Formally known as the Civil Aviation Training Center in Thailand, the Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) was established on 4 June 1961 as a cooperative project between the United Nations Special Fund (UNSF), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the Royal Thai Government. The objective was to provide aviation training for students from Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries in various fields in the civil aviation industry, enabling them to perform their duties in accordance with international standards as stipulated by the ICAO to ensure maximum aviation safety. The early operations were overseen by the Governing Board with an Advisory Board assisting the Government Board in its work In 1966, the Thai Government undertook sole responsibility for the project. Later, in 1973, the Cabinet passed a resolution to turn the Civil Aviation Training Center in Thailand into an agency under the supervision of the Department of Aviation (the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand) in the absence of legal recognition. It was not until 28 September 1987 that a Royal Decree on the reorganization of CATC was issued, establishing CATC as a division within the Department of Aviation. CATC features facilities for Central Administration and ground-based training programmes in Bangkok as well as facilities for flight training programmes and air navigation radio aids at Hua Hin Airport in Prachuab Khirikhan Province.
In 1992, the Department of Aviation proposed the transformation of CATC into a state enterprise to ensure the enhanced flexibility and efficiency of the center, allowing it to better accommodate the fast-growing aviation industry. As a consequence, the government issued the Royal Decree for the Establishment of the Civil Aviation Training Center 1992. Under the Royal Decree, which came into force on 5 March 1992, CATC became a state enterprise under the Ministry of Transport. The objectives were to produce and develop aviation personnel together with providing technical, airport and other aviation-related service. CATC was transferred from the Department of Aviation on 1 April 1993 with a registered capital of 150,000,000 Baht, of which 100,000,000 Baht came from Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, 25,000,000 Baht from the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Limited, and 25,000,000 Baht from the Airports Authority of Thailand (Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited).
Two amendments were later made to the Royal Decree. The first amendment was published in the Royal Gazette dated 27 September 1997 authorizing the CATC Board of Directors to appoint, apart from an officer as previously stipulated, a member of the Board to act for the CATC Governor if the President is rendered temporarily unable to attend his normal duties or vacates his office.
The second amendment, which was published in the Royal Gazette dated 14 July 2006, was made to revise the scope of responsibilities of CATC for greater flexibility and efficiency. It now encompasses such responsibilities as entering into an agreement of collaboration with other local and foreign agencies in activities associated with CATC objectives, and incorporating a company or public company to carry out business related to CATC objectives.
