Thailand Facing POSSIBLE Global Flight Ban...

Post by **JimboPSM** » June 21, 2015, 2:37 pm

Even by the normal standards of complacency that is exhibited by Thailand authorities towards transport safety (whether by road, rail, sea or air), the degree of complacency by the current leadership with regard to the ICAO red flag is quite breathtaking.

Anecdotally, history can provide some interesting (although not wholly accurate) parallels, e.g. rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic (Thaitanic?), Nero fiddling while Rome is burning.....

As I commented on the article in the Bangkok Post where “Prajin admits Thai aviation fails ICAO safety test”

Having not only failed to properly address the safety concerns over the last 3 months, relevant agencies are procrastinating for 3 more days before meeting on Monday.....

Full article: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... afety-test

As an aside, I do have slightly more than a passing interest in aviation safety having been through four emergency landings (one of which was on a Thai BKK/LHR flight!).

Post by **parrot** » June 23, 2015, 6:20 am

You want to play with the big boys, you have to play by their rules. Revelations like these can't help their case.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... -standards

Post by **wazza** » June 23, 2015, 7:03 am

Tourism is approx 1% of GDP for Thailand so any adverse downgrading from the FAA would be catastrophic to the economy.

No comment from TOT on this.

Post by **jai yen yen** » June 23, 2015, 9:08 am

I know Thailand has had a lot of problems for awhile but I really have serious doubts if the present dictatorship has the ability to deal with these issues, running an army is not the same as a government.

Post by **JimboPSM** » June 23, 2015, 1:51 pm

wazza wrote:Tourism is approx 1% of GDP for Thailand......

Looks like a "0" is MIA above - 10% would have been much closer to reality.

Some 2013 figures for Travel & Tourism in Thailand taken from the latest World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) economic research:

Travel & Tourism - GDP Impact 2013

• Direct contribution to GDP = 9.0% (1,074 Billion THB)

• Total contribution to GDP = 20.2% (2,401 Billion THB)

Travel & Tourism - Employment Impact 2013

• Direct employment = 6.6% (2.563 million jobs)

• Total contribution to employment = 15.4% (6.012 million jobs)

Source: http://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/repor ... nd2015.pdf

Post by **tataw** » July 18, 2015, 9:46 am

A lot of pressure to conform....

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... -ban-to-us

Post by **FrazeeDK** » July 18, 2015, 10:13 am

I think only Thai Airways actually originates flights in Thailand that land in the States and then only a couple, so it wouldn't have much impact other than media attention.

Post by **tataw** » July 18, 2015, 11:02 am

Agreed. But the implication is that if they fail to meet the FAA requirements and also the ICAO re-audit and are classified as category 2 then other countries may follow. This might affect Thai operations other than the US (minister stated that other Star Alliance member airlines could cover the shortfall). Hopefully the Government and DCA can rectify the situation or Thailand could end up in the same situation as Indonesia once was.

Post by **Stantheman** » July 18, 2015, 9:12 pm

FrazeeDK wrote:I think only Thai Airways actually originates flights in Thailand that land in the States and then only a couple, so it wouldn't have much impact other than media attention.

Frazee is correct, Thai has 4 round trip flights to Los Angeles each week and earlier in the year was looking at possibly cutting these back due to lose of revenue, so even a curtailment of these flights would not be a hardship to Thai Air. Now my wife would not like it as she would not accumulate the miles she is getting now if she flys a Star Alliance flight.

Post by **wazza** » July 18, 2015, 11:42 pm

Im sitting on a return flight from LAX with TG and another project kicking off in late August / Sept with plans to fly BKK - LAX with TG again.#

please buddah , not United !

Post by **pomps** » July 19, 2015, 6:20 am

u

wazza wrote:Im sitting on a return flight from LAX with TG and another project kicking off in late August / Sept with plans to fly BKK - LAX with TG again.#

please buddah , not United !

seems some problems with United but are being addressed

http://fortune.com/2015/04/10/united-airlines-faa/

the inflight meals on united look delightful,dependent on flight time,of course,cannot find microwave burgers in premium cabins,not checked economy though

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content ... x?Mobile=1

Post by **wazza** » July 23, 2015, 3:54 am

Indonesia restricts any new flights or routes for TG

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/indone ... i-airlines

Noose is slowly being applied

Post by **Stantheman** » July 23, 2015, 4:05 am

Personally do not think that big of a deal as not affecting any current schedules or flights, only new/changes. Also have to chuckle as Indonesia needs to work on its own problems with their airlines.

Post by **waanjai** » November 13, 2015, 4:54 pm

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... -standards

Post by **FrazeeDK** » November 13, 2015, 7:52 pm

The various airlines and particularly Airbus are setting up Air Academies to produce a new generation of young qualified pilots.. I met a young Thai-British fellow about 24-25 who graduated from an Aviation University in Australia.. He then got a job with Lao Air flying turboprop aircraft, built his hours and now is attending Air Asia's pilot Academy at Don Muang to get A320 qualified.. His class has about 25 youngsters who will be the pilots for Air Asia and other expanding airlines in Asia.. I don't think the same thing Is happening in Europe or the U.S. http://www.airasia.com/iwov-resources/m ... cademy.pdf

Post by **wazza** » November 13, 2015, 8:09 pm

Thai cancelled the BKK - LAX route. Probably main reason to keep the FAA Off their back. Despite full flights.

Then again look at the massive losses posted again. Cant blame rising fuel costs as QANTAS turned around 100's of $millions into profits with fuel prices . Hedging etc....

Post by **waanjai** » December 1, 2015, 10:29 pm

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... i-aviation

Post by **wazza** » December 1, 2015, 10:42 pm

Im using UA / Code Share with ANA

BKK - NRT - IAH now

Post by **pomps** » December 2, 2015, 6:31 am

waanjai wrote:http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... i-aviation

All over Thai channel 3 news this morning,trying to find uptodate info on the net who they have now joined in the category 2 club,think Indonesia.India managed to get category 1 status earlier this year so Thai have taken their place there

Post by **BobHelm** » December 2, 2015, 6:40 am

Bangladesh
Barbados
Curacao
Ghana
Indonesia
Sint Maarten
Uruguay

As at 1st. December 2015...
www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/iasa/media/iasaws.xlsx

A pretty sorry bunch,,,