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Taking a pet out of Thailand

The Thailand export permit (DLD)

Before your pet leaves Thailand, the Department of Livestock Development must issue an export permit and health certificate. Here is how that half works.

Before booking, confirm current requirements with the Thai DLD, your airline and the destination-country authority.

Source check details

The regulated claims and authority links cited on this page were checked on 1 August 2026. Export rules — Thai DLD procedures, destination-country requirements, airline policies and CDC/APHA rules — change without notice. Use this as orientation, then confirm every current requirement with the DLD and the destination country’s authority before booking.

Timeline at a glance

Work backwards from your departure date. The destination country’s rules — not the Thai desk alone — usually set the calendar.

WhenStep
As early as the destination requiresComplete that country’s pathway. UK and EU routes may require titer testing and a waiting period; Australia requires an approved-country pathway.
As soon as dates firmObtain destination import permit or written requirements to show the AQS
Guidance withheldThai-language procedural guidance is withheld pending specialist review. Confirm arrangements with the responsible DLD station. Reviewed English guidance: bringing pets to Thailand (USA-origin scope; not an export rule or a reviewed translation).
Guidance withheldConfirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD source.
Departure dayFinal AQS check at the airport; airline accepts pet with matching paperwork

What the export permit is

The export permit is issued by the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) through the Animal Quarantine Station (AQS) at your departure airport. It confirms your pet may be exported and is paired with a DLD health certificate after a veterinary inspection.

Start with the destination country

Thailand exports pets to another country’s rules. Before you apply, obtain that country’s import requirements or import permit and show them to the AQS — the Thai health certificate must match what the destination expects. Start with the export process and the destination page in our export guide — for example the UK, the USA, or the EU — and confirm with the foreign authority directly.

When to apply

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.

The destination calendar can include the UK’s three-month post-sample wait or the EU’s 90-day pre-certificate titer period, which can mean starting months before you book the flight.

How to apply

Applications go to the AQS at your port of departure using DLD form R1/1 (export application). Contact that station directly for its current submission channel, location and office hours; this guide has not verified one method for every AQS.

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD procedure.

What you will typically need

  • Completed form 1/1 and a copy of your ID (passport for foreign nationals)
  • Your pet’s microchip number and vaccination records
  • The destination country’s import permit or written health requirements
  • Flight details and consignee details matching all other documents
  • Any test results the destination or AQS requires (such as a rabies titer result for the UK or EU)

Keep printed originals of the export permit, health certificate and every supporting document for the airport and the destination border check.

Attend the final health examination

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.

Common mistakes

  • Starting with Thailand only — finish the destination pathway early enough to show it to the AQS.
  • Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.
  • Mismatched microchip numbers — across Thai export papers, airline booking and destination import forms.
  • Wrong airport AQS — export paperwork must match the actual departure port; confirm which AQS is responsible.
  • Destination import proof missing — the AQS needs to see what the receiving country expects before issuing the health certificate.

What comes next

Book the flight under airline pet policies, budget in our export cost guide, and, if requested, obtain an itemised scope from a pet relocation agent while continuing to verify every regulated rule directly.

Departing from Pattaya — confirm the port and DLD sequence

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD procedure; DLD AQS map.

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. PattayaPets has not independently measured agents’ prices, error rates or outcomes.

Official sources

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

Can I get the export permit on the day of the flight?

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.

Do I need an agent for the export permit?

The reviewed Thai DLD procedure does not establish a mandatory agent for its filing, but that does not decide destination or checkpoint handling. Confirm the entire route; if you request help, obtain an itemised scope and independently verify government and airline rules.

Which airport AQS handles Pattaya departures?

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.

What is form 1/1 vs form 9?

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.

Do I confirm the appointment with the AQS?

Ask the responsible AQS what itinerary details it needs and how to arrange the departure. The Thai-derived examination and notification instructions are withheld pending specialist review; use the clearly scoped English guidance linked above.

Can I fly my pet out of U-Tapao?

Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.

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.

Editorial and informational only. PattayaPets is not a veterinary practice and does not give veterinary advice. Consult a qualified veterinarian about your pet’s health. Import and export rules change without notice — confirm current requirements with the official source before acting.