Thai govt to hold urgent meeting with airlines

[webfact]

AVIATION
Govt to hold urgent meeting with airlines
JEERAPONG PRASERTPOLKRUNG,
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION



Experts don't expect Thai tourism business to be affected by downgrades

BANGKOK: -- DEPUTY Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan will today hold an urgent meeting with 41 airlines to ensure that they follow international aviation-safety standards after the downgrade by the US agency.

The airlines are those that have received permission from the Department of Civil Aviation. The meeting will be held at Ban Kesa Komol.

As part of efforts to improve the country's aviation-safety measures, the government may review their licences issued by the department, depending on new checks and evaluations.

Thailand has been forced to restructure the aviation authority to meet aviation safety standards after being downgraded by international aviation bodies.

The US Federal Aviation Administration's decision to downgrade Thailand's aviation status over safety concerns on Tuesday followed the International Civil Aviation Organisation's red flag on safety concerns lifted previously.

If the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) follows the FAA, Thai-registered airlines operating on routes between Europe and Thailand could be affected, resulting in a sharp drop in tourists visiting Thailand.

The country's national carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) - which gets 35 per cent of revenue in that region - is likely to be the most affected, according to a brokerage.

In a bid to fix the problems with the nation's aviation safety system, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday pleaded for aviation talents to work with the Thai aviation authority after being faced with a shortage of skilled aviation people amid the increasing number of airlines.

He conceded that there were many problems and they had persisted for a long time. Some of the 35 points laid out by the FAA to be tackled could not be dealt with in the short term, as they concerned structural problems.

However, the tourism sector is expected to experience minimal impact if the EASA downgrades Thai aviation safety standards and impedes airlines from expanding their networks into Europe.

"If the EASA downgrades, which is expected to be announced on December 10, that will affect the nation's good reputation rather than aviation-related businesses," said Charoen Wangananont, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents.

He added that travel business would not be affected much from the EASA downgrade, as tourists from Europe would still able to visit Thailand by means of other airlines.

He said THAI would be affected if the national carrier were banned from flying to Europe, hampering THAI from expanding to new destinations or changing aircraft on routes to Europe.

THAI operates flights to 11 cities in Europe. The region last year contributed 6.1 million or about 25 per cent of total arrivals to Thailand last year. About 30 million tourists are expected this year.

The Economic Intelligence Centre of Siam Commercial Bank and Kasikorn Research Centre believe that the FAA downgrade will have only a minimal impact on the aviation and related businesses. They also don't expect a negative impact for THAI even if the EASA downgrades.

Itiirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said the downgrading of Thai aviation would not have a huge impact on the tourism sector. Businesses and traveller numbers are expected to grow in the rest of this year as well as next year.

German's Lufthansa Group plans to introduce its subsidiary airline, Eurowings, to the Thai market on December 15. The group will provide a business update and outlook for 2016.

Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, minister of tourism and sports, said after a meeting with airline executives yesterday that major airlines, especially THAI, had prepared ahead of the EASA announcement. She said other airlines would work with their alliances in case they face difficulty.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Govt-to-hold-urgent-meeting-with-airlines-30274296.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-04

[NongKhaiKid]

Amazing how Thais spring into action when it's too late.

Other countries, the EU should have realised by now extending deadlines don't work as it just gives LoS more time to do nothing until absolutely forced to do so, nothing that is except complain everything is unfair and all the fault of others for not understanding.

[Reigntax]

Amazing how Thais spring into action when it's too late.

Other countries, the EU should have realised by now extending deadlines don't work as it just gives LoS more time to do nothing until absolutely forced to do so, nothing that is except complain everything is unfair and all the fault of others for not understanding.

Nothing that a meeting and an new announcement wont fix!

[Ricardo]

What the meeting won't include, an apology from the DCA to their 41 airline 'customers', for having got them into this mess by letting standards slip over the past decade.

[chainarong]

It is no use holding meetings the damage has been done, International standards have not been met , this is critical for Thailand to comply as soon as possible , each Airline in Thailand knows dam well that they must pass those audits to fly to US , Europe and OZ , I notice that Thai Int score has dropped to 4 , anyone wanting to check their favourite carrier look up airlineratings.com and click on safety ratings per airline. Thai Int have an administration problem, as all aspects of flying are important , you would have to think the standard judgement and mindset of not only the DCA but the people trusted to running Thailand's airline carriers is substandard...................

