Thailand limits checked-bag searches to suspicious X-ray findings
The aviation regulator reviewed four complaints and said inspections must take place in designated areas, with camera recording and a notice left inside.
Thailand’s airport screening rules do not authorise blanket searches of checked luggage, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on October 25. Its clarification followed an investigation into four passengers’ reports on social media that their bags had been opened.
Under the measures introduced on October 16, a suspicious X-ray finding must precede any search. CAAT said only authorised staff may open bags when screening indicates possible prohibited contents or a threat to aviation safety.
Staff must move flagged luggage to an approved inspection area, record the examination on camera and leave a Notice of Baggage Inspection inside. The authority warned that opening bags elsewhere, bypassing procedures or using unauthorised personnel could amount to a legal offence.
Two complaints concerned international departures from Thailand. According to CAAT, airport CCTV established that neither bag had been searched by screening officers using the new procedures. A third involved an inbound international flight, whose pre-departure baggage checks fell under the departure airport’s rules rather than Thailand’s measures.
In the domestic case, officers detected an electrical device powered by a battery and inspected the bag under the new procedures. CAAT said they had to cut its zip because it did not have a TSA-approved lock. An inspection notice was placed inside.
CAAT said checked bags must not contain power banks. Restrictions for other battery-powered electronics depend on the device and airline. It urged travellers to consult their carrier’s baggage requirements before packing.
Airlines remain responsible for transporting checked bags, CAAT said, and passengers should report damage or missing possessions directly to their carrier. It also recommended taking photographs of luggage contents before closing the bag, then photographing its exterior at check-in, and keeping valuables out of checked luggage.
