Application and Issuance of Medical Certificate
1. Glossary
Medical Certificate. The document that certifies the licence holder meets the medical requirements and valid for the certain period of time.
Medical Standard or Medical Assessment. Medical standards in accordance with the Notification of CAAT regarding Medical Standards Definition and Classification.
Aeromedical Center (AMC). Hospital or Clinic where the designated AME/SAME conducts medical examinations of fitness of applicants for licences or ratings for which medical requirements are prescribed and issues medical certificate both for the initial issuance and the renewal of all classes of medical certificate. The hospital or clinic shall also conduct activities concerning aviation medicine, preventive medicine and clinical aviation medicine. Moreover, aviation medicine education and training, aviation safety and research and development are also necessary.
Aeromedical Office (AMO). Hospital or Clinic where the designated AME/SAME conducts medical examinations of fitness of applicants for licences or ratings for which medical requirements are prescribed and issues medical certificate for the renewal of all classes and the initial issuance of class 2 and class 4 medical certificate only.
Authorized Medical Examiner (AME). A physician with training in aviation medicine and practical knowledge and experience of the aviation environment, who is designated by the Director General to conduct medical examinations of fitness of applicants for licences or ratings for which medical requirements are prescribed and issue medical certificate only for the renewal of all classes of medical certificate.
Senior Authorized Medical Examiner (SAME). A physician with training in aviation medicine and practical knowledge and experience of the aviation environment, who is designated by the Director General to conduct medical examinations of fitness of applicants for licences or ratings for which medical requirements are prescribed and issue medical certificate both for the initial issuance and the renewal of all classes of medical certificate.
Medical Assessor. A physician, appointed by the Director General, qualified and experienced in the practice of aviation medicine and competent in evaluating and assessing medical conditions of flight safety significance.
Note 1. – Medical assessors evaluate medical reports submitted to the Authority by AME, SAME.
Note 2. – Medical assessors are expected to maintain the currency of their professional knowledge.
Board of Aeromedical Specialist (BAS). A board of physicians, appointed by the Director General, qualified with expertise and excellent experience in the practice of aviation medicine.
Medical Specialist. The physician who has specific area of expertise in medicine and designated by AMD manager as a consultant regarding certain medical difficulties for AMD, AME, SAME, BAS.
Aviation Specialist. The person who has specific area of expertise in aviation and designated by AMD manager as a consultant regarding certain aviation difficulties for AMD, AME, SAME, BAS.
Applicant. The licence holder who wish to have medical examination in order to apply for initial or renewed medical certificate.
Accredited Medical Conclusion. The medical conclusion reached by BAS and voted by majority not less that three quarters of the whole voters, acceptable to CAAT for the purposes of the case concerned, in consultation with flight operations or other experts as necessary.
Condition & Limitation. Statement in medical certificate as regulations, instructions or prohibitions when the licence holder is on duty according to medical condition.
Psychoactive Substance. Alcohol, opioids, cannabinoids, sedatives and hypnotics, cocaine, other psychostimulants, hallucinogens, and volatile solvents, whereas coffee and tobacco are excluded.
The Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
Director General (DG). Director General of The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
Aeromedical Deparment (AMD). Aeromedical Department of The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand
2. Application for Medical Certificate
Applicant who wishes to apply for the initial or renewal issuance of medical certificate shall submit the request according to the attached standard form to AMC or AMO.
The applicant in paragraph 1 shall not be in the period of medical certificate suspension or in the period of less than two years after the latest medical certificate revocation.
The initial issuance of medical certificate for class 1 and class 3, the applicant shall have medical examination at the designated AMC. The initial issuance of medical certificate for class 2 and class 4, the applicant shall have medical examination either at the designated AMC or AMO.
In case of the application for initial issuance of class 1 medical certificate of student pilot, the applicant shall submit formal written application to designated AMC.
In case of the renewal issuance of medical certificate that the period of validity has been exceeded for more than 1 year, the applicant shall have the same medical examination as the initial examination.
The applicant who wishes to apply for the renewal of medical certificate shall submit the request according to the attached standard form to AMC or AMO at least thirty days before the expiry date of the recent medical certificate.
3. Medical Examination of the Applicant
The applicant shall have medical examination for general fitness of health, chest x-ray, blood test, urine test, cardiovascular test, hearing test etc. according to the diagnosis and recommendation from AME, SAME, AMC or AMO with reference from the specified medical standards.
4. Process to be done by AME, SAME
AME/SAME shall perform medical examination in accordance with the details stated in the Medical Examination Report according to the attached standard form. AME or SAME, depending on particular case, shall issue the initial or renewed medical certificate for the applicant when the result is clear that the applicant’s health is fit according to the specified medical standards for each specific medical class within 15 working days from the date that the medical examination is completed. The validity of the medical certificate shall start on the examination date.
In case that AME or SAME rejects the issuance of medical certificate for the applicant due to the clear reason that the applicant’s health does not meet the medical standards, AME or SAME shall issue notification of such reason to the applicant within 15 working days from the date that the medical examination is completed.
In case of medical examination for the renewal of medical certificate, AME or SAME shall issue the new medical certificate that continuously valids from the latest medical certificate. If the applicant submits the request for medical examination after the date that the latest medical certificate has become invalid, AME or SAME shall issue the new medical certificate that the validity of the medical certificate shall start on the examination date.
For the consideration of issuance or renewal of medical certificate in paragraph 1, AME or SAME may ask for consultation from medical specialists in case of specific diseases or from aviation specialists in case of aviation issues to be used as reference in such consideration of AME or SAME, depending on particular case.
Medical Certificate shall be in accordance with the attached standard form.
5. Application for an Appeal
In case that AME or SAME does not issue medical certificate for the applicant within the period specified in 4 paragraph 1 or rejects the issuance of medical certificate due to the clear reason that the applicant’s health does not meet the medical standards as stated in 4 paragraph 2, the applicant has the right to file an appeal to AMD within 30 days from the ending of the period specified in 4 paragraph 1 or the date that the applicant has received notification of the examination as stated in 4 paragraph 2, depending on particular case.
When AMD has received the appeal as stated in paragraph 1, AMD manager shall consider and issue the result notification to the applicant within 30 days from the date that the appeal was received. The result of consideration of AMD manager shall be the final verdict.
In case that AMD manager has considered the appeal to be complicated or extensively influential or any other cases seemed to be necessary for concise and cautious consideration, AMD manager shall propose such appeal to the consideration of BAS. BAS shall have the consideration finished within 30 days from the beginning of the consideration.
6. Medical Certificate Validity Authorization
AME or SAME shall specify the period of validity of medical certificate as seemed appropriate according to indication of medical standards and age of the applicant as long as it does not override the period that the licence holder is needed to have medical examination in accordance with the ministerial regulations regarding personnel licensing.
7. When Medical Assessment Result fails to meet the Medical Standards
In case that the applicant’s health does not meet the medical standards, AMD or AMC or AMO or BAS, according to each particular case, may consider the exception by specifying the conditions and limitations in medical certificate as long as it does not affect aviation safety.
8. Temporary Invalidity of the Medical Certificate
(1) – Alcoholic beverages consumption before duty = 8 hours
– Anesthetic medication before duty = 24 hours
– Spinal injection, including lumbar puncture before duty = 48 hours
– When the medical certificate holder is under the action of psychoactive substances
(2) Class 1, 2 or 4 medical certificate holder has done scuba diving within the period of less than 24 hours before duty.
(3) The pilot licence holder has had an aviation accident.
(4) When the medical certificate holder is sick or gets injured that may cause deterioration in duty performance or being hospitalized for 14 days or more.
(5) When the medical certificate holder has had major surgery.
(6) When the medical certificate holder is pregnant according to the period specified in the medical standards used in examination for medical certificate issuance
For any case in (1) and (2), medical certificate shall become valid when the specified period is over. For any case in (3) to (6), medical certificate shall become valid when AME or SAME has performed medical examination and issued a certificate to guarantee that the licence holder has been relieved from sickness or injury or is in a healthy condition and fit for duty.
The medical certificate holder or his/her agency/company shall give formal notification to CAAT and AMC when there is any aviation accident, sickness, injury or pregnancy according to (3) (4) (5) or (6) with no delay. The non-compliance shall affect in medical certificate issuance consideration
9. Suspension of the Medical Certificate
The Director General may consider suspension of the medical certificate when;
(1) It is apparent that medical certificate holder intentionally conceals or fakes the information submitted for the request of medical certificate.
(2) It is apparent that medical certificate holder intentionally conceals or ignores the notification to CAAT in case of aviation accident, sickness or injury according to item 8 (3) (4) and (5).
(3) The medical certificate holder violates conditions and limitations specified in the medical certificate or any other specifications from AME or SAME who has issued such medical certificate.
10. Revocation of the Medical Certificate
The Director General may consider revocation of the medical certificate when;
(1) The medical certificate holder’s certificate used to be suspended twice and another reason for suspension has occurred.
(2) The medical certificate holder is physically or mentally sick that he/she is permanently unable to perform duty.
11. Medical Examination and Certificate Issuance by personnel other than AME/SAME
In case of necessity or appropriate reason that results in unavailability of designated AME or SAME to perform medical examination and issue medical certificate, the medical certificate holder may have the medical examination done and medical certificate issued by the doctor with qualifications specified as the following;
(1) Aeromedical examiner who has been designated by the Authority of contracting state of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed at Chicago on 7 December 194
(2) Aeromedical examiner of the state that has mutual agreement with The Kingdom of Thailand in acceptance of medical certificate of one another.
The medical certificate holder shall submit the medical examination report done by the aeromedical examiner according to (1) or (2) along with the copy of the latest medical certificate and reason explaining necessity to AMD within 30 days from the date that the medical examination has been done as stated in paragraph 1 for the correctness and propriety consideration. CAAT shall give permit for abatement not more than once in a period of medical examination for medical certificate. In case that AMd has considered and concluded that there is no necessity or appropriate reason, such medical certificate shall be deemed invalid.
12. In Case that the Medical Certificate is Lost, Destroyed or Damaged
In Case that the Medical Certificate is Lost, Destroyed or Damaged in the essential context, the medical certificate holder shall submit request for the substitute to the AMC or AMO that issued such medical certificate along with document and evidence of police notification or the recent medical certificate that was destroyed or damaged.
The issuance of medical certificate substitute as stated in paragraph 1, it shall be specified with age, indication including conditions and limitations in accordance with the recent medical certification by writing or stamping the word “substitute” in red color on the front side of such medical certificate. It is also necessary to identify date of issuance of such substitute and it must be signed and endorsed by the responsible person.
13. Authority and Function of BAS concerning the Issuance of Medical Certificate
(1) Provide consultation and advice to the Director General in case of consideration for suspension or revocation of medical certificate according to 9 and 10
(2) Consider and give judgment when there is any medical difficulties in the issuance, suspension, specification of conditions and limitations of medical certificate, including consideration and identification of medical conclusion. The result of consideration and medical conclusion of BAS shall be the final verdict.
(3) Consider the appeal of the applicant when receive the issue from AMD manager according to 5 paragraph 3. The result of appeal consideration of BAS shall be the final verdict.