Drone Laws in Thailand

Updated May 2025

If you love flying your drone as much as I do and are planning a trip to Thailand, I’m sure you’re curious about the country’s drone regulations. After all, capturing Thailand’s breathtaking landscapes from above would be an incredible experience!

A bird's eye view of Kata Beach, Phuket

Quick disclaimer: This post is based on my experience of registering and flying a drone in Thailand. With the constantly evolving rules and regulations, your experience may differ. Please always refer to the CAAT and NBTC websites to keep up with the latest drone laws in Thailand.

Thailand Drone Law

The law regarding drone use in Thailand specifies that all drones equipped with cameras, regardless of their weight, must be registered with the relevant authorities.

In Thailand, the regulation of drones falls under the jurisdiction of two main authorities: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC).

To comply with this law, all drones weighing more than 250 grams or those equipped with cameras must be registered with both CAAT and NBTC.

Drone registration in Thailand can be a slightly lengthy process, and you should start the process at least two weeks before your departure to Thailand. I will do my best to highlight the steps to make the registration process easy to understand.

The beautiful mosque at Koh Panyee (Ko Panyi)

Drone registration in Thailand can be a slightly lengthy process, and you should start the process at least two weeks before your arrival in Thailand. I will do my best to highlight the steps to make the registration process easy to understand.

But wait! Why Not…

Simplify Your Drone Registration Process In Thailand

We’ve partnered with Thaifreude, a local travel website and agency that offers drone registration services for foreigners visiting Thailand. They will take care of your drone registration and insurance for a small fee, so that you can skip the steps below.

With the ever-changing regulations and laws, I recommend them for a hassle-free drone registration process in Thailand. Many of our readers have found their service helpful.

Visit their website to learn more about the service.

Otherwise, you can follow the steps below to insure and register your drone yourself.

One of the most famous soccer fields in the world is in Koh Panyee (Ko Panyi). It just happens to be a floating soccer field!

Steps To Register And Insure Your Drone In Thailand

To comply with drone laws in Thailand, you must complete the following three steps.

Step 1 — Obtain Drone Insurance in Thailand


  • Time for approval – 2–3 days for the insurance certificate. 7 days for the entire insurance policy.
  • Cost – THB 749 for drones up to 300 grams, and THB 1,599 for drones upto 2 kg


Before registering your drone with the authorities, you need first to insure your drone. Without insurance, you cannot proceed with registering your drone.

I am sure there are a few drone insurance providers in Thailand, but I’ve had good experience with FEIC.

Their website is easy to navigate, and I had no issues registering my drone with them.

Their lowest-tier plan is sufficient as the insurance liability limit covers THB 1 million, which is the minimum requirement.

After submitting the form, I received the drone insurance certificate within 2 days. This certificate can be used to register your drone with CAAT and NBTC.

The official insurance document can take up to 7 days to arrive. However, the drone insurance certificate is sufficient to proceed to the next step.

Step 2 — Register Your Drone With The Thai Authorities

Unlike most other countries that require drones to be registered only with the civil aviation authority, Thailand requires drones to be registered with two authorities.

The first is the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). And the other is the Office of The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

The CAAT requires the registration of the drone and drone pilot. The NBTC requires registration of the frequency used by the drone.

The process is also documented on the CAAT website.

CAAT Drone Registration


  • Time for approval – Immediately after passing the exam
  • Cost – N/A
  • CAAT website


The registration process for the CAAT has undergone significant changes in 2025. Please follow the instructions on the website, or feel free to contact our partner to help you with the process.

To start the registration process, head to the CAAT website and create an account.

To complete the account creation and registration, you require a local Thai phone number. You can therefore complete this step once you’re in Thailand, or use our partner’s service.

Next, proceed to fill up the form along with all the required information including the invoice for your drone.

After that, you’re required to pass an exam that contains 40 questions. If you answer less than 30 questions correctly, you can retry after 24 hours.

And finally, once you’ve completed the process and obtained your approval, you’re required to stick the registration number on your drone.

NBTC Drone Registration


  • Time for approval — Up to 5 business days but full approval can only happen once in Thailand
  • Cost — THB 214
  • NBTC website


You can simultaneously also begin your NBTC application.

The registration process with the NBTC was slightly trickier because it cannot be completed or approved till you arrive in Thailand.

