Newsmakers
Thailand’s junta intervenes to avoid air safety humiliation
November 1st 2015
The layers of bureaucratic inertia exposed by the failure of Thailand’s aviation regulators to promptly address the country’s air safety deficiencies become too much for its military leadership to bear. Read More »
In a left field move intended to prevent a downgrade by global air safety auditors, the military leadership has set up an air force-led task force with special powers, the command Centre for Resolving Civil Aviation Issues (CRCA). The Royal Thai Air Force and the Department Civil Aviation (DCA) were made core units of the centre and the junta has appointed one of its own, air force commander-in-chief and vice chairman of Thai Airways International (THAI), Air Chief Marshal Treetod Sonjance, to run the rescue operation.
The CRCA has extraordinary powers to “order, supervise and follow up on any action to make sure the problems are solved”. It can propose changes to related laws and revise or add regulations as well as appoint air force officers to work at the DCA or other agencies for not more than four years. CRCA members will retain their air-force positions and receive extra pay for their service at the centre. The organization has been authorized to employ outside civil aviation specialists when necessary.
General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the head of Thailand’s National Council for Peace and Order, effectively the military government, directed the CRCA to upgrade Thailand’s civil aviation industry to international standards before the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S remove Thailand from the list of countries with the highest air safety rating.
Thai media said the government’s decision to temporarily transfer air force officers to the civil service also is intended to alleviate, in the short term, skilled staff shortages at the DCA.
ICAO red-flagged Thailand in mid-June for failing to solve significant safety concerns about the country’s aviation standards, within a 90-day deadline, after receiving a warning. Shortcomings included the DCA’s failure to meet global aviation safety standards for regulating aviation businesses and granting air operator certificates. There also was insufficient oversight to enforce ICAO standards.
The U.S.’s FAA gave Thailand 65 days to fix its list of aviation shortcomings following an audit on the DCA last July. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is scheduled to inspect Thai aviation standards this month.
