A budget airline in Thailand, Nok Air, has been forced to suspend all international flights as Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) has ceased its international operations following a series of safety incidents identified between 2023 and 2025.
Nok Air suspended international flights
On August 25, CAAT wrote to Nok Air CEO Wutthiphum Jurangkool, stating that personnel-related events and flight performance concerns must be rectified before international services may restart.
The airline’s “operational efficiency” has been questioned due to in-flight engine shutdowns, runway excursions, hard landings, and tail strikes, according to the Bangkok Post.
Despite being fully operational, Nok Air’s domestic services will not be permitted to grow in response to the CAAT warning.
“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 CAAT director general Manat Chavanaprayoon.
Jurangkool had said that the airline was preparing a response to the allegations and is confident that the prohibitions can be lifted within a month, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
“Nok Air remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards and improving service quality across all operations,” said the airline CEO.
Earlier this month, it submitted clarifications to CAAT addressing issues such as staff management, operational issues and safety improvements. It highlighted a 21-year record with no major safety incidents.
Upcoming Safety Assessment
The International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) upcoming safety assessment of Thailand’s aviation system may be the reason for the inquiry, he claimed, adding that the airline’s safety standards adhere to all CAAT requirements.
On September 8, the ICAO audit of Thailand’s aviation safety system concluded.
Established in 2004, the Bangkok-based airline primarily offers domestic flights to Thai destinations, including Chumphon, Udon Thani, and Krabi.
Originally founded as Sky Asia Co. Ltd in February 2004, Nok Air began operations on July 23 of the same year. It employed 130 people in March 2007 and, by 2014, had grown to almost 1,400. On May 31, 2007, Nok Air launched its first international service, operating daily flights to Bangalore, India. However, in 2020, these services were discontinued.
The airline operates five international routes out of Don Mueang, Bangkok – three to China and, during peak season, two to India.
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