And that’s because the form requires:

  1. Copy of the visa (cannot submit if you’re eligible for visa on arrival)
  2. Copy of the arrival stamp on your passport (can only submit once you arrive in Thailand)
  3. And the payment of a fee which must be done in person (Step 3 below)

But you can still fill in all the other details and save the form. You might need to Google the frequency and transmission power of your drone.

I made the mistake of submitting my application with a document that said “visa on arrival” as proof of my visa and arrival stamp. Fortunately, I received an email stating that my application was fine and that I could update it with the proof once I arrived in Thailand.

After I arrived in Thailand, I updated my application, and it took 1–2 days to get the approval email, which asked me to proceed with the fee payment.

Step 3 — Pay The NBTC Fee

The final step of the process was the most challenging for me because it involved making a payment, in person at a local bank. There was no option for online payment when I applied!

Once the NBTC application is approved, you will receive an email with a “Bill Payment Pay-IN Slip”. You have up to 30 days to make the payment.

My email stated that the fee payment could be made at Kasikorn Bank PCL or cross-bank bill payment via electronic channels. So, I located the closest Kasikorn Bank branch and walked in one morning.

However, I couldn’t make the payment because the bank told me that they no longer accepted such payments and that I should go to a Krung Thai Bank branch.

Unfortunately, there was no Krung Thai Bank near my hotel, so I had to wait till I made a trip to go to Old Phuket Town to make the payment. Luckily, there is a 7-day window to make the payment.

I found this step to be slightly inconvenient. Although the Bill Payment Pay-IN Slip lists many banks that accept the payment, my experience was different.

I really wish there was an easier (online) payment method. Especially, as I imagine many tourists carry their drones into Thailand and if they stay in a small town, a bank might be hard to locate.

Anyway, once the NBTC fee is paid, all formalities regarding your Thailand drone registration are complete!

Pro-tip: You can ask your hotel staff to help you pay the fee. Just make sure you tip them.

Coconut Beach, Khao Lak

Are the steps too much effort?

Avoid The Hassle — Simplify Your Drone Registration Process In Thailand

You can take advantage of our partner, Thaifreude, who will take care of your drone registration and insurance for a small fee, so that you can skip the steps above.

With the ever-changing regulations and laws, I recommend them for a hassle-free drone registration process in Thailand. Many of our readers have found their service helpful.

Visit their website to learn more about the service.

Testimonials from our referrals

What a stellar sunset!

Flying a Drone in Thailand

Other Safety and Operation Requirements

  1. Drone pilots must maintain a visual line of sight with their drones at all times.
  2. Drones must not be flown close to manned aircraft
  3. Drones must not be flown close to any person, vehicle, construction, or buildings at a distance of fewer than 30 meters (98 feet) horizontally.
  4. Drones must not be flown in restricted areas without authorization.
  5. Drones must not be flown within 9 kilometres (5 miles) of an airport or temporary airfield except with special authorization.
  6. Drones must not be flown higher than 90 meters (295 feet).
  7. Flying in National Parks may require additional permits from the Park Authorities.

Time of Operation

Only during the day-time.

Maximum flying altitude

0
metres

No-Fly Zones

There are also designated no-fly zones in Thailand. The list of no-fly locations and maps can be found on the CAAT website.

Can you carry your drone to Thailand?

Yes, flying in and out of Thailand with your drone shouldn’t be a problem.

If you’re paranoid and want to be extra prepared, carry printouts or PDFs of your approvals while travelling in Thailand. You never know if you may need them.

Stay Up-To-Date

Drone laws in Thailand can be amended or changed without prior notice. So, it’s best to always check the official CAAT and NBTC websites.

My experience of flying a drone in Thailand

Once you’re over the hurdles of registering your drone, it’s a joy to fly your drone in Thailand and capture incredible photos.

During my stay in Phuket, I saw plenty of drones along the beaches. However, I don’t advise flying over large crowds or within a city.

I didn’t see any other drones while visiting Khao Lak, but that could be because there aren’t as many tourists in this smaller beach town.

I also saw someone flying their drone next to the Big Buddha in Phuket. Technically, that’s a no-fly zone, but luckily no one said anything to the offenders.

Some high-end properties have their own drone rules. During our stay at one such property, there was a sign in the room telling guests that drones are not allowed on the premises.

I guess what they meant was that guests shouldn’t take off their drones from the hotel or fly over the property.

Thailand is relatively drone-friendly. Let’s keep it that way by following the rules and applying common sense while flying your drone in Thailand.

We hope that you found this guide on drone laws in Thailand resourceful.

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