GEN 3.3  AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES

1.  Responsible services

1.1 The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is the responsible authority for the supervision and maintaining Air Traffic Services in the area of responsibility of the Kingdom of Thailand in accordance with ICAO Standard, Recommended Practices and Procedures.
1.2 The services are provided in accordance with the provisions contained in the following ICAO documents:

  • Annex 2 - Rules of the Air

  • Annex 11 - Air Traffic Services

  • Doc 4444 - Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management (PANS – ATM)

  • Doc 8168 - Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS)

  • Doc 7030 - Regional Supplementary Procedures

1.3 Differences to these provisions are detailed in subsection GEN 1.7 .

2.  Area of responsibility

2.1 Air Traffic services are provided for the entire territory of the Kingdom of Thailand, including its territorial waters as well as the airspace over the high seas within the Bangkok FIR.
2.2 In some case, in accordance with the regional air navigation agreement, air traffic services are provided, under the delegated authority, in the airspace within another bordering FIR. Details of such services are provided in section ENR 2.

3.  Types of services

3.1 The following types of services are provided:

  1. Flight Information Services (FIS) and Alerting Service (ALRS);

  2. Area control service; and

  3. Radar service.

3.2 With the exception of services provided at military air bases, the following types of services are provided at aerodromes:

  1. Aerodrome Control (TWR);

  2. Aerodrome Flight Information Services (AFIS); and

  3. Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) at certain aerodromes.

4.   Coordination between the operator and ATS Procedures

4.1 Coordination between the operators and ATS is effected in accordance with ICAO Annex 11. When so requested by an international operator, messages (including position reports) received by ATS units and relating to the operation of aircraft for which operational control service is provided by that operator are, so far as is practicable, made available to the operator.

In general, the rules of the air and air traffic control procedures applicable to air traffic in Thai territory conform with Annex 2 and 11 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Air Traffic Management, and the Regional Supplementary Procedures applicable to the South-East Asia Region.

5.   Air Traffic Services

5.1 The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Limited provides, operates and maintains the equipment and services for provision of:

  1. Area control service within Bangkok FIR as detailed in ENR 2.1-1

  2. Aerodrome control and approach control at all civil airports.

5.2  IFR flights operating into Bangkok International Airport remain under the jurisdiction of the Area Control Centre until reaching a predetermined point agreed by the ATC units, after which Bangkok Approach Control assumes jurisdiction; outbound flights will remain under the jurisdiction of Bangkok Approach Control while in the control zone or until such time as the aircraft has been instructed to change over to the Area Control Centre radiotelephony frequency.
5.3 The airspace of Thai territory, including adjacent territorial waters, comprises a single FIR (Bangkok FIR). Air Traffic Control services are exercised only in controlled airspace.
5.4 The description of the airspace designated for air traffic purposes is found in several tables, all forming part of ENR 2.

6.   Special Communication Procedures

In order to ensure appropriate separation planning by Bangkok Area Control Centre, pilots of all eastbound traffics shall contact Bangkok control at least 15 minutes prior to entering the FIR on the following frequencies;

airways L507, G463, P646, L524, L877, L301 and M502 on frequency 120.95 MHz and airways M626 on frequency 118.35 MHz.

Avoidance of Unnecessary TCAS RA Warning: Aircraft shall strictly use rate of climb or rate of descent at 1500 FPM or less within 2000ft to the assigned altitude or flight level, then use rate of climb or rate of descent at 1000 FPM or less within 1000ft to the assigned altitude or flight level when flight crew is made aware of another aircraft at or approaching an adjacent altitude or flight level, unless otherwise instructed by ATC.

7.   Restricted Airspace and Danger Areas

Prohibited areas, restricted areas and danger areas within Bangkok FIR are listed in ENR 5.1. Activation of areas subject to intermittent activity is notified well in advance by NOTAM giving reference only to the designation of the area.

