Dozens of foreign aviation experts to be hired to fast track international standard goal

Recruitment of foreign aviation experts is set to be fast tracked over the coming month to help Thai registered aircraft meet international standards. With around 400 aircraft to be inspected the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and other related agencies have been ordered to outsource the work to experts.

Deputy Premier Prawit Wongsuwan issued the order yesterday after an emergency meeting with aviation safety officials following the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) downgrading of Thailand’s status to Category 2 from Category 1 on Tuesday. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is slated to release the results of its investigation on Thailand’s aviation industry on December 15. The Cabinet earlier approved the plan to quickly hire foreign inspectors due to a domestic shortage of aviation safety specialists. The DCA said Thailand needed around 86 foreign inspectors to cover the inspection work. The FAA concluded that there remained significant deficiencies in the country’s aviation safety system.

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