New drone laws - confusing

[Weltreisender]

Hey Community,

 

i'm actually on a world travel and will arrive in thailand in february 2018. I understood that drones have to be registered or its possible to end in jail or paying a fine. But is it allowed to take a drone to thailand without letting them fly or will i get troubles with airport customs after january 2018? Maybe i will skip flying thailand with my drone and continue in the next country.

 

Could not find this information anywhere...

 

Thanks so much guys

[userabcd]

From a web search https://drone-traveller.com/drone-laws-thailand/

[Phuket Man]

 

[NanLaew]

Better leave it at home and buy one here.

 

I can appreciate the confusion. How on earth did the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission get to be Dronelords?

[Weltreisender]

Guys thanks but this doesn't answered my question. There is no information about if it's just illegal to let them fly without registering or is it also illegal to carry the drone. Is there any way to find out? 

[craftyhen]

could you not leave it in a bordering country and fly it across?

[irwinfc]

there is no law against ownership or carrying one. otherwise, hobby and toy shops wouldn't be to sell them. what's unlawful is flying unregistered drones. 

[johnarth]

they haven't finished their law (they haven't thought of stage two yet) you will probably find when the time is up to register them when you buy one you will probably have to fill in the registry form at the place of purchase, or if buying online will have to go the nearest police station to fill in the form

[bluejets]

Probably not a bad idea to grab a bit of insurance while at it.

Especially knowing how westerners fair in legal battles in Thailand.

In Aus there is a fairly cheap mob ($45/year), AMAS inc and I imagine similar around the globe.

http://www.amas.org.au/wspHome.aspx

 

 

Peace of mind for a few bucks ......

Edited November 30, 2017 by bluejets

[MW72]

So last week I took my drone to the local police station to register it. The response...Mai Pein Rai. Don't worry about that!

[johnarth]

16 minutes ago, johnarth said:

they haven't finished their law (they haven't thought of stage two yet) you will probably find when the time is up to register them when you buy one you will probably have to fill in the registry form at the place of purchase, or if buying online will have to go the nearest police station to fill in the form

the law for bringing them into Thailand will be left up to immigration as to that each officer will have their own idea what that is.(luck of the draw)

[Belzybob]

Note that the parameters are above 2kg or with a camera. If you have a DJI Phantom for example, it is well under that weight, so if you aren't planning to use it in Thailand you could remove the camera and gimbal, then tuck it away somewhere in another bag. Removes one potential issue for customs.

[Mansell]

I doubt that immigration will have anything to do with drones......it would be a customs issue. Most of the time flying the drone wouldn't be a problem, but it depends where you are flying it. At any of the crowded tourist places might be an issue. My friend who flies a drone said there is a seven month waiting list for the application. 

[Sapporillo]

1 hour ago, Mansell said:

I doubt that immigration will have anything to do with drones......it would be a customs issue. Most of the time flying the drone wouldn't be a problem, but it depends where you are flying it. At any of the crowded tourist places might be an issue. My friend who flies a drone said there is a seven month waiting list for the application. 

Flying a drone over people, especially over crowded places, is forbidden in quite a few countries (I think Canada is one of them), and generally not a good idea - if only because people don't like it (I have a drone myself and would never do that). 

[Rangerdriver]

Hey Community,
 
i'm actually on a world travel and will arrive in thailand in february 2018. I understood that drones have to be registered or its possible to end in jail or paying a fine. But is it allowed to take a drone to thailand without letting them fly or will i get troubles with airport customs after january 2018? Maybe i will skip flying thailand with my drone and continue in the next country.
 
Could not find this information anywhere...
 
Thanks so much guys

My friend brought a high spec one into Thailand and wasn't stopped but its pot luck

Sent from my ASUS_Z002 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[trawler]

No issues enteri9ng with them in hand carry in/out of Bkk or Cnx so far.Just went to NBTC region 9 office here in Chiang Mai and in/out in 10 mins.Forms filled in in Thai/copy of passport/photos of drones showing serial nos.1 form per drone.

However this is registration not a CAAT permit to fly which is my next step.

cheers

[SPREX]

DRONE Thailand a little clarification !!!!!

This is my feedback the Caat request insurance for Hobby 2kg with camera not only Professional

My registration ( Hobby Phantom3 ADV)  has been blocked because no insurance today I receive my Insurance from MITAR Insurance

please look the resume and document

About Tourists can't subscribe as per the seconded document residence certification shall be proved ( it is the same situation in USA by the last Done law issued in 2016)

DRONE Thailand a little clarification !!!!!
https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/27871
A prior only Aliens with a temporary permit long stay (residence) or of the Nationals can subscribe to the registration to the views of the documents requested as in the USA for that matter!
see the document '' Consent to the Disclosure of Personal Information '' the longest to complete elsewhere .... According to the requested information must be well be resident
I have questioned the Caat on this subject no answer so far ...

Drone Insurance requested by CAAT MITARE INSURANCE DRONE 2017-2018 https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2em85zznk6blx01/AAAofS839UJ_u4XRV_WczZLda?dl=0
Here is the famous assurance for my drone that Caat has formally asked me to provide for permission to fly which means, and contrary to assertions read a little everywhere .... even in Hobby less than 2 kg (with camera) the law Drone (RPA) of 2015 is subject to insurance which seems logical

CAAT, which is the aviation authority and in charge of registration applications for drones (a legal obligation recently reiterated by the NBT and the possible sanctions that will apply from 1 January 2018) therefore requires insurance (not less than 1,000,000 baht as for professionals ......)
short!
I especially noticed that everyone who talks about it or the subject does not have Drone ca it's rather fun blah blah blah

Edited December 6, 2017 by SPREX

[Langsuan Man]

17 hours ago, SPREX said:

I have questioned the Caat on this subject no answer so far ...

They haven't answered one question for me yet, all I get from them is that the application and other paperwork will not be processed until I provide proof of insurance translated into English for some reason that only a Thai bureaucrat would know.   And that it will take 60 to 90 days for approval since your records have to be checked with several Thai agencies 

[FarangFB]

On 07/12/2017 at 9:17 AM, Langsuan Man said:

They haven't answered one question for me yet, all I get from them is that the application and other paperwork will not be processed until I provide proof of insurance translated into English for some reason that only a Thai bureaucrat would know.   And that it will take 60 to 90 days for approval since your records have to be checked with several Thai agencies 

In other words, if I buy a brand new drone (say a small DJI Spark) I would technically need at least 2 months (if I'm lucky) to be able to fly it without committing a crime? 

 

That really sucks, there should be an easy way to do it like registering with your passport at the moment of purchase just like a Simcard.

[john_bkk919]

"Tourists can't subscribe as per the seconded document residence certification shall be proved ( it is the same situation in USA by the last Done law issued in 2016)"

 

Well, my understanding is that foreign tourists can easily register when they get to the US (registration must be from US IP address).  It takes a couple minutes and 5 bucks using the hotel wifi and a credit/debit card.  No proof of residence or anything else required.  Then you write your registration number on the drone with a sharpie or better yet attach a label with some tape.  That's it.

 

Enforcement of this 'registration' is nil - they do not come around and check.  Of course if you have an 'incident' your lack of registration may become an issue, assuming they find you.

 

Personally I don't think the US FAA is in compliance with the court order of last year or their own regulations which prohibit them from ruling over 'model aircraft'.  

 

But it's probably better for a tourist to register, given how easy the US process is, than risk consequences.

 

more info here:  http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amagov/2016/06/20/faa-non-citizen-registration/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Langsuan Man]

5 hours ago, john_bkk919 said:

"Tourists can't subscribe as per the seconded document residence certification shall be proved

Where did you find this ?  No mention of a residence certification in the forms that must be submitted to CAAT, only commercial paperwork if drone is to be used in business:

 

[Langsuan Man]

5 hours ago, john_bkk919 said:

 

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2017 by Langsuan Man
dup post

[john_bkk919]

Sorry, I was quoting SPREX (above) and only on the point of US law.

 

As for Thai law, I think SPREX was referring to the legal code at the link he provided which says something about 'copy of registered address' being required.  Article 8, section 2(a).

 

But I take it from what you're saying the CAAT form doesn't actually ask for proof of address at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Langsuan Man]

4 hours ago, john_bkk919 said:

your saying the CAAT form doesn't actually ask for proof of address at all.

They ask for it, they just don't require proof

 

Now the NBTC does require some proof of address (telephone bill, lease, etc.) be sent with your drone registration application but no requirement for a Residency Certificate issued by Immigration or your Embassy 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎11‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 5:31 PM, NanLaew said:

Better leave it at home and buy one here.

 

I can appreciate the confusion. How on earth did the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission get to be Dronelords?

??????????????

Perhaps because they use radio waves to control .

 

Ah drones, such fun. At least till IS starts attaching nail bombs to them and flying them into packed stadiums.

Now big business wants to use them to deliver packages to our front door. What could possibly go wrong with that?

[Langsuan Man]

Actually that is part of the problem with the new drone law, the don't use radio waves, but use Wifi, ergo NBTC, getting into the act.

To their credit, they realize this, so their approval process is stressless, unlike CAAT who appear to go out of their way to be obtuse and contradictory in their requirements


Sent from my Nexus 5X using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[FarangFB]

I also believe that the drone complicated (and LONG) registration process has caused a big impact on sales. 

 

The one I want (DJI Spark Combo) was up for sale for 17999b today at Lazada (for a short period). Before the registration thing it used to be 28000b, then soon after the announcement it dropped to 24999, then to 23ish and now I see this 17999. And even at this price point I'm not taking it because I don't want to wait 2-3 months for the registration process.

 

Very efficient way to kill the market.

[Langsuan Man]

Sorry but the lower prices for the  DJI Spark, combo or otherwise , have gone down due to over supply; has nothing to do with the registration process.  More vendors on Lazada are now carrying them so there is more competition 

 

Most Thais are not going to follow these drone regulations anyway so the government implementing them has and will do nothing to the market.  Thais show us daily that they won't follow the rules, it is only  farangs that are concerned about these requirements.  The only Thais that are impacted are those who use drones professionally,  not recreational flyers  

 

Just look at the continued sale of e cigarettes as just one example, illegal, yet prices have been dropping for years 

[Sapporillo]

True, prices for the Spark have gone down considerably everywhere, not just in Thailand. Even on DJI's own website, they are a lot cheaper now than 2-3 months ago. 

[SPREX]

On 12/9/2017 at 12:22 AM, FarangFB said:

In other words, if I buy a brand new drone (say a small DJI Spark) I would technically need at least 2 months (if I'm lucky) to be able to fly it without committing a crime? 

 

That really sucks, there should be an easy way to do it like registering with your passport at the moment of purchase just like a Simcard.

The 2016 drone law in the US is exactly the same non-residents are not allowed to steal authority thinks about getting problem but still no decision