Thailand has received a negative review by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which means the country’s airlines face bans on their international flights.
In its review, the ICAO noted that there were “significant safety concerns” with Thailand’s aviation sector, including personnel failing to meet international standards and a lack of governing regulations.
The results originally led to countries such as Japan and South Korea blocking charter and new flights from Thailand. According to a report by the Voice of America news outlet (VOA), there is also a growing concern that the United States is considering taking similar action, particularly if the ICAO decides to downgrade Thailand from Category 1 to Category 2.
However, the Japanese civil aviation agency announced today that it would temporarily lift the ban during April and May in order to ease the impact on passengers. On Thursday, Japan and Thai authorities are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on the suspension, on the condition that there will be stricter inspections of planes and flight schedules
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could be looking to conduct its own audit as well, and a potential downgrade for Thailand could have serious ramifications to its aviation industry and passengers alike.
This includes the suspension of codeshare operations where a Thai carrier is the operating aircraft. It also prevents airlines from increasing their flight frequency throughout the year – a common move during peak travel seasons such as the upcoming Songkran festival.
So what is Thailand doing about this? Officials from the country’s department of civil aviation and transport ministry met earlier this week with prime minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha, who has reportedly already discussed the Japanese and South Korean bans with the leaders of both countries and is looking to resolve this matter.
In particular, Prayuth will use Section 44 of the interim charter to his advantage and rectify the problems faced by his country’s airlines. Section 44 allows the prime minister to issue executive orders without judicial or other oversight.
For more information, visit icao.int
Clement Huang
