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Thailand – The Transport of Ministry aims to solve aviation safety problems, which have been becoming urgent because of the alarming increase in air disasters in the past few weeks. This includes using Article 44 to recertify 41 airlines before July of this year.
Under Article 44, Thailand Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha has the absolute power to push orders in 45 to 60 days which normally takes several years in the government. Having aviation safety as one of the country’s top concerns, they used Article 44 to make aviation in the country comply to ICAO’s standards and regulations.
Airlines and aviation agencies have met up to come up with plans of fixing past and possible aviation crisis, and mitigating risks. The group has pointed out several issues that need to be fixed in the coming months, such as proper budgeting, hiring aviation experts as consultants, as well as coming up with short-term action plans.
Transport Minister Prajin Juntong
Transport Minister Prajin reported that airlines such as Thai AirAsia, Thai Airways, NokScoot, and Nok Air, are sending 18 aviation experts to assist in drafting an updated aviation safety manual, which they are aiming to complete by mid-year. There will also be aviation experts coming in from Canada this month to team-up with the group, which will be joined by officials from the US, Singapore, Australia, Japan, China, and South Korea, in the latter part.
Once the safety manual is drafted and approved, 41 airlines that are currently operating in Thailand, made up by 13 Thai and 28 foreign airlines, will be granted new operating certificates starting in June. This, to meet the safety standards implemented by the ICAO or the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The Ministry will also recertify seven airlines carrying dangerous goods in and out of the country.
The Transport of Ministry will update the Prime Minister within this month on the aviation safety moves they are planning to undertake and implement, as well as their plans of meeting with the head of the ICAO.