PM orders for resolving Thai aviation industry

BANGKOK, June 11 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has ordered the Transport Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to improve Thailand’s aviation safety with fruitful results must be achieved within six months, said Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittyapaisith. Gen Prayut gave his order following his Friday’s meeting with Arun Mishra, regional director of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the United Nations' specialised agencies, at the Government House. The meeting was aimed at exploring ways for Thailand to improve its aviation safety after the UN agency imposed a ‘red-flag’ tag on the country’s aviation industry in June last year. A deputy spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Gen Prayut as telling Mr Mishra during the meeting that his government was trying to resolve the problem and thanked the ICAO for dispatching its experts to help solved the problem. Thailand needed advises and assistance from the ICAO so that the problem could be solved in the right direction and meet international standards, Gen Prayut reportedly told Mr Mishra. Gen Prayut also stressed his determination to solve the problem in the long-term basis through restructuring aviation concerned organisations by amending aviation laws and issuing licenses to pilots, said the deputy spokesman. Mr Mishra thanked Gen Prayut for allowing the ICAO to establish Asia-Pacific regional office in Thailand, saying that he believed the prime minister could resolve the problem as soon as possible, according to the deputy spokesman. Thailand is not only vital to the ICAO as it is considered the hub of air traffic and the centre in the Southeast Asia region, Mr Mishra told Gen Prayut. Mr Arkhom said the ICAO would evaluate Thailand’s performance in the next six months. Thailand still needs to pass eight conditions of the ICAO in order for the agency to lift the ‘red-flag’ on the country’s aviation industry, said Mr Arkhom. (END)