The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced new regulations on air travellers with power banks, setting device capacity limits and banning them in checked baggage, among other restrictions.
The rules (see graphic below) are largely in line with international guidelines and are already being enforced by many airlines worldwide, including Thai Airways International.
The crackdown followed a fire on an Air Busan plane before takeoff in South Korea in January 2025, which raised alarm bells after an investigation suggested a power bank might have been the cause.
Locally, a Bangkok Airways flight from Samui to Hong Kong had to divert to Bangkok after a power bank caught fire in July 2025. A similar incident took place onboard a Thai AirAsia flight in January 2024.
Staff in both cases brought the fires under control swiftly but the incidents underlined the need for tighter controls.
Under the new rules, power banks must be in carry-on baggage only and they cannot be put in checked baggage.
Each air traveller cannot carry more than two lithium batteries.
The CAAT prohibits power banks from being charged or being used to charge any mobile phone or electronic device during flights.
Travellers cannot put power banks inside overhead compartments but must keep them in easily reachable locations such as seat pockets, space under seats in front of them, and their pockets. This is to allow cabin crew to quickly deal with any situation including unusual heat, smoke or fire.
