Thailand Promises to Improve Aviation after Downgrade

Two days after the Federal Aviation Authority downgraded Thailand’s safety level to category 2 after a “reassessment of the country’s civil aviation authority,” Thai officials have vowed to improve.

The Associated Press reported that Thai officials have acknowledged and promised to fix the problems. The downgrade means that while Thailand’s current carriers can continue to the United States, no new service between the two countries will be approved until the country improves its security.

“We had limitations in training our people to become inspectors,” Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said at a news conference on Tuesday. “We have 2,300 pilots and they have to renew their permits. We don’t have enough people to inspect and grant the permits.”

Arkhom said the country has an action plan ready to be implemented and completed before a new inspection by August 2016.