The audit covered all eight key areas, namely:
1. Primary Aviation Legislation and Civil Aviation Regulations (LEG)
2. Civil Aviation Organization (ORG)
3. Personnel Licensing (PEL)
4. Aircraft Operations (OPS)
5. Airworthiness of Aircraft (AIR)
6. Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation (AIG)
7. Air Navigation Services (ANS)
8. Aerodromes and Ground Aids (AGA)
The preliminary results, covering only the areas under CAAT’s direct responsibility -namely legislation, civil aviation organization, aircraft operations, airworthiness, personnel licensing, air navigation services, and aerodromes – showed a preliminary score as high as 91.35%, nearly 20% above the global average of 70.50%. ICAO will be sending a draft report to be reviewed within 90 days after the audit is completed, and the official scores are expected to be announced on ICAO’s website around February 2026.
Thailand achieved a perfect score of 100% in two areas – Aviation Legislation (LEG) and Civil Aviation Organization (ORG) -exceeding the global average by 20–30%. This is ample evidence that Thailand currently has a modern and comprehensive aviation legal framework aligned with international standards, along with a strong, well-structured civil aviation authority on par with the world’s leading aviation nations. It also demonstrates how far Thailand has come since being placed under the ICAO “Red Flag” in 2015, underscoring the country’s progress towards becoming a globally recognized aviation hub.
Thailand’s Aviation Safety Development Path
- January 2015: Thailand (then under the Department of Civil Aviation) underwent an audit that identified 33 Significant Safety Concerns (SSC). As a result, ICAO issued a “Red Flag,” with Thailand’s Effective Implementation (EI) score at 33.53%.
- September 2017: CAAT (Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand) resolved all deficiencies, leading ICAO to remove the Red Flag; the EI score rose to 41.11%.
- May 2019: All remaining deficiencies were addressed (except in AIG, due to ICAO’s shortage of AIG experts). The EI score increased to 65.83%.
- September 2021: ICAO conducted an Offsite Validation focusing solely on AIG, with the EI score recorded at 66.08%.
- January 2022: ICAO updated its audit protocol from the PQ2017 Edition to PQ2020 for the USOAP-CMA, affecting the Effective Implementation (EI) scores of all states. Thailand’s EI score was adjusted to 61.60%.
- July 2025: ICAO introduced the new PQ2024 Edition, the latest set of criteria for USOAP-CMA audits.
Preliminary Results
- Current Score (before the audit): 61.60%
- Preliminary Score: 87.71%
- Preliminary Score (for areas under CAAT’s direct oversight – legislation, civil aviation organization, aircraft operations, airworthiness, personnel licensing, air navigation services, and aerodromes): 91.35%
- Global Average: 70.50%
CAAT devoted the full expertise of its personnel to prepare for this USOAP CMA audit, the largest in the past decade since 2015. Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, Director General of CAAT explained CAAT’s approach to the ICAO assessment that “ICAO provides Thailand with a checklist, questions, and guidance – the same procedure applied worldwide. Each CAAT division responsible for its respective area must work with its own team, covering legislation, operational procedures, and inspections of operators to ensure compliance with CAAT standards, thereby demonstrating the Authority’s oversight capability. Afterwards, ICAO reviews what CAAT has documented, such as regulations and operating procedures, to verify whether CAAT officials enforce them correctly, including applying penalties when operators or licensed personnel violate rules or laws. All these elements contribute to the high scores awarded by ICAO. This process reflects a comprehensive and transparent implementation of aviation law in line with international standards.”
CAAT will perpetually enhance and uphold the standards through ongoing development. Significantly, this achievement was not accomplished by CAAT solitarily but through the collaboration of all stakeholders – including Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd., Airports of Thailand Plc., the Department of Airports, the Civil Aviation Training Center, airlines, and all relevant partner agencies. Their collective efforts drove this mission to success, giving confidence that Thailand will continue to advance steadily towards becoming a safe and reliable aviation hub for the region and the world.
“Normally, ICAO conducts audit programs for its 193 member states, with around 12–20 countries assessed each year. Given Thailand’s high score in this audit, it is expected that, in terms of
managing safety risks among member states, there will likely be a considerable interval before Thailand is reviewed again. Over the past decade, Thailand has been among the countries most frequently audited by ICAO. In addition, the checklist used by CAAT for this assessment was the latest 2024 version, which is more efficient. From now on, ICAO will be using this checklist to evaluate all member states before the cycle returns to Thailand,” Air Chief Marshal Manat concluded.
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