Research and Test Reactor Inspection Program for OAP in Bangkok, Thailand

May 26th, 2016 — 

From May 16-19, 2016, AdSTM, Inc. conducted an IRDP workshop on the NRC Research and Test Reactors (RTR) Inspection Program for the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) in Bangkok, Thailand. The audience was composed of OAP nuclear regulators from the Thailand Bureau of Nuclear Safety (BNSR), whose responsibility encompasses various aspects of research reactor oversight including inspection, program management, emergency response and security. The workshop was supported by AdSTM staff, Rich Holm, Mark Trump, and Tammy Way. Over the four-day workshop, instruction focused on the NRC approach for Inspecting RTRs in the United States including an overview of the inspection program, enforcement and RTR Inspector training and qualification. The course was intended to assist Thai efforts in the continued development of RTR rules and regulations, particularly on further development of their own inspection program and professional development of their inspectors. In addition to the workshop, the OAP requested AdSTM to evaluate the current inspection program, with emphasis being on RTR inspector qualifications. Each morning was spent providing instruction to OAP staff, in a larger workshop forum; while the afternoons were spent having two-way discussions with a smaller group of OAP/BNSR inspectors. These discussions focused on the current makeup of the inspector group, how inspections were carried out, and how their current inspections program could be improved based on NRC experience. Recommendations for improvement will be provided in a follow-up report.