Thailand to upgrade aviation personnel

BANGKOK, July 24 (TNA) - The Thai government proceeds with a plan on developing aviation personnel and safety standard to meet international criteria. Thai Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong announced the stance at a national-level aviation industry conference, held in Bangkok on Friday, stressing that his ministry is speedily solving accumulated problems of Thai aviation to sustain its status. Air Chief Marshal Prajin said apart from urgently addressing safety concerns over Thai aviation, his ministry is also speeding up the expansion of Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport and U-Tapao Airport in the Thai East, as well as Krabi Airport in the Thai South to help relieve traffic at nearby Phuket Airport in the future. Meanwhile, Alongkot Pulsuk, President of the Thai Flight Training Academy, acknowledged that Thailand needs at least 200,000 pilots, or 10,000 yearly on average, and 240,000 aircraft mechanics to sufficiently serve the growing Thai aviation industry. (TNA)