Travel Thailand Tightens Airport Rules on Liquids and Gels to Boost Safety

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of TAT Newsroom

 

Thailand has revamped its airport security, applying stricter rules for carrying liquids, gels, and aerosols (LGAs) in hand luggage. Effective from Tuesday, April 22, the new regulations are aimed at enhancing safety, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).

 

The refreshed protocol requires all LGAs to undergo thorough screening processes before passengers, crew, or airport staff can bring them onto the aircraft or into restricted zones.

 

These rules apply to various items, from drinks and sauces to cosmetics and spray containers. Even combined solid-liquid products like mascara and lip balm are subject to these constraints.

 

Notable among the changes is the new size limit for LGA containers. Each should not exceed 100 millilitres and must fit in a container of identical capacity.

 

Passengers can carry multiple containers if the total volume remains under 1 litre, all enclosed in a single, transparent, re-sealable plastic bag. This bag must be presented separately during security checks but does not count as part of hand luggage.

 

 

 

For individuals requiring medications, baby food or milk, or medically necessary dietary products, exceptions are available with proper documentation. Airport teams, including crew and emergency staff, can bring necessary LGAs only if they follow security guidelines.

 

The rules allow duty-free LGAs if these items are sealed in tamper-evident bags with proof of purchase. This applies to transit and transfer passengers who must show their duty-free goods for inspection.

 

Airports are tasked with displaying the new guidelines across all public zones to ensure passenger awareness.

 

In conclusion, as Thailand enforces these stringent security measures, travellers are encouraged to be informed of both departure and arrival airport regulations to prevent delays in their journey.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-04-26

 

 

 

[JoePai]

I can remember a time when one looked forward to flying...

[bdenner]

Got their priorities wrong again!!!

If they had any regard for public safety they would BAN the "Power Packs". Get them OFF aircraft until such a time when they are deemed to be 100% safe.

These days most long haul aircraft have USB ports available for keeping mobile devices charged and if the punter REALLY needs a power pack = buy an el-cheapo at their destination.

 

 

[Ralf001]

incoming or outgoing ?

 

Friend just returned from Abroad an brought 15lts of booze with him in total (5 bottles for me).

[NorthernRyland]

Who does this benefit? the US did this under the pretense of terrorism but what reason does Thailand have? It seems to be coming out of nowhere.

[lavender19]

The rest of world are looking into doing away with carry on liquid rule. And what does Thailand do? The usual.

[terryofcrete]

4 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Who does this benefit? the US did this under the pretense of terrorism but what reason does Thailand have? It seems to be coming out of nowhere.

 BKK was recently upgraded by the US  and will “pave the way for direct flights from the US”….would that have any bearing on it ?

[blackcab]

7 minutes ago, lavender19 said:

The rest of world are looking into doing away with carry on liquid rule. And what does Thailand do? The usual.

 

At London Heathrow Terminal 2 you now leave everything in your carry on bag. Liquids, electronics, everything. They scan the bag/case just as it is.

 

They have the latest generation of Smiths detection machines.

[Cabradelmar]

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday upgraded Thailand's air safety rating to "Category 1" a decade after a downgrade, paving the way for direct U.S.-Thailand flights to resume... this is all part of the agreement.

[khunjeff]

These appear to be exactly the same rules that have been in place for nearly 20 years, though Thai airports haven't always strictly enforced them. Can anyone tell me what has changed?

[Bangkok Hound]

10 minutes ago, blackcab said:

 

At London Heathrow Terminal 2 you now leave everything in your carry on bag. Liquids, electronics, everything. They scan the bag/case just as it is.

 

They have the latest generation of Smiths detection machines.

That was my experience flying into the US (Houston) last month and out of the US (Denver) this month. Still have to take shoes off though. 

[chrisbangkok]

30 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

 BKK was recently upgraded by the US  and will “pave the way for direct flights from the US”….would that have any bearing 

 

[Grusa]

Fundamentally, the terrorists have won!

[mikeymike100]

5 minutes ago, Grusa said:

Fundamentally, the terrorists have won!

Indeed, the TSA in the US have never actually caught a terrorist!

[Asean Tiger]

39 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

 BKK was recently upgraded by the US  and will “pave the way for direct flights from the US”….would that have any bearing on it ?

If that is a potentially profitable venture why no US airlines flying to BKK already?

[Trip Hop]

34 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

These appear to be exactly the same rules that have been in place for nearly 20 years, though Thai airports haven't always strictly enforced them. Can anyone tell me what has changed?