[trainman34014]

They only do the things they are good at.....meetings and talking, eating, drinking, setting a date for the next meeting and going home to forget about whatever they talked about.

Anyone who has a Thai wife (or her relatives) who have worked, or are still working in any Civil Service job will tell you the above statement is absolutely correct. They love it when they attend endless meetings of committee's, sub-committee's and so on because it means they don't have to do any real work for weeks on end. And remember these meetings all have to be fitted in with 'Ceremony's' when huge numbers of said people's are standing around like dummy's in white uniforms...again doing nothing.

[fritzzz25]

horse..... barn door......

[JAG]

horse..... barn door......

Not only have they slammed the barn door after the horse has gone, they appear to have caught their fingers in it!

[ratcatcher]

Somkid obviously has something to smile about, unlike his boss.

[shirtless]

Have they brought out the big guns yet , They may form a committee.

[colinneil]

Meetings how Thais love meetings, just another excuse, but hey meetings fix nothing.

Actions are needed not more bloody meetings.

Thais and meetings !! Example 3 years ago when we lived in the mountains 39 kilometers from Mae hong son, my wife was called to a meeting (it took 3 hours through mud tracks to get there, for a 10 minute meeting about the next meeting !!! Wow thats logic for you,.

[whatproblem]

You can't blame the Thais ,they didn't know they had to be safe,nobody told them ,what are the amulets for

[newnative]

Urgent = Not urgent, just going through the motions, business as usual. Immediately = Not immediately, sometime in the distant future, if at all.

[Srikcir]

"urgent meeting with 41 airlines"

I couldn't find 41 Thai airlines. I did find 22 commercial and charter Thai airlines.

This might be part of a larger aviation problem.

[MZurf]

horse..... barn door......

Not only have they slammed the barn door after the horse has gone, they appear to have caught their fingers in it!

Even though I live here and will be slightly (I hope) affected by this I must admit to feeling a bit schadenfreude.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....a meeting with an industry rife with incompetent or unqualified individuals.....

...but they will have the problem solved within 2 weeks.....

[billphillips]

My understanding of European aviation agreement is that if one member state reacts .... All will follow suit. If true .... Bad news for Thai airlines may be not far away.

Hmmmm! Urgent meeting .... After 6 months warning. Only in Thailand.

[jaywalker]

They only do the things they are good at.....meetings and talking, eating, drinking, setting a date for the next meeting and going home to forget about whatever they talked about.

Anyone who has a Thai wife (or her relatives) who have worked, or are still working in any Civil Service job will tell you the above statement is absolutely correct. They love it when they attend endless meetings of committee's, sub-committee's and so on because it means they don't have to do any real work for weeks on end. And remember these meetings all have to be fitted in with 'Ceremony's' when huge numbers of said people's are standing around like dummy's in white uniforms...again doing nothing.

You hit the nail on the head there with the Civil Service part.

They DO love to appear to be doing something, just to make themselves feel important I guess, while getting absolutely nothing concrete done.

Sell that airline to some civilian company & it would be on a path to recovery, OR, keep the government involved & have meetings about more meetings, about more meetings to the end of time.

I once had a well paying job (about $15,000 USD/month). I was paid not for actually DOING anything, I was paid because of a well-entrenched bureaucracy that stated someone with my qualifications had to be present at all times.

I loved the money, but eventually quit because I was bored to tears. I'd rather dig ditches than sit around doing nothing.

Civil Servants THRIVE on showing up for work and doing nothing though. I'll never understand it.

Oh yeah, I'm pretty lazy too! I am by no means a work-a-holic, but if I'm going to get something done, I prefer to do it efficiently, which is the exact opposite of a government employee.

[OMGImInPattaya]

It is no use holding meetings the damage has been done, International standards have not been met , this is critical for Thailand to comply as soon as possible , each Airline in Thailand knows dam well that they must pass those audits to fly to US , Europe and OZ , I notice that Thai Int score has dropped to 4 , anyone wanting to check their favourite carrier look up airlineratings.com and click on safety ratings per airline. Thai Int have an administration problem, as all aspects of flying are important , you would have to think the standard judgement and mindset of not only the DCA but the people trusted to running Thailand's airline carriers is substandard...................

Haven't flown Thai in over a decade so don't really care. However, it is a shame what politics and cronyism have done to make Thai and the Thai aviation authorities a laughing stock.

