Good news expected as ICAO finished its inspection

BANGKOK, Sept 27 (TNA) -- The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) finished its inspection on Thai aviation safety standard as a source expects it to lift its red flag on Thailand in 30 days. ICAO officials arrived for the task on Sept 19 and spent three days checking the operations of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). Early this week they checked Thai AirAsia and NewGen Airways that are among nine airlines receiving reissued air operator certificates. ICAO officials would inform Thai authorities of the informal result of their assessment before leaving Thailand. A source at the CAAT said the assessment was positive and the ICAO was likely to lift its red flag on Thailand in 30 days. ICAO had checked the safety standard of Thai aviation in early 2015 and then posted the red flag to show that Thailand failed to meet its safety standard. Since then Thai authorities have improved the standard. The efforts included the separation of regulatory roles and airport operations that had been under the Aviation Department, amendments of outdated aviation laws, the increase in aviation personnel and the revision of air operator certificates that cover 28 locally registered airlines. (TNA)