Drone Laws in Thailand

Thailand Drone Regulations

According to Thailand’s national aviation authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), flying a drone is legal in Thailand, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact CAAT directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: info@caat.or.th / +66 (0) 2568-8800

Why fly a drone in Thailand? To get great aerial shots like these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Thailand

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Thailand.

• All drones must be registered if they 1) Have a camera, and 2) Weigh 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) or more. Register here.
• Drones weighing more than 25 kilograms (55 pounds) must be registered with the Minister of Transport.
• Drone pilots must maintain a visual line of sight with their drone at all times.
• Drones must not be flown close to manned aircraft
• Drones must not be flown close to any person, vehicle, construction, or buildings at distance less than 30 meters (98 feet) horizontally.
• Drones must not be flown in restricted areas without authorization.
• Drones must not be flown within 9 kilometers (5 miles) from an airport or temporary airfield except with special authorization.
• Drones must not be flown higher than 90 meters (295 feet).

For more information on Thailand’s drone laws, see this announcement from Thailand’s Ministry of Transport.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Thailand? Send us an email at support[at]horizonap[dot]com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Thailand can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Thailand? Here you go: