilot in a simulator and fail him, this pilot should then have had some retraining and a retest. The Thai pilot would then complain and be tested by a Thai instructor and passed.

[Fat Haggis]

Costas I'm pretty sure the violations and concerns were posted on other threads of the same nature, but I do believe that Some pilots and aircrew lacked current certification on safety procedures amongst other issues.

I'm also sure a man with your prowess could also do what most others do and try using Google ? ?

[Fat Haggis]

According to the BP article on this earlier today a source at the transport ministry says that Thailand might now ban two korean airlines from flying into Thailand as they are in contravention of a bilateral agreement.

Sounds about right, instead of manning up and correcting the concerns and issues, spit the dummy and throw the teddy and ban others because they can't get their shit together !!

[Lupatria]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Not so much point taking the piss out of the Thais but more important to concentrate on the real cause of the problem.

So, you finally became interested and start to think? Congrats to that - it's never too late

Instead of reading responses to your hail the dear leader post you may want to switch to some more informative news like this from February 26^th:

Between 19 and 30 January employees of the ICAO visited the facilities of the Thai aviation. After the visit they spoke of significant safety concerns. According to them the Thai Civil Aviation staff would not undergo training as prescribed by ICAO, to meet very specific safety standards. However, corresponding licenses were issued.

ICAO also complained that the Civil Aviation Authority has a dual role, because it is the airport operator of 28 regional airports. This could lead to the assumption that there would be a conflict of interest here.

The head of the Thai Civil Aviation Authority, Somchai Piputvat, downplayed the report.

Somchai said they checked not only the safety standard of airlines, but also all important facilities such as Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, Airports of Thailand, the hangar operators, and safety standards of aviation training.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Lupatria

[Chicken George]

Charter flights? Are they or were they planning to use old planes that have been in mothballs since I don't know when? Pilots from where?

[phoenixdoglover]

For once, I agree with Costas.

The news report is the usual fluff, sadly lacking in detail.

What would be more helpful is:

1) what are the problems?

2) Specifically, which charter airlines are affected?

3) What steps are Thai authorities and the airlines taking to correct the problems?

It's probably asking way too much.

[deckape]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Costas, I'm sure that Thai airlines are operated just as well as Thai railroads, Thai tour buses, Thai highways, and Thai bar fights.

Cheers

That's just it. Transport standards are appalling in Thailand. In Korea, Japan and most other countries the mini-vans that kill countless every year would be off the road or heavily overseen, and a death toll on the roads like Thailand's would be a matter of national urgency. Kids of 10 in multiple numbers on bikes without helmets filling the roads would be likewise.

I know these sorts of things go on in India, Indonesia (where the road toll has been cut and rules increasingly enforced) and parts of Africa but Thailand is not a third world country infrastructure or development wise, whereas most of those are. This new lot, after initial mumblings about sorting this sort of thing out, are no better than any government before them when it comes to addressing any of this. The minister's words above show he's as clueless as the rest.

Absolutely. It is a matter of priorities, regulation, and enforcement. Not impossible, just difficult-- someone needs to step in, kick a-- and take names. For better or worse, that kind of mentality cannot exist here.

Unfortunately, sometime it seems that nobody gives a damn from the top to the bottom.

[weegee]

DCA must begun to use ICAO regulation, start inspection of all Korean carriers landing in Thailand, I'm sure they'll found that some problem

Yes....but have they got anyone qualified enough to do it...?

[lavender19]

So thailand is not that special or different.

Special needs.More like

[Jim walker]

Time we had one of our high intellect generals put in charge of the international Civil Aviation Organisations safety and try and explain to the rest of the world how far Thailand is advanced with regards to all things related to safety a world leader on many safety regulations road rail and air you name it we are the best at it.

[dickyknee]

So thailand is not that special or different.

Don't tell that to the Thai. They firmly believe they are Very Special and Different in ways the rest of the world just doesn't understand.

but they are very special and different in ways the rest of the work doesn't understand.

[ozyjon]

but, but, but

[NongKhaiKid]

DCA must begun to use ICAO regulation, start inspection of all Korean carriers landing in Thailand, I'm sure they'll found that some problem

I don't know if you are Thai but it doesn't matter as the sentiment is so very Thai.

It's not let's sort the problem out rather let's sort the Koreans out for daring to suggest we have safety issues.

Thainess Rules.

Edited April 6, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[newnative]

It's my understanding that the ICAO has been warning Thailand for several years that it is in violation of various safety standards. And, been ignored. Now that there's loss of money involved, maybe Thailand will take some actions to fix things. Although, I imagine there would be much swifter corrective action if flights were being banned from flying INTO Thailand.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

So thailand is not that special or different.

Maybe, but they seem to have managed to convince the Japanese to allow the flights according to this report.

The Japanese wants to build part of the new rail system, thats why they caved in.

[scorecard]

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I guess they didn't buy the - "But we're THAI!" line

Or the 'mai pben rai' line.

[jollyhangmon]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Costas, I'm sure that Thai airlines are operated just as well as Thai railroads, Thai tour buses, Thai highways, and Thai bar fights.

Cheers

That's just it. Transport standards are appalling in Thailand. In Korea, Japan and most other countries the mini-vans that kill countless every year would be off the road or heavily overseen, and a death toll on the roads like Thailand's would be a matter of national urgency. Kids of 10 in multiple numbers on bikes without helmets filling the roads would be likewise.

I know these sorts of things go on in India, Indonesia (where the road toll has been cut and rules increasingly enforced) and parts of Africa but Thailand is not a third world country infrastructure or development wise, whereas most of those are. This new lot, after initial mumblings about sorting this sort of thing out, are no better than any government before them when it comes to addressing any of this. The minister's words above show he's as clueless as the rest.

Exactly; start to cash in - like someone wrote few days ago - really high fines, say for example for wrong side driving.

Now, would that possibly piss off myself too, meaning a hell of a lot - ah, 'detours' ...?

But if every other time a friendly Brownie would be plucking me off my bike and insistently (& legally ) be asking for say a fiver (grand THB) i would probably reconsider in due time ...

Not that different in aviation i guess ...

[thhMan]

The amount of effort and resources to talk their way out of it could be used to fix the issues...

Ahhh... but this is Thailand... some of the things they do, just dont make sense....

[Nbarch]

....so is anybody going to resign over this mess.....?

[Tatsujin]

I'm really interested to know, what safety measures the Thai planes do not implement.

There must be something really wrong that the Japanese and now the Koreans don't like.

I started thinking if I should ever fly again on Thai planes.

Anybody can help here?

Not so much point taking the piss out of the Thais but more important to concentrate on the real cause of the problem.

It's the usual ... poor and/or irregular maintenance and use of substandard/used parts.

They take as much care of the planes here as they do with the trains and buses.