Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand Director General Manat Chavanaprayoon (left) and FAA acting director of the Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance, Dennis Hill.
Thailand has regained its Category 1 safety rating from the FAA nearly a decade after being downgraded, paving the way for Thai airlines to launch flights to the U.S. and enter codeshare agreements with American carriers.
The FAA officially reinstated the rating on April 22 following a reassessment process that began in November 2024 and included the identification of 36 findings requiring corrective action.
The final assessment was conducted March 10-12, during which Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) Director General Manat Chavanaprayoon and FAA acting director of the Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance, Dennis Hill, signed a Record of Discussion confirming the successful resolution of all findings.
“Regaining Category 1 not only restores Thailand’s standing in the global aviation market, but also underscores our determination to develop a sustainable and competitive aviation industry at the forefront of the region,” Chavanaprayoon says.
Following the reinstatement, CAAT is preparing for the resumption of U.S. flight operations, which includes reviewing the Thailand-U.S. open skies agreement, maintaining ongoing compliance under the International Aviation Safety Assessment program and coordinating with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration for scheduled security assessments.
Thailand had maintained a Category 1 rating since 1997, but was downgraded by the FAA in December 2015 after failing to meet ICAO safety standards. Although the FAA granted a 65-day window to address the issues, Thailand did not meet the deadline.
According to U.S. DOT records, Thai Airways last operated nonstop service between the two countries in April 2012, when it ended its Bangkok–Los Angeles route. The carrier’s final U.S. flights were in October 2015, operating a one-stop service on the same route via Seoul Incheon. Delta Air Lines also served the Bangkok–Los Angeles market with a one-stop connection through Tokyo Narita, but discontinued the service in October 2016.
Despite the limited connectivity, travel demand between Thailand and the U.S. remains strong, with approximately 1.1 million two-way passengers recorded in 2024, according to Sabre Market Intelligence data. This made it the ninth-largest market in the Asia-Pacific region from the U.S.
Bangkok–Los Angeles was the biggest city pair last year, accounting for about 170,000 passengers, followed by Bangkok–New York with 113,000 and Bangkok–San Francisco with 95,000.
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