You can take a CPAP machine or a portable oxygen concentrator on Thai flights: AirAsia lets you carry and use them in the cabin, and both AirAsia and Bangkok Airways accept their lithium batteries up to 100 Wh without approval, with 100 to 160 Wh needing the airline's approval (as of October 2026). The machine cannot be charged from the aircraft's power, so bring enough battery for the flight and any delay.
The rest of the trip is mostly preparation. Thai sockets run at 220 volts, so check your power supply. Carry a doctor's letter, because we found no published Thai customs rule specific to medical devices. And plan for nights on a train or on a small island, where a socket by the bed is not guaranteed. This page uses the airlines' own pages, checked on 27 October 2026; it is general information, not medical advice.
Medical devices on Thai flights, October 2026
- Use on board
- AirAsia: CPAP, POC, TENS and nebulizers may be used in all phases of flight if they do not interfere with aircraft systems
- How many
- AirAsia: up to 2 medical devices per passenger
- Batteries up to 100 Wh
- No airline approval needed (AirAsia, Bangkok Airways)
- Batteries 100–160 Wh
- Airline approval needed
- Spare batteries
- Hand luggage only, terminals protected, maximum 2 (AirAsia)
- Charging on board
- Not allowed from the aircraft's power (AirAsia)
- Thai Airways
- Not verified: its website was under maintenance
AirAsia: what you can carry and use in the cabin
AirAsia's page on portable medical electronic devices (updated May 2026) allows battery-powered devices that do not need constant power to be carried and used in all phases of flight, provided they do not interfere with the aircraft's systems. It names a CPAP, a TENS unit, a nebulizer and a portable oxygen concentrator (POC). For the POC, the page adds "CAA / FAA approved only", meaning approved by a civil aviation authority such as the US Federal Aviation Administration; check the label or the maker's paperwork. Portable dialysis machines may not be used on board. The limit is two medical devices per passenger, and AirAsia asks you to confirm the details at the check-in counter.
In the cabin, the device cannot go in an exit row and must fit under the seat or in the overhead locker. AirAsia says these devices and their batteries "cannot be charged using the onboard power supply". Count the hours: the flight, the time on the ground before take-off and a possible delay, and pack batteries to cover all of it.
AirAsia "strongly recommends" that you do not check in a medical device. If you must, it has to be switched completely off, not in sleep mode. A CPAP in a checked bag that goes astray means nights without it, so keep it with you.
Bangkok Airways and oxygen on board
Bangkok Airways lists portable oxygen concentrators among the devices you may carry in the cabin or a checked bag with lithium-ion batteries up to 100 Wh, without asking first. Medical devices with batteries over 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh need the airline's approval, and spare batteries in that range are limited to two, in hand luggage, also with approval. Batteries without a marked watt-hour rating are refused.
Oxygen in a cylinder is a different case. Bangkok Airways accepts medical oxygen or air cylinders up to 5 kg gross weight only with its approval, and the pilot is informed; liquid oxygen is forbidden. Passengers who need oxygen supplied on board must contact the call center at least 24 hours before departure for medical clearance. Our guide to medical certificates and fit-to-fly letters explains that clearance form. Battery-powered wheelchairs and mobility aids need notice 48 hours ahead; our page on accessible travel in Thailand has more on flying with a mobility aid.
We could not check Thai Airways. Its website showed a maintenance page on 27 October 2026, so ask the airline directly, and check the rules of any long-haul airline you use to reach Thailand as well. Our guide to domestic flights in Thailand shows which airline flies which route.
Batteries: reading the watt-hours
The number that matters is the watt-hour (Wh) rating printed on each battery. Under AirAsia's table, lithium-ion batteries up to 100 Wh (lithium metal up to 2 g) need no approval; 100 to 160 Wh (lithium metal 2 to 8 g) need the airline's approval. AirAsia refuses devices with oxygen cylinders, spillable "wet" batteries, more than 8 g of lithium metal per battery, lithium-ion batteries well over 160 Wh, no manufacturer's label, or batteries that do not meet the UN 38.3 test standard.
