The US aviation regulator will kick off a five-day inspection of Thailand’s aviation safety standards today. ACM Prajin said he had instructed the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to prepare for the visit.
The FAA inspection comes after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on June 18 red-flagged Thailand following the DCA’s failure to meet a 90-day deadline to correct shortcomings it had identified earlier.
The minister said the DCA has formed a working team to deal with the FAA inspection.
The FAA’s staff will check on the DCA’s working processes and also pay a visit to Thai Airways International (THAI), the only Thai-flagged carrier flying to the US, he said.
“As for flaws raised by the ICAO, many issues have not yet been fully addressed, but we have prepared documents and staff and are confident we will be able to explain how we are solving the problems with the FAA,” said ACM Prajin.
“We have a plan which can boost the FAA’s confidence that we are addressing their concerns.”
The shortcomings identified by the ICAO during an audit of the DCA earlier this year centred on failures to meet aviation safety standards in regards to regulating aviation businesses and granting air operator certificates.
The significant safety concerns showed a lack of sufficient oversight to ensure the effective implementation of ICAO standards, the organisation said after its audit.
ACM Prajin said he has also instructed officials not to be complacent as they prepare for a presentation during the FAA’s inspection. “I do not dare guess what the results of the FAA’s inspection will be,” the minister said. “If it wants to be a good partner with Thailand, it must also give us an opportunity.”
Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the FAA audit will focus on aviation industry oversight and the process of granting operation certificates to airlines. The FAA will carry out inspections in the first two days, he said. It will conclude its findings and give recommendations for improvement during the rest of its stay.
The audit result will be formally announced within 65 days of the inspection.
Mr Arkhom said the Japanese aviation regulator will send staff to help tackle Thai aviation concerns from October to March. From April next year, the DCA will work with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) as the two countries forge a longer-term relationship in aviation matters.
DCA director-general Parichat Kotcharat said work on two manuals, the Flight Operating Inspector Manual (FOIM) and Air Operating Certification Requirement (AOCR), was now complete. Staff will receive training on the manuals this week, she said.
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