8.   Thailand Air Defense Identification Zone (TADIZ)

8.1 The Thailand Air Defense Identification Zone (TADIZ) is hereby established to cover the airspace over the land and sea areas starting on the Thai border at 100000N thence along the national border between the Kingdom of Thailand and Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia to the coast 113900N1025500E then to 094830N1014630E 085200N1021300E 082900N1024300E 074930N1030530E 072200N1034230E 072000N1033900E 070300N1030600E 065300N1023400E 065000N1022112E 062748N1020936E 062730N1021000E 061430N1020536E thence westward along the national border between the Kingdom of Thailand and Malaysia to 062524N100000E 063200N0995300E 062830N0993912E 063012N0993324E 062854N0993042E 061824N0992730E 061618N0991918E 061800N0990642E 071500N0980000E 094500N0963830E 094035N0972636E 093215N0975620E 093015N0980600E 093520N0981300E 094300N0981610E 094910N0981950E 095400N0982430E 095700N0982730E 095510N0983200E 095610N0983305E then to the starting point (see GEN 3.3-4).
8.2 Since Bangkok Area Control Centre (VTBBZRZX) requires flight plans for all aircraft, IFR or VFR, operating into Bangkok FIR, it is compulsory that all aircraft, destined for an aerodrome within TADIZ or overflying TADIZ to submit flight plans at the point of departure for relaying to Bangkok Area Control Centre.
8.3 Aircraft flying along the airways shall report at the normal reporting points. Aircraft approaching TADIZ off airways shall report the estimated time over TADIZ boundary at least 10 minutes in advance.
8.4 If unable to establish and maintain radio communication with appropriate ATC agency, the pilot may contact the nearest Ground Control Intercept (GCI) frequency 127.0 and 331.3 MHz site for positive identification prior to entering TADIZ.
8.5 Aircraft will be intercepted by Royal Thai Air Force interceptors if:

  1. They do not adhere to the Air Defense Identification Procedures or the Air Traffic Control Regulations and Procedures.

  2. They deviate from their current flight plan, fail to passing over a point, or operate 10 NM over land or 20 NM over sea from the centre line of the airway assigned.

8.6 The aircraft which is intercepted by RTAF interceptors shall strictly comply with the interception procedure in accordance with Annex 2, Chapter 3 paragraph 3.8. The visual signal in accordance with Appendix 1 paragraph 2 will be used if direct communication between interceptors and intercepted aircraft can not be established. (see ENR 1.12-3).
8.7 Aircraft under interception will be attacked if they fail to obey any instructions given by RTAF interceptors.
8.8 The authority of the RTAF will not be responsible for any damage caused to aircraft by the interceptors of other devices.
8.9 The owner of the aircraft will be charged for expenditures used by the interceptors sent up to investigate and identify.

9.   VIP Flight

9.1 In order to facilitate the movement of VIP flight into and out of Bangkok and to conform to the times shown in the Ceremonial Reception Schedule, the Air Traffic Service Units concerned are authorized to provide special priority for all VIP flights over all other normal traffic within their spheres of responsibility.
9.2 The term “VIP flight” refers to the flights of the following persons:

  1. His Majesty the King;

  2. Her Majesty the Queen;

  3. The Royal Family; and

  4. Prime Minister or Heads of Foreign Government.

9.3 A NOTAM showing the schedule of the VIP flight movement will be issued in advance.
9.4 Other flights will be subjected to approximately 15 minutes delay prior to or after, the scheduled movement of the VIP aircraft, “except military escort aircraft which is under RTAF Escort Regulations”.
9.5 When a VIP flight is made within Bangkok FIR either inside or outside controlled airspace, special temporary airway normally 10 NM wide will be established for that part of the route designated as PINK Airways, procedures are as follows:

  1. PINK Airways will be notified by NOTAM consisting of:

    1. Airways expressed the point of departure and destination;

    2. Period of operation 15 minutes before estimated time of departure and 15 minutes after the VIP aircraft has passed the known position on the established route; and

    3. Blocked altitude 2000 ft above and below flight level specified by flight plan.

    Remarks :“The commander of the escort flight shall have final authority for conduction flight in and out of the PINK Airways as necessary to fulfill the RTAF Escort Regulations”.

  2. Delay of flight will be notified every 10 minutes by unit concerned.

  3. Flight plan of VIP flight, irrespective of weather condition, must be filed in IFR as much as practicable.

  4. No clearance given to aircraft in the vicinity of a VIP flight.

10.  THAILAND AIR DEFENSE IDENTIFICATION ZONE