The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded Thailand’s aviation sector, setting the stage for possible worldwide bans of Thai-registered airlines.
"A reassessment in July 2015 found that Thailand did not meet international standards," the US regulation agency said a statement posted on its website on Tuesday.
"Today's announcement follows ongoing discussions with the government of Thailand which concluded on Oct 28," it added.
The decision means Thailand has dropped to Category 2 from Category 1, increasing odds that Thai carriers will be subjected to service curtailments or outright bans not only in the US, but Europe and Asia.