Thailand’s Nok Air has been banned from operating international flights by the country’s aviation authority after safety compliance issues were found within the airline.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced last week that Nok Air must suspend all international operations as well as refrain from expanding its network, until the airline addresses its safety issues.
The move comes amid ongoing compliance checks with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The CAAT wants to ensure full compliance to ICAO standards across Thailand’s aviation sector, as the country currently undergoes ICAO’s safety audit lasting between 27 August and 8 September 2025.
Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, director general of the CAAT, said that Nok Air had been experiencing incidents related to personnel and operational performance from 2023 to 2025.
“The rate of incidents over the past two to three years has been significant, including occurrences such as engine in-flight shutdowns, runway excursions, hard landings and tail strikes,” said Manat.
He added that the engine shutdown incidents are of particular concern as the root cause has not been established yet.
In addition, the airline has had significant resignations from pilots, flight instructors and appointed aviation inspectors, which reflect various internal issues such as organisational safety culture, employee morale and workforce issues.
These shortcomings contribute to the risk of personnel lacking the necessary knowledge, experience and expertise for flight operations.
Manat said that the issues must be resolved one week before the suspension can be lifted.
Regarding the ban, Nok Air CEO Wutthiphum Jurangkool said that the airline has not operated international flights since June 2025, and it continues to operate domestic flights under strict oversight from the CAAT.
Wutthiphum adds that Nok Air adheres to maintenance manuals approved by the CAAT with safety audits from the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), but iterates that the airline maintains close coordination with the CAAT and relevant agencies, including Boeing, to ensure the highest level of safety.
Wutthiphum also addresses that the airline’s workforce remains “sufficient and qualified” despite competitive pressures in the region.
“Nok Air remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards and improving service quality across all operations,” he said.
