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 and airline policies — change without notice. Use this as orientation, then confirm every current requirement with the DLD and the destination country's authority before booking.
The timeline — Thailand to China
Thailand follows the checked non-designated-origin preparation route. A pet seeking the quarantine waiver needs a qualifying Chinese Customs-accepted-laboratory titer report; a second vaccination is required when a new titer must be obtained, not universally.
| When | Step | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Before certification | Microchip; valid rabies vaccination; confirm whether an existing accepted-lab titer report qualifies | Thai vet |
| If a new titer is needed | Complete the second rabies vaccination on the veterinarian/manufacturer schedule, then sample no earlier than that vaccination for a Chinese Customs-accepted-lab test above 0.5 IU/ml | Thai vet + lab |
| Before booking | Confirm the port’s current pet-entry capability and quarantine facility if the waiver evidence may fail | Arrival-port Customs |
| As the responsible AQS directs | File Thai DLD form R1/1 with the destination requirements as the responsible AQS directs; the reviewed procedure gives no universal 15-day deadline | DLD AQS |
| Within 14 days before arrival | Complete the clinical health examination required by the Thailand-specific Shanghai route; ensure the official export documents record the required facts | DLD AQS + vet |
| On arrival | Declare pet to customs; microchip scan; on-site quarantine inspection | GACC customs |
One accompanied dog or cat per person per entry. GACC source; Thailand-specific Customs source.
Thai-side export documents
| Thai-side document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Export application (form R1/1) | Ask the responsible departure-port AQS how and when to file. The reviewed current procedure establishes no universal email channel or 15-day deadline. |
| Destination import rules | Attach the destination authority’s import requirements (NOC, import licence, SPSIC, etc.) so the Thai health certificate matches. |
| Identification, vaccinations and tests | Carry the records required by the destination and the responsible AQS. |
| Mandatory health examination | DLD requires examination no more than 2–3 days before travel. If compliant, the station issues R9 and the health certificate. DLD source. |
All of this sits on top of the Thai export process — the DLD health certificate and export permit — which your pet must clear on the way out. The two sets of paperwork have to agree.
Quarantine waiver vs mandatory quarantine
GACC classifies origin countries into designated and non-designated. Thailand is non-designated. Pets that meet all waiver conditions (microchip, valid titer above 0.5 IU/ml from an accepted laboratory, official certificates and successful on-site inspection) may enter without the 30-day isolation period.
If waiver conditions are not met, the pet must enter through a port with quarantine facilities and complete 30 days at a customs-designated station. The checked source does not establish a live universal port list, so obtain written arrival-port confirmation before booking.
For Thailand, current Shanghai Customs guidance says no local laboratory is approved by Chinese Customs. Confirm the authority-approved sample route and do not assume private serum submission will qualify. GACC source; Shanghai Customs source.
Common mistakes
- Starting with Thailand only — destination import permits and tests are usually the long pole.
- Expired vaccinations — a lapsed rabies shot can void import clearance.
- Microchip mismatch across Thai export papers and destination import forms.
- Missing the final DLD examination — it must occur no more than 2–3 days before travel.
- Inventing a universal two-shot interval — current Thailand guidance requires a second vaccination only when a new titer is needed; apply the actual vaccine schedule.
- Titer from unrecognised lab — check GACC’s current approved laboratory list.
- Wrong arrival city — not every Chinese airport has quarantine facilities.
- Two pets, one person — GACC allows one dog or cat per person per entry.
If you came the other way, see our guide to From China (import).
Departing from Pattaya — confirm the port and DLD sequence
Ask the AQS responsible for the departure port how and when to file R1/1. The reviewed DLD procedure does not establish a universal email intake, 15-day deadline or separate three-day flight-confirmation rule. It requires the animal’s health examination no more than 2–3 days before travel; if compliant, the station issues R9 and the health certificate. DLD procedure. The reviewed DLD map does not list a U-Tapao/Rayong airport AQS, so obtain written DLD confirmation before routing there. 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
China sources: GACC Announcement No. 5 (2019) — pet entry (English reference); Shanghai pet entry guide. Import mirror: bringing a pet from China.
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; India AQCS; Philippines BAI; China GACC pet entry; South Africa DALRRD import; Canada CFIA; Switzerland FSVO.
Frequently asked
Is pet import into China complicated?
The national framework requires one accompanied pet per person, a microchip, official health/quarantine and rabies certificates, and declaration for Customs inspection. The Thailand-specific Shanghai guide adds the accepted-titer conditions and a clinical examination within 14 days before arrival. GACC source; Shanghai Customs source.
Which Chinese authority handles pet import?
The General Administration of Customs (GACC) at your port of entry, with local animal quarantine inspection.
Will my pet be quarantined in China from Thailand?
If the pet cannot meet the non-designated-origin waiver conditions, including an accepted-lab titer above 0.5 IU/ml and a passed on-site inspection, the national rule requires 30 days of quarantine. GACC source.
How many pets can I bring into China?
One accompanied dog or cat per person per entry under the checked national rule. GACC source.
When should I apply for the Thai DLD export permit?
Ask the responsible AQS when to file R1/1 once the GACC-side requirements are satisfied. The reviewed DLD procedure has no universal 15-day deadline.
Can I fly my pet out of U-Tapao?
The reviewed DLD map does not list a U-Tapao/Rayong airport AQS. That is a verification gap, not proof that no later service exists; obtain written DLD confirmation before booking.
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.