FAA releases revised safety rating for Thailand

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation, released its revised safety rating for the Kingdom of Thailand Tuesday.

As of July, Thailand doesn't meet the safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization. This places Thailand within the Category 2 International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) rating, meaning that Thailand may not have the laws or regulations to adequately supervise air carriers according to the minimum international standards.

Thailand's new rating also means its national civil aviation authority has challenges with trained personnel, technical expertise, inspection procedures or record keeping.

Officials with the FAA reevaluated the national civil aviation authority in order to reach this category. And while the rating allows carriers from Thailand to continue traveling to the United States, carriers will not be able to create new services to the United States.

Thailand and American officials have had a long-lasting collaboration, which allows both of the nations to reach aviation safety that mutually benefits each country.

In 1996, Thailand first received its Category 2 rating. In 1997, it achieved a Category 1 rating. Officials reassessed the nation in 2001 as well as 2008 to reaffirm the Category 1 rating.