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Civil Aviation Act Section 24 — Pilotless aircraft and parachute drops need ministerial permission
Act on Civil Aviation of Thailand (พระราชบัญญัติการเดินอากาศ) — Section 24.
Plain-English Summary
No one may control or release an aircraft that has no pilot, or drop a parachute, unless the Minister has given written permission and the person complies with the conditions the Minister sets. This is the only provision in the main body dealing with pilotless aircraft; the Act has no separate drone registration, weight-class or pilot-competence rules, though its general provisions on aircraft (such as restricted areas and registration) can still apply. Acting without the written permission is an offence under Section 78(1): imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both; breaching the conditions of a permission instead carries a fine of up to 50,000 baht under Section 67/20.
Official Text
Official Thai text at the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State. Translation summary only.
Consult official sourceParent Statute
Act on Civil Aviation of Thailand
พระราชบัญญัติการเดินอากาศ · B.E. 2497 (1954)
The Act on Civil Aviation of Thailand (Air Navigation Act) B.E. 2497 (1954), as substantially amended, regulates Thai civil aviation: aircraft registration and nationality, airworthiness, personnel licensing, air operator certification, civil aviation business licensing, aerodromes and accident investigation. It is administered through the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, which is established by separate legislation; a 2015 Emergency Decree amending this Act restructured civil aviation administration following International Civil Aviation Organization recommendations and dissolved the former Department of Civil Aviation. The Act gives the Authority's Director most day-to-day licensing and safety powers, with a Civil Aviation Board overseeing the Authority and the economic regulation of airlines. Pilotless aircraft need ministerial permission (Section 24); the Act itself contains no separate drone code.
The summary above is a plain-English educational paraphrase of Section 24 of the Act on Civil Aviation of Thailand. It is not an authoritative translation. For the binding Thai text, consult the Royal Gazette or the Office of the Council of State. Educational use only — not a substitute for advice from a Thai-qualified lawyer.
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