I’ve got a drone. Can I bring it with me to Thailand? Yes, but…

INFOGRAPHIC: Tourism Authority of Thailand

Last week it was reported that over 7,000 drones had been registered for flying in Thailand since October 2, 2017 when the law came into effect where drones must be registered. This number only included drones registered at NBTC offices, not at police stations around the country, so the true number of registrations is much higher than the 7,000 reported.

But what does this mean for tourists? Drones, of all shapes and sizes, are now a popular ‘camera’ that a few tourists bring on their travels to Thailand to capture the Land of Smiles from the sky. How do they know what guidelines for their drone when they arrive? Here’s some information from the TAT about bringing your drone to Thailand.

From the TAT website…

“With the fast growing popularity of drones, advancements in the technology they use and their increasing consumer accessibility, more tourists now want to take their drones on holiday with them. This is not surprising, when you consider the spectacular holiday pictures and/or videos that can be taken from a flying drone with a camera attached.

Like various other popular spots around the world, Thailand has in place certain rules and regulations concerning the bringing of drones – also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) – into the country, and their use while here.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced that all drones in Thailand need to be registered. If not done, a drone’s owner could face a five-year jail term or a fine of up to 100,000 Baht.

Tourists can bring their drones into Thailand. However, they are not allowed to fly their drones here until they have registered their devices with the NBTC or the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).

Also, if a drone is being brought into Thailand for commercial use, then permission must also be requested from CAAT.

Forms can be downloaded from the NBTC HERE (in Thai) and from the CAAT HERE (in English).

The drone registration process requires the following: a signed copy of the applicant’s passport, a photo and the serial number of the drone, and two copies of the completed registration form.

Tourists will also want to familiarise themselves with the rules for flying drones in Thailand. Among the key points here are that drones:

• Must not be flown in a way that could cause harm to life and property, or disturb the peace, of others.
• Must be flown in line of sight at all times.
• Must not be flown over gatherings of people.
• Must not be flown near areas where there are piloted commercial aircraft.
• Should not be used to violate the privacy of others.

With this all in mind, you are ready to snap some beautiful photographs and shoot some fantastic videos of your travels in Thailand!

For further information, please contact:

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission

87 Phaholythin 8 (Soi Sailom),

Samsen Nai, Phayathai, Bangkok 10400

Tel: +(66) 2670 8888

NBTC Call Centre (when you’re in Thailand) 1200

Website link HERE