Thailand is expected to address flaws in aviation safety to comply with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) by June, said a senior transport official.
Transport deputy permanent secretary Woradej Harnprasert said state agencies are working towards improving flight safety, after a committee met to draft an action plan that addresses ''significant safety concerns" raised by the ICAO.
Mr Woradej said he is confident the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) will be able to meet international standards for aviation safety, after the problem was neglected under successive administrations.
A recent audit of a wide range of aviation safety issues and airline operations revealed the main issues which hamper safety are air operator certification, issuing of operation specifications and hazardous goods transportation certification, according to the ICAO.
The DCA expects to solve the problems concerning certification for hazardous goods by next month, with a new agency to be set up to inspect hazardous goods, according to Mr Woradej.
A book of rules has been produced to train inspectors, and is now awaiting expert approval, he said.
A second book of rules on aviation inspections and licensing is currently being drafted and will likely be ready for submission to the Civil Aviation Board next month.
According to the deputy permanent secretary, the DCA plans to hold training for personnel responsible for inspections and granting licenses.
The number of inspectors will more than quadruple — from the current nine to 40 — and they will complete inspections of 28 Thai-registered airlines to allow them to operate international flights in the next two months. "If we follow this plan, I am confident the problem will be solved by June. Everyone is cooperating," Mr Woradej said.
A new bill on aviation is also being written based on aviation laws in Japan and South Korea. The draft legislation will be submitted to Transport Minister Prajin Juntong later this month before being tabled for a public hearing and sent to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) for approval.
The DCA will also be restructured to become a separate aviation service, and not a regulator, under the Air Transport Promotion Department, which will play a supervisory role.
A separate agency will be set up to issue licences and oversee safety, while a third will perform search and rescue operations and air accident investigation under the Transport Ministry.
The NCPO chief can push for swift passage of the bill and the restructuring plan by invoking his powers under Section 44 of the interim charter, said Mr Woradej.
