National Security: Thailand Case Study on Provision of Responsibility for Aeronautical Search and Rescue

Abstract

Thailand, as a member state of the  International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),  has delineated the area of responsibility for the  Aeronautical Search and Rescue Regions (SRR)  which provided same coordinate as Flight  Information Region (FIR) acknowledged to the  ICAO. Such deterministic regions were inconsistent  with neighboring countries, which the ICAO  and relevant international cooperative bodies  called involved parties to settle agreements  and proceed such established information to the ICAO to circulate the information electronically.

The established Aeronautical Search  and Rescue Regions of Thailand, the Gulf of  Thailand, part of area of responsibility, exceeded  the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), commencing that the Royal Thai Navy and Air Force were  unable to deploy aircrafts and ships for search  and rescue in timely manner. In accordance  with the law, there shall be approval from Ministry  of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with  the consent obtained from neighboring countries  in case of requesting to enter such region.  For the Andaman Sea, the area of responsibility  of established region was close to the territorial  sea, as of 24 nautical miles from the base line,  on the other hand, neighboring countries have  set aside their responsible regions overlapped  into Thailand’s declared Exclusive Economic  Zone. Both cases effect aspect of National  Security and Preservation of National Interests in the sea. The amended deterministic Nautical  Search and Rescue Regions were delineated  close to Exclusive Economic Zone, both the  Andaman and the Gulf of Thailand areas, thus  the relevant agencies shall determine their responsibility for the Aeronautical Search and  Rescue Regions accordingly.