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Published on September 28, 2007

Thailand will establish a committee to improve aviation safety standards with Civil Aviation Department director-general Chaisak Angkasuwan as chairman.

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said yesterday after a meeting with aviation-related organisations that Airports of Thailand Plc, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, Civil Aviation Training Centre and Thai Pilots' Association would also be represented on the committee.

There will be 25-30 committee members.

Sansern said the committee would have monthly meetings to exchange opinions and make proposals on regulations.

Through the committee, airlines, airports and personnel would be able work more closely, which would increase aviation efficiency.

The committee will have its first meeting next month.

"I insist that Thailand's aviation standards are up to international standards. Some airlines' standards are even better than the basic requirements. Still, operations are not well synchronised and this committee will gather details and put them into concrete and practical plans," he said.

Chaisak also told reporters committee members would be made up of people "at operating levels" who were familiar with problems that needed to be addressed.

The meeting followed the air crash of One-Two-Go Flight OG029 on Sunday September 16, which prompted questions on the safety standards of low-cost airlines in Thailand and the adequacy of systems to monitor airlines.

Chaisak said the two black boxes from the aircraft would return to Thailand today.

He said the decoding of information on the jet's flight recorders would be presented to the air crash investigation committee, chaired by Transport permanent secretary Chaisawat Kittipornpaiboon.

The committee will re-convene in early October.

Chaisawat said earlier that if the results did not clash with the initial findings, the cause of the crash would be duly revealed to the public.

The initial findings pointed to wind shear and the pilot's decision to land as the main likely causes of the tragedy.

Watcharapong Thongrung

 The Nation