A device battery is not a power bank. AirAsia and Bangkok Airways both refuse power banks above 100 Wh, and AirAsia notes that the 100 to 160 Wh approval route applies only to spare batteries, so a large power bank bought to run a CPAP overnight may not be allowed to fly. Our page on power banks on Thai flights covers those limits. Ask the airline for approval in writing if your battery is over 100 Wh, and carry it with you.
No label, no flight. Both airlines refuse batteries without a readable rating. If the watt-hours have worn off a CPAP or POC battery, get a replacement or a letter from the maker before you travel.
Thai power, adapters and the water question
Thailand uses 220 volts at 50 hertz, with several socket types in use; our article on power adapters for Thailand explains plugs and converters. Check the input voltage on your machine's power supply label before you plug it in, and bring an adapter that fits it securely.
Many CPAP humidifiers are meant to be filled with distilled water. We found no official source on where distilled water is sold in Thailand, so we cannot point you to a shop or a product. Read your machine's manual for what it accepts if you cannot find distilled water, and ask the maker before the trip. Thai tap water is a separate topic; our article on tap water in Thailand covers it.
Customs and paperwork
We did not find a published Thai customs rule specifically for bringing a medical device for personal use, so we cannot state an exemption or a limit. What helps in practice is paperwork: a letter from your doctor describing the device and why you need it, and the prescription if your device needs one. The CDC also advises a doctor's letter on headed paper for syringes and needles. For the general customs allowances, see our guide to Thai customs allowances.
Medicines are covered by separate rules. If you use insulin, an insulin pump or a glucose sensor, our guide to diabetes and insulin in Thailand covers the paperwork and airport screening, and the page on taking prescription medicine into Thailand covers the rest. At the airport, the screening rules for liquids and devices are in our guide to airport security in Thailand.
Night trains, islands and power cuts
We could not confirm whether there are sockets at the berths on State Railway of Thailand night trains, and you should not plan a night's therapy around one. If you take a sleeper, bring a battery that lasts the whole night and charge it before boarding. Our guide to Thailand's night trains covers the berths and the routes.
Small islands and rural guesthouses may have less reliable electricity than the cities. We have no official data on outages, so treat this as planning advice rather than a rule: ask the guesthouse about power at night before you book, choose a room with a socket near the bed, and carry a charged battery as backup. If you use oxygen or depend on a device medically, stay near a hospital that can help; our guide to hospitals in Thailand explains where the bigger private ones are. People on dialysis should read our page on dialysis in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my CPAP on an AirAsia flight?
Yes. AirAsia lists the CPAP among the medical devices you may use in all phases of flight, as long as it does not interfere with the aircraft's systems. It must run on its own battery, because it cannot be charged from the aircraft's power. Confirm at the check-in counter.
Can I take a portable oxygen concentrator to Thailand?
Yes on AirAsia and Bangkok Airways, within their battery limits. AirAsia accepts only POCs it describes as "CAA / FAA approved". Batteries up to 100 Wh need no approval; 100 to 160 Wh need the airline's approval. Oxygen supplied on board needs medical clearance.
Does a CPAP count as hand luggage on Thai flights?
We did not find a statement from AirAsia or Bangkok Airways on whether a medical device counts towards the cabin allowance. Ask the airline when you book, and do not check the device in: AirAsia strongly recommends keeping it with you.
Do I need to declare a CPAP at Thai customs?
We found no published Thai customs rule specific to medical devices for personal use, so we cannot say. Carry a letter from your doctor describing the device and why you need it, and ask the Thai embassy in your country if you are unsure.
Sources
- AirAsia – Carriage of portable medical electronic devices (modified 4 May 2026) (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Airways – Dangerous goods (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Airways – Medical clearance / case (checked October 2026)
- CDC – Thailand Healthy Travel Packing List (checked October 2026)