The Thai Airways figures and current policy route were rechecked on 5 August 2026; the Singapore AVS and Australia DAFF figures retain their stated 26 July checks. Each amount names its source; get written quotes before committing to travel.
Where the money goes
A pet export is a stack of separate costs:
- Vaccinations and vet checks — quote the exact destination work with the veterinarian.
- Rabies titer test — arrange one only when the current destination pathway requires it, using that authority’s laboratory, threshold and timing rules.
- Thai export health certificate & DLD fees — AQS inspection and official paperwork on departure.
- Destination import permit or pre-approval — some countries charge for their own import licence.
- IATA travel crate — sized to your pet if flying in the hold or as cargo.
- The flight — obtain a quote for the exact animal, container, route and transport mode. Check airline pet policies early.
- Relocation or clearance agent — route-specific; a destination checkpoint may require a recognised representative. Ask for an itemised scope and do not treat the provider as authority evidence.
- Quarantine or intermediary-country residence — Singapore’s Schedule III route requires at least 30 days of quarantine for a pet arriving from Thailand. AVS conditions. Australia does not accept a standard direct import from Thailand: its current path requires at least 180 consecutive days in an approved country before export.
Named published examples
Thai Airways checked-baggage pets (AVIH): for travel on or after 2 March 2026, the airline publishes US$320 when the animal plus container weighs up to and including 32 kg, and US$540 for more than 32 kg up to and including 70 kg. Request the service at least three working days ahead; route and aircraft restrictions still apply.
THAI’s localized pages disagree on the upper-band baht conversion, so this page deliberately does not publish that conversion. Ask the airline which currency and amount it will charge for your booking.
Singapore quarantine: AVS publishes S$26 per day for a fan-cooled room or S$35 per day for an air-conditioned room from 1 December 2025. At the 30-day minimum for a Thailand-origin pet, accommodation alone is S$780 or S$1,050 (30 multiplied by the daily rate), before the published S$75 transport fee and S$68 rabies-vaccination fee. Figures checked 26 July 2026.
These are components, not package totals. Veterinary work, laboratory testing, crate, permits, cargo handling and agent fees vary by animal and route.
Thai-side fees only
Thailand’s side: apply on DLD form R.1/1 to the animal quarantine station at your departure airport, online through DLD e-Movement or in person, with all papers one to two weeks ahead. Bring your pet for the station’s health check no more than 2–3 days before the flight; the station issues the export licence (R.9: 250 baht, valid 9 days) and, on its own application, a free export health certificate, so confirm with it that both will be ready before you fly. DLD export licence manual; DLD Region 9 procedure.
What comes next
Line up the export process and your destination page — for example export to the EU, export to the UAE, or export to Australia. Whether a pet relocation or clearance agent is optional depends on the destination and checkpoint; verify every regulated instruction with the named authority.
Comparing a self-managed move with an agent
First determine whether the destination or checkpoint mandates a recognised representative. Where help is optional, compare a written, itemised service quote with the direct costs you can verify. Confirm every government and airline charge yourself; Pattaya Pets has not independently measured agents’ prices or outcomes.
Departing from Pattaya — confirm the port and DLD sequence
U-Tapao is the nearest airport to Pattaya. It is in Ban Chang district, which the Chonburi animal quarantine station covers (DLD station areas), but the DLD’s list of stations names none at the airport (DLD station map). Get written confirmation from the Chonburi station before you plan a U-Tapao departure; otherwise plan the flight from Suvarnabhumi.
The station’s health check is no more than 2–3 days before the flight (DLD Region 9 procedure), normally at the station of your departure airport unless its vet agrees another place. From Pattaya that can mean the station visit and the flight are two separate trips, so book the visit and the transport together.
Using an agent is optional
An agent cannot change government or airline rules. If you request assistance, obtain an itemised scope and verify each regulated requirement directly with the authority. Pattaya Pets has not independently measured agents’ prices, error rates or outcomes.
Official sources
Price and pathway sources: Thai Airways AVIH; Singapore Animal Quarantine Centre; Australia DAFF pet-import FAQ.
Official sources to verify against: DLD Region 9 export procedure; UK pet travel; CDC animal import (USA); EU pet movement; Japan MAFF Animal Quarantine; Singapore AVS; UAE MOCCAE pet import; Australia DAFF; New Zealand MPI; Canada CFIA; Switzerland FSVO.
Frequently asked
Is export cheaper than import?
There is no verified universal comparison. Price the complete route: DLD, veterinary work, laboratory testing, crate, airline, destination permit or quarantine, handling and any optional agent.
Should I budget for an agent?
Check whether the destination or checkpoint requires a recognised representative. If help is optional, ask for an itemised quote so government, airline, handling and service fees remain visible, and verify regulated requirements directly.
How much does the DLD export inspection cost?
The DLD export page explains the application, examination, Form 9 export licence and health certificate, but it does not publish one dependable end-to-end price for a pet move. Ask the departure-airport AQS for current government charges, then keep those separate from veterinary, laboratory, crate, airline and agent quotes.
Do I pay while waiting for a titer test?
Ordinary care continues while you wait, and extra boarding, repeat veterinary work or rebooking may apply in some cases. List those possible categories without assuming they will occur, then obtain quotes for your route.
Can I get a fixed quote upfront?
Relocation agents can quote a package; DIY exporters should get separate quotes from your vet, the lab, the airline and the destination authority before committing to dates. Check which items are estimates, which taxes or handling fees are excluded, and how long every price remains valid.
Can I fly my pet out of U-Tapao?
Only if the DLD confirms it in writing. U-Tapao is in Ban Chang district, which the Chonburi animal quarantine station covers (DLD station areas), but the DLD’s list of stations names none at the airport (DLD station map). Ask the Chonburi station in writing whether it can examine your pet and issue the export licence (R.9) for a U-Tapao departure; if not, plan the flight from Suvarnabhumi.
How should I plan the transfer to the departure airport?
Use a vehicle that accepts the animal and crate, confirm the airline’s check-in cut-off and leave route-specific contingency time.
Should I stay near the departure airport?
Decide from the confirmed examination appointment, airline check-in time and road conditions. This guide has no evidence for a universal recommendation.