Yep, they’re trying to catch up with the rest of the world! 😁

[BusyB]

6 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Indeed, the TSA in the US have never actually caught a terrorist!

 

That would actually suggest the TSA has won.

[NorthernRyland]

41 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

 BKK was recently upgraded by the US  and will “pave the way for direct flights from the US”….would that have any bearing on it ?

That's a good guess.

 

It's all such a fraud. They treat everyone who flies like criminals and then when you go outside it's a free for all with drug addicts on the streets and people carrying firearms.

 

Anyone could still get a bomb into a mall of office building and kills hundreds of people so they've done nothing in the end. I think it's just a  make-work program for TSA employees and increases the size of government.

[Formaleins]

Funny how these allowances are always under the "Duty Free" allowances.

[Patong2021]

4 hours ago, bdenner said:

Got their priorities wrong again!!!

If they had any regard for public safety they would BAN the "Power Packs". Get them OFF aircraft until such a time when they are deemed to be 100% safe.

These days most long haul aircraft have USB ports available for keeping mobile devices charged and if the punter REALLY needs a power pack = buy an el-cheapo at their destination.

 

 

It is an airlines   decision, but it is coming.  CX and SQ  have banned them.  TG changed its allowance last month reducing what is allowed and banning from checked baggage.

 

24 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

 BKK was recently upgraded by the US  and will “pave the way for direct flights from the US”….would that have any bearing on it ?

 

No. Nothing has changed the 100 ml has always been there.

 

21 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday upgraded Thailand's air safety rating to "Category 1" a decade after a downgrade, paving the way for direct U.S.-Thailand flights to resume... this is all part of the agreement.

 There would have to be a return to flying to the USA, and it just isn't happening. The route is not viable.

All that Thailand is doing is  enforcing the applicable rules. nothing has changed except now  they want to see all liquids in one bag.

As others who have been flying have pointed out, as new  3D scanners  are introduced in the UK and the EU, the limits are being increased significantly. Thailand is still using the old US style  scanners. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Notable among the changes is the new size limit for LGA containers. Each should not exceed 100 millilitres and must fit in a container of identical capacity.

One hundred mils of product in a one hundred mils capacity container would leave no space for a propellent gas and so an intended aerosol becomes inert just like liquid in a screwtop bottle. As an asthmatic I will face having inhalers confiscated. But then perhaps restocking the perks for security staff is the intention.🤔

[AgMech Cowboy]

1 hour ago, terryofcrete said:

 BKK was recently upgraded by the US  and will “pave the way for direct flights from the US”….would that have any bearing on it ?

I think you hit the nail on the head.

[Thumbs]

Hopefully these rules are not enforced by the same people responsible for the security at the airports car parks, they stop you to enter and run the mirror under the vehicle to search for ieds but they only do so on drivers side 

[ashkale]

This seems to be targetted at domestic flights to benefit the airport drink concessionary or inflight sales.

[SunsetT]

They give with one hand, i.e., by speeding up password control then take it away with the other by slowing everyone down at security. And this when everywhere else in the world they are working to install scanners that remove the need to separate liquids and creams...😭.

[DonniePeverley]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

Who does this benefit? the US did this under the pretense of terrorism but what reason does Thailand have? It seems to be coming out of nowhere.

 

Pen pushers have to justify their work. 

 

Can we keep our pesky shoes on ?

 

The liquid ban did benefit airports very well though didn't it. 

[koolkarl]

I am so sick of airport security and will only fly if absolutely necessary.  Why don't they ban the 1 group that is responsible for all

airport security, from flying instead of a nightmare for everyone else?  The cost involved in this is staggering. 

[Colki]

When they match container to 100mls is to stop people claiming I have this large container but there is only less ythan 100mls of liquid.

 

This has been in force in airports for many years after a london based plot to bring down some five UK - USA flights in a very advanced stage. They reconstructed the planned explosive devices and made decision to restrict containers to 100ml as though still destructive would not bring down plane.

 

This is a simple explanation of the operation

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

I can remember a time when one looked forward to flying...

I can remember a time when planes were being blown out of the sky...

[1duckyboy]

25 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

One hundred mils of product in a one hundred mils capacity container would leave no space for a propellent gas and so an intended aerosol becomes inert just like liquid in a screwtop bottle. As an asthmatic I will face having inhalers confiscated. But then perhaps restocking the perks for security staff is the intention.🤔

 

I have a personal Mace sprayer barely larger than a lipstick tube that shoots a stream seven meters. Your conclusion is flawed.