Thai aviation industry will be ready for ICAO re-audit by Sept

[webfact]

AVIATION
Thai aviation industry will be ready for ICAO re-audit by Sept
NOPHAKHUN LIMSAMARNPHUN
THE NATION

Thai-registered airlines avoid sanction in latest European air safety list announced yesterday

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND should be ready for a re-audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on safety standards by September or October, Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has said.

Meanwhile, a European Commission press release yesterday said that it has updated the EU Air Safety List, which includes airlines that are subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union. All airlines from the Philippines, banned since 2010, have been removed from the list and can therefore return to European airspace. No new bans have been imposed in this update.

Arkhom, who visited ICAO's headquarters earlier this month, told The Nation that the re-auditing process would begin once all 28 airlines registered in Thailand have been re-certified by Thai authorities.

The ICAO should remove the red flag against Thailand on its website once the aviation authorities pass the re-audit. The red flag has raised significant safety concerns in relation to the Thai airline industry.

Arkhom said the corrective action plan approved by the ICAO includes improving air-operator certification requirements and Flight Operation Inspector Manuals, which are now 95-per-cent complete.

Next week, a hearing will be held on airlines' opinions on the updated manuals, which should be applied to all airlines shortly after.

The next step would be the training of and recruitment of more licensed inspectors, whose numbers will be increased from 11 to 48 to meet the rising number of airlines operating here. The inspectors' work will be based on the new manuals, which will help meet Thailand's fast-growing aviation industry meet ICAO safety standards.

Rapid growth over recent decades has resulted in major safety concerns owing to the country's inability to expand its regulatory and other capabilities.

So far, the planned Thai AirAsia X flight from Bangkok to Sapporo is the only one hit by the ICAO red flag.

Thai Airways International and other airlines have remained unaffected, while European and US aviation authorities have yet to announce any measures on Thai carriers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will send a team of officials to Thailand from July 13 to 17.

Arkhom said the Transport Ministry would also reorganise the Department of Civil Aviation into four separate agencies responsible for different roles as regulator/licensing, air-accident investigation, rescue work, etc.

He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha might exercise his absolute power under the interim charter's Article 44 to speed up the reorganisation process.

On June 18, ICAO publicly red-flagged Thailand citing significant safety concerns after notifying aviation officials in February of issues that have to be corrected. Thailand was given 90 days to correct the issues.

Arkhom said the red flag was not made public in February, but it became public after Thai authorities missed a 90-day deadline to fix these issues.

At present, 12 other countries are also red-flagged by the ICAO, including Angola, Botswana, Georgia, Haiti, Lebanon, Nepal and Uruguay.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong yesterday instructed the Civil Aviation Department to brace for an impact if the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) moved some reaction over Thai aviation.

EASA, which has been investigating Thai aviation safety standards since the ICAO audit, was reportedly expected to announce its findings yesterday.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thai-aviation-industry-will-be-ready-for-ICAO-re-a-30263145.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-26

[chainarong]

Sept. would be nice to see, however I wish you luck as putting together such a highly qualified team in such a short time possibly will cause a short circuit in the entertainment system, passing this Audit is critical to Thailand's Aviation life line, what ever you do , don't stuff it up.

[webfact]

Thai airlines to continue flying to Europe without restrictions

BANGKOK, 26 June 2015 (NNT)-The Ministry of Transport has said the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has decided not to ban Thai airlines from flying to Europe, despite the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s decision to red flag Thailand.

According to Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, the ICAO’s red flag is an indication that Thailand’s Civil Aviation Department is still unable to eliminate some of the significant safety concerns.

However, the EASA has disclosed in its statement that it would not impose any restrictions on Thai Airways. Besides, The EASA members are expected to visit Thailand in November to assist Thailand in its attempt to restore the credibility of the Thai aviation industry.

The Transport Minister said the plan to improve the safety standards would be reviewed and completed on or before June 26th.


-- NNT 2015-06-26

[Anthony5]

Thai airlines to continue flying to Europe without restrictions

BANGKOK, 26 June 2015 (NNT)-The Ministry of Transport has said the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has decided not to ban Thai airlines from flying to Europe, despite the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s decision to red flag Thailand.

He should have added the word, YET.

[cloghead]

"The Transport Minister said the plan to improve the safety standards would be reviewed and completed on or before June 26th."

14 hours and 35 minutes to go...

Get cracking, boys...

What a farce

[NongKhaiKid]

Thai airlines to continue flying to Europe without restrictions

BANGKOK, 26 June 2015 (NNT)-The Ministry of Transport has said the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has decided not to ban Thai airlines from flying to Europe, despite the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s decision to red flag Thailand.

He should have added the word, YET.

Spot On but in so many situations where use of ' Yet ' would be well advised it's completely missing from the Thai language.

It seems they would rather make a very positive but potentially erroneous statement rather than be cautiously optimistic which is prudent but is too negative for Thailand' s very decisive officialdom.

[Oziex1]

Thai airlines to continue flying to Europe without restrictions

BANGKOK, 26 June 2015 (NNT)-The Ministry of Transport has said the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has decided not to ban Thai airlines from flying to Europe, despite the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s decision to red flag Thailand.

He should have added the word, YET.

Spot On but in so many situations where use of ' Yet ' would be well advised it's completely missing from the Thai language.

It seems they would rather make a very positive but potentially erroneous statement rather than be cautiously optimistic which is prudent but is too negative for Thailand' s very decisive officialdom.

It seems they would rather make statements than actually progressing the work required.

[Jimlove]

Once again they will fail ... Too busy making stupid statements instead for doing some actual work

Cant wait to see how ICAO will punish them

[bangon04]

"All airlines from the Philippines, banned since 2010, have been removed from the list and can therefore return to European airspace"

Curious - I am sure I saw a PAL plane in London the other day.........

I suppose they mean all the other airlines from the Philippines.

[Srikcir]

Will General Prayut be meeting with USA FAA officials to instruct them on what questions they can ask during their audit?

Maybe it would be best for Prayut to take an "overseas" (sic) visit to Myanmar during their visit.

Then he can have deniability for any rash comments from his government.

[tifino]

The pressure seems to continue unabated...

Wifie has been following this on her iPad, and just came running out of her room - laughing. (I couldn't see what exactly was written, as it is all in Thai)

Apparently there's something like 42 Air Certifications for flying within Europe, that ICAO wants Thai Airways to answer for...

...ICAO wants to see:

from the back of what breakfast cereal box(es) did Thai Airways 'cut-out' their Certs from?

and there's deathly silence from the thais...

Luckily - we have already booked our 3 month Europe trip, on BritishAirways

[NongKhaiKid]

Has the ' readiness ' been handled anything like the way the ban on illegal fishing boats was and is being dealt with ?

[Lakegeneve]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will send a team of officials to Thailand from July 13 to 17.

This is the visit which has the potential to send shockwaves through the established aviation sector in Thailand.

If the FAA team conclude what some insiders believe that they will in their final report then it will result in the FAA downgrading Thailand. The consequence of such will be that US Airlines will be barred from flying to Thai airports and Thai carriers will no longer be able to fly to the US. The politics and optics of any such outcome are much more profound than the immediate financial impacts for specific carriers.

We'll have to wait and see what their findings are but some informed aviation professionals suggest that there is an inevitable outcome from the FAA visit.