At Thai airports, liquids in your hand luggage must be in containers of 100 ml or less, with no more than 1 liter in total per passenger. From Friday 16 October 2026, security staff may also open your checked bag without you being present, and they may cut a lock that is not TSA-approved.
Both rules come from Thailand's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT), and Airports of Thailand (AOT), which runs Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai airports among others, publishes the details. Airports run by other operators, such as Koh Samui or Krabi, follow the same CAAT rules but publish less detail; our guide to Thailand's airports explains who runs which. The liquids rule will be familiar from airports in many other countries. The checked-bag rule is new, and it changes what you should lock and what you should pack.
This page is about security screening: what the officers check, what they can take away and how to get through quickly. Power banks have their own rules, set out in our guide to power banks on Thai flights.
Thai airport security rules, October 2026
- Liquids per container
- Max 100 ml, and the capacity must be printed on the container
- Liquids in total
- Max 1 liter per passenger, ideally in one clear resealable bag of about 20 x 20 cm
- Exempt (show at screening)
- Medicines with a label or document in your name, baby food and milk, medical or special-diet food
- Checked bags
- May be opened without you from 16 October 2026; seized items are not returned
- Locks
- TSA-approved locks recommended; other locks may be cut, with no compensation
- Basis
- CAAT announcement on liquids (5 March 2026); CAAT notification on checked-baggage inspection (2026)
The 100 ml rule, and what counts as a liquid
Under CAAT's announcement of Thursday 5 March 2026, every liquid, aerosol or gel in your cabin bag must be in a closed container of no more than 100 ml (100 g, or 3.4 oz). You may carry several, as long as they add up to no more than 1 liter. The container must show its capacity: a small unlabeled bottle can be refused even if it is clearly tiny.
The definition is wider than many people expect. AOT's list includes drinks, soup, syrup, jam, sauces and chili paste; creams, lotions, oils and perfume; toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel; sprays and foams; and semi-solid items such as mascara, lipstick and lip balm. If it spreads, pours or sprays, assume it counts.
Two details catch travelers out. A large bottle with only a little liquid left in it is still refused, because the container size counts, not the amount inside. An empty bottle of any size is allowed, so you can carry an empty water bottle through and fill it after security.
The clear plastic bag and the screening tray
AOT recommends putting all your small containers in one transparent, resealable plastic bag of up to 1 liter, about 20 x 20 cm, closed properly. Each passenger may carry one such bag. Take it out of your cabin bag before you reach the X-ray belt and put it in the tray on its own, so the officer can see it without searching your bag.
Pack the bag at home or at your hotel, not in the queue. A zip-lock freezer bag of the right size works, and putting your toiletries in it the night before saves you from repacking at the belt.
Curry paste, chili sauce and other food from Thai markets
This is where many visitors lose something at the checkpoint. AOT says local or traditional foods containing more than 100 ml of liquid, such as chili paste, curries and sauces, are not allowed in the cabin, whether you bought them in a market or at a shop inside the airport. Pack them in your checked bag instead, well sealed and wrapped against leaks. Dry snacks and dried fruit are not liquids.
Whether your home country lets the food in is a separate question; see our guide to Thai customs rules and allowances and check your own country's customs before you buy in bulk.
The jar of nam phrik goes in the suitcase. Thai chili paste (nam phrik) and curry paste count as liquids at security. Anything over 100 ml bought at a market on your last day belongs in your checked bag, not your backpack.
Medicines, baby milk and special-diet food
Three kinds of liquid are exempt from the 100 ml and 1 liter limits, "in quantities appropriate for the duration of the journey": medicines, food or milk for babies, and food needed for medical or special-diet reasons. Medicines must come with a medical certificate, a label or a document in the passenger's name, or be ordinary household medicines as defined by the Ministry of Public Health. You must show all exempt items to the officers at the checkpoint, so keep them separate from the clear bag.
Security screening is not the same as customs. Some medicines need a permit to be brought into Thailand at all; our guide to taking prescription medicine into Thailand explains the limits, and the Thai FDA permit guide covers the application.
Duty-free bottles and connecting flights
Alcohol and perfume bought after security travel in a sealed bag with the receipt, and the rules for keeping them when you change planes are set out in our guide to duty-free shopping at Thai airports. If you have a long connection in Bangkok and plan to leave the airport, read Bangkok on a layover first, because you will go through security again on the way back in.
The new rule: checked bags opened without you
From Friday 16 October 2026, a CAAT notification on checked-baggage inspection, based on CAAT Regulation No. 113, takes effect. AOT's guidelines for Suvarnabhumi say screening staff may open and search a checked bag without the owner present if they have reasonable grounds to suspect a prohibited item. AOT says this follows international aviation security standards.
The guidelines set out what happens next:
- The whole opening and search is recorded on video.
- Prohibited, explosive, suspicious or hazardous items are seized and are not returned under any circumstances.
- A Notice of Baggage Inspection is left inside the bag, so you will know when you unpack.
AOT also tells passengers that it is their own job to know which items are prohibited before every flight, and advises against packing valuables, fragile items or important belongings in checked bags. Keep passports, cash, jewelry, laptops and medicines in your hand luggage.
A non-TSA padlock may be cut off, and you cannot claim for it. AOT says that if your bag has to be opened and the lock is not TSA-approved, staff may cut the padlock, force the straps or cut the zipper, and you carry the risk of any damage without compensation.
TSA locks: why they matter now
A TSA-approved lock can be opened by security staff with a master key and locked again without damage. AOT "highly" recommends them for checked bags. If your suitcase has a built-in combination lock, check whether it is marked as TSA-approved.
If you do not have a TSA lock, a cable tie or no lock at all is the cheaper choice. A cable tie costs almost nothing to replace when it is cut, and it still shows whether the bag has been opened.
Batteries and vapes at the checkpoint
Spare lithium batteries and power banks are banned from checked bags and must travel in the cabin, and a power bank found in a checked bag is exactly the kind of item the new inspection rule is aimed at. Vapes are a different matter: e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand, and an airport director in Chiang Rai told the Bangkok Post in 2024 that vape devices and e-liquids found at screening are seized. If you are only changing planes in Bangkok, read our page on transiting with a vape.
At the checkpoint you also show your boarding pass and passport, even on a domestic flight; our guide to domestic flights in Thailand covers check-in times and ID.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take liquids over 100 ml in hand luggage in Thailand?
Only if they are exempt: medicines with a label or document in your name, baby food or milk, and food needed for medical or special-diet reasons. Everything else must be in containers of 100 ml or less, up to 1 liter in total.
Can airport security open my checked bag in Thailand?
Yes. From 16 October 2026, staff may open a checked bag without you if they suspect a prohibited item. The search is filmed, seized items are not returned and a notice is left in the bag.
Do I need a TSA lock for flights from Thailand?
It is not required, but AOT strongly recommends one. Staff can open a TSA lock with a master key. Other padlocks, straps or zips may be cut if the bag must be searched, and AOT says you cannot claim compensation.
Can I take Thai curry paste or chili sauce in my carry-on?
Not if the container holds more than 100 ml. AOT lists chili paste, curries and other local foods with liquid among the items not allowed in the cabin. Put larger jars in your checked bag, well sealed.
Sources
- Airports of Thailand – Permitted LAGs in cabin baggage (Suvarnabhumi) (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Guidelines for Checked Baggage Inspection (Suvarnabhumi) (checked October 2026)
- Airports of Thailand – Suvarnabhumi passenger guide (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Post – Vaping plane passenger will face charges (9 April 2024) (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: Safety and security (checked October 2026)