January 14 -15, 2026, Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), together with CAAT executives, welcomed a delegation from the Department of Civil Aviation of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (DCAL), led by Mr. Viengxay Singkham, Director General, along with a total of 12 officials.
The visit aimed to facilitate the exchange of experience and lessons learned from Thailand’s successful participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme – Continuous Monitoring Approach (USOAP CMA).
The DCAL delegation expressed its appreciation for Thailand’s impressive level of Effective Implementation (EI) achieved in the most recent ICAO audit. In addition, both sides held technical-level working discussions to enhance the effectiveness of aviation safety oversight in Lao PDR and to support its preparedness for future ICAO audits. The discussions covered key audit areas, including: legislation/regulations (LEG), Organization (ORG), Personnel Licensing (PEL), Aircraft Operations (OPS), Airworthiness (AIR), Air Navigation Services (ANS), and Aerodromes/Ground Aids (AGA).
The visit reflects DCAL’s confidence in the capability of Thailand’s aviation safety oversight system, which has gained recognition at both regional and global levels. It also underscores Thailand’s role as a regional leader in aviation safety, committed to sharing knowledge and experience to collectively and sustainably enhance aviation safety standards.
