Dept to make changes after low ICAO score
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THE Department of Civil Aviation is making efforts to enhance services to meet international standards.
The DCA plans to make improvements in eight areas: registration and regulation, safety oversight, personal licensing, aircraft operation, airworthiness, aircraft navigation service, accident investigation, and aerodrome and ground aids.
DCA director-general Somchai Piputwat said that last Monday, DCA submitted the plans to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which in January gave Thailand’s aviation system 36 points out of 100.
The poor score brought heavy criticism globally, but the DCA asserted that most of the issues arose from limited expertise, regulation implementation, licence-approval procedures, general management, and not safety problems.
“Safety and security remain at a high standard. However, the department hopes to complete its planned improvements within six months,” Somchai said.
He said the Transport Ministry on Tuesday approved a plan to enhance human resources at the DCA by allowing it to employ several experts from overseas and 13 local experts.
The department will spend Bt23.5 million for this in the remaining six months of its budget year.
Somchai said the ICAO had revised its aviation-standards package before Thailand got the low score.
“The result is not bad for the entire aviation sector as it mostly concerned government work. And it does not reflect on private airlines, which already meet international standards.”
He said the Foreign Affairs Ministry would help publicise the DCA’s planned improvements to foreign airlines operating in Thailand so they understand the situation.
