Why has Thailand tightened power bank rules on flights?

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Thailand Enhances Flight Safety with Stricter Power Bank Regulations

Thailand's aviation regulator has significantly tightened rules concerning the carriage and use of power banks on flights. This decisive action stems from a series of concerning incidents involving lithium batteries, aiming to bolster passenger and crew safety by preventing potential fires in aircraft holds. The updated regulations mandate that power banks must be exclusively carried in cabin baggage, with a strict prohibition on their presence in checked luggage, a measure implemented to address the difficulