Transport Minister Prajin Juntong has transferred Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) chief Somchai Phiphutthawat to the post of ministerial inspector-general due to his slow progress in improving the country's aviation safety standards.
ACM Prajin hopes to see significant improvements in the country's aviation safety after the change.
The transfer came one day after a ministry delegation met the chairman of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, on Monday to report Thailand's progress in addressing aviation safety concerns raised by the agency.
The delegation was led by Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith. Currently, the DCA must fix the safety concerns uncovered by the ICAO in its previous inspection of the DCA by the end of the 90-day deadline on Thursday.
Speaking after Tuesday's cabinet meeting, ACM Prajin said the cabinet has approved the ministry's request for inspector-general Parichart Khotcharat to replace Mr Somchai.
ACM Prajin said the department is in need of a director-general who is better equipped to coordinate efforts to address the aviation safety issues.
The change is "for the sake of suitability", the minister said.
"It's like a football match. Mr Somchai is a playmaker in the team but he faced strong pressure from competitors forcing him to play badly so we have to change tactics to play," ACM Prajin said.
Ms Parichat is a former deputy director-general of the department and has what it takes to coordinate with others, ACM Prajin said.
Mr Somchai is a legal expert and his work was subject to procedures which made it slow, he said.
A Transport Ministry source said that about a month ago ACM Prajin received complaints about slow progress at the department.
Over the last two months, Mr Somchai travelled overseas to explain the country's aviation safety situation to other aviation agencies, hampering the department's progress in addressing the concerns raised by the ICAO, the source said.
The source said Mr Somchai ignored ACM Prajin's request to delegate power to other department executives to help speed up work.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that transferring officials is part of the department's efforts to improve aviation safety standards and address the ICAO's aviation concerns.
Gen Prayut also allayed concerns about Thailand passing the ICAO's aviation safety review, saying Thailand is trying its best to address the problem.
Meanwhile, Ms Parichat said she did not know in advance about the transfer, but she is prepared to do her best in the job. Urgent tasks facing her include solving the safety concerns raised by the ICAO, reviewing a corrective action plan, restructuring the department and preparing personnel for the change.
According to ACM Prajin, the ICAO seemed satisfied with Thailand's overall corrective action plan for the concerns with safety certification for Thai-registered airlines following Mr Arkhom's trip to Canada.
In January, the ICAO found the regulations on transporting hazardous items and granting air operators' certificates failed to meet the UN-based agency's standards.
That prompted Japan to restrict flights of Thai-registered charter airlines and new flights from late March to mid-April.
China and South Korea followed Japan's lead. The ban could be resumed and even expanded if Thailand fails to pass the next review.
ACM Prajin said the ICAO is willing to work with Thailand to solve the safety concerns and use the country as a model in tacking similar problems in the Asia-Pacific region.
He said the ICAO also suggested the department avoids setting up several working panels to address the problem and there should be only one main working panel and two sub-panels.
The ICAO also recommended that the department should not rush the process to certify new Thai-registered airlines, which would make it lose credibility, ACM Prajin said.
ACM Prajin said Mr Arkhom had also reassured the ICAO that legislation to improve aviation standards will be enacted during this government.
Mr Arkhom has also invited the ICAO chairman to visit Thailand in a bid to restore confidence in the country's aviation standards, ACM Prajin said.
"In conclusion, the ICAO has understood and given Thailand an opportunity. It is ready to explain the situation on Thailand's behalf," ACM Prajin said.