[jaywalker]

It is no use holding meetings the damage has been done, International standards have not been met , this is critical for Thailand to comply as soon as possible , each Airline in Thailand knows dam well that they must pass those audits to fly to US , Europe and OZ , I notice that Thai Int score has dropped to 4 , anyone wanting to check their favourite carrier look up airlineratings.com and click on safety ratings per airline. Thai Int have an administration problem, as all aspects of flying are important , you would have to think the standard judgement and mindset of not only the DCA but the people trusted to running Thailand's airline carriers is substandard...................

Haven't flown Thai in over a decade so don't really care. However, it is a shame what politics and cronyism have done to make Thai and the Thai aviation authorities a laughing stock.

Yes, even if it were sold to a private company, some general's brother-in-law/sister/niece/son/uncle (whatever) would be the owner.

Cronyism indeed.

[lonewolf99]

10 year olds, in adult bodies again, spouting hot air.....

[Prbkk]

My understanding of European aviation agreement is that if one member state reacts .... All will follow suit. If true .... Bad news for Thai airlines may be not far away.

Hmmmm! Urgent meeting .... After 6 months warning. Only in Thailand.

Yes, and that very prospect....a 5 to midnight reaction ...was widely agreed on this forum at the time. Avoidable but unfortunately not when those in power are in denial ( or if their priorities are beach chairs, lottery prices and a round up of beggars)

[OMGImInPattaya]

It is no use holding meetings the damage has been done, International standards have not been met , this is critical for Thailand to comply as soon as possible , each Airline in Thailand knows dam well that they must pass those audits to fly to US , Europe and OZ , I notice that Thai Int score has dropped to 4 , anyone wanting to check their favourite carrier look up airlineratings.com and click on safety ratings per airline. Thai Int have an administration problem, as all aspects of flying are important , you would have to think the standard judgement and mindset of not only the DCA but the people trusted to running Thailand's airline carriers is substandard...................

Haven't flown Thai in over a decade so don't really care. However, it is a shame what politics and cronyism have done to make Thai and the Thai aviation authorities a laughing stock.

Yes, even if it were sold to a private company, some general's brother-in-law/sister/niece/son/uncle (whatever) would be the owner.

Cronyism indeed.

And to think, at one time, people used to speak of Thai Airways and Singapore Air in the same breath.

[jaywalker]

My understanding of European aviation agreement is that if one member state reacts .... All will follow suit. If true .... Bad news for Thai airlines may be not far away.

Hmmmm! Urgent meeting .... After 6 months warning. Only in Thailand.

Yes, and that very prospect....a 5 to midnight reaction ...was widely agreed on this forum at the time. Avoidable but unfortunately not when those in power are in denial ( or if their priorities are beach chairs, lottery prices and a round up of beggars)

Be careful Prbkk.

That might get you arrested for LPM (lese prime minister).

Those will be his keynote topics to ramble on about for 3 days straight soon......Achievements Speech(es).

[phoenixdoglover]

I'm sick of all the Thai bashing.

This is not just a meeting. This is an urgent meeting.

[flyDelight]

'National carrier Thai Airways is likely to be the MOST AFFECTED.'

That's other words for 'Thai Airways is simply the BIGGEST RUBBISH. Cabin crew who even can't even speak proper English...amazing, but an attitude and pretentions from here to Somalia.

I love Bangkok Airways, they are so much smarter and up to date.

[JAG]

'National carrier Thai Airways is likely to be the MOST AFFECTED.'

That's other words for 'Thai Airways is simply the BIGGEST RUBBISH. Cabin crew who even can't even speak proper English...amazing, but an attitude and pretentions from here to Somalia.

I love Bangkok Airways, they are so much smarter and up to date.

And just as affected by the epic fail of the Thai CAA.

[Thian]

'National carrier Thai Airways is likely to be the MOST AFFECTED.'

That's other words for 'Thai Airways is simply the BIGGEST RUBBISH. Cabin crew who even can't even speak proper English...amazing, but an attitude and pretentions from here to Somalia.

I love Bangkok Airways, they are so much smarter and up to date.

Oh the boutique airline BKK airways to Samui? Where you get a free banana while waiting and the rest is all the same.

[Briggsy]

Since the criticism has fallen heavily on the CAA of Thailand, it is surprising we are not hearing directly from this organisation.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed.