Thailand seeks discussion with aviation regulators
Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith will lead a delegation to Canada and the United States mid-June, said Civil Aviation Department Director General Somchai Phiphutthawat.
He is scheduled to brief the chief of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal on Thailand's actions and progress in addressing airline safety regulations.
Then, he would fly to the US to meet Michael Huerta, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is ahead of FAA's scheduled mission to review Thailand's safety regulations in July.
Somchai said that the discussion should result in greater understanding and the FAA may agree to postpone the scheduled check.
The safety concerns were raised in late March during the ICAO's audit of the Civil Aviation Department, which was given a 90-day grace period to comply with international standards.
South Korea and Japan were the first to react to these concerns, with the orders that affected the operations of some airlines based in Thailand.
The Thai authorities are now building up the regulatory team to meet ICAO's demand. The United Nations' agency is the international body that ensures safe and orderly growth in global civil aviation.
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