BANGKOK, 2 September 2025: Local media reports last week quoted the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) saying it has suspended Nok Air’s international flights and banned the airline from expanding its route network, citing a alleged failure to meet safety standards.
Nok Air hasn’t operated any international flights since the winter season 2024-2025. Still, it filed an advance scheduled timetable earlier this year that showed the airline intended to resume daily flights to four destinations: Nanning, Nanjing, and Zhengzhou in China, and Hyderabad in India, starting on 27 October 2025, for the duration of the winter timetable, October 2025 to March 2026.
That plan has been scuttled by the CAAT ruling on 28 August 2025, which identified deficiencies in Nok Air’s operations. The ruling alleged a high rate of incidents, including in-flight engine shutdowns, hard landings, and runway excursions, that occurred between 2023 and 2025.
Local media (The Nation and Bangkok Post) suggested the CAAT had identified a significant number of resignations from pilots, flight instructors, and inspectors, which could raise concerns about the airline’s safety culture and the risk of having a less experienced workforce.
The CAAT move comes just before a scheduled audit of Thailand’s aviation safety system by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). CAAT’s actions are seen as a way to ensure full compliance with international standards.
Nok Air’s CEO has stated that Nok Air had already voluntarily ceased international flights in June 2025 due to the low season. The CAAT suspension affects Nok Air’s planned resumption of international routes this October to China and India. These two geo-markets could shore up Nok Air’s earnings in the current fiscal year.
Media reports noted that CAAT has given Nok Air just one week to address the safety deficiencies. The government agency has stated that the suspension of planned international flights will remain in place until the airline demonstrates that it has implemented the necessary safety audits.
Information regarding the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) suspending Nok Air’s international flights has been widely reported by multiple news outlets in Thailand and internationally.
While these reports cite statements from CAAT officials, such as Director-General Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, and reference an official letter sent to Nok Air, a direct, official announcement or press release about the suspension from the CAAT website itself is not readily available through a public search.
Nok Air, in a statement posted on its Facebook page, acknowledged documents from the Civil Aviation Office of Thailand (KPO) regarding flight operational requirements had been filed with Nok Air. Still, it wished to “reassure all passengers that it is operating all domestic routes… For international routes, plans will be announced again once the documents are completed.”
