The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced that mid-range carrier Thai Smile and a low-cost carrier Thai Lion Air, have been successfully recertified to the international safety standards of ICAO. Both carriers have received the Air Operations Certificate (AOC) as part of CAAT’s recertification programme, in partnership with CAA International (CAAi), the advisory arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA).
CAAi was appointed by CAAT in 2016 to provide full-scale technical assistance and capacity building in the recertification of all Thai registered international airlines and to support CAAT ahead of its next ICAO audit. With two more carriers receiving the AOC, it makes nearly all Thailand’s airlines meeting the international safety standards.
Thailand is expected to be audited by ICAO in 2017 to address the Significant Safety Concern (SSC) finding in 2015. CAAi will be providing audit preparation assistance to CAAT to help resolve the SSC. Through a combination of on and off-site assistance, CAAi are working with CAAT to raise Thailand’s level of effective implementation across all of ICAO’s eight “critical elements”, with the initial focus on the SSC and related areas, ensuring CAAT are in the strongest position for its next ICAO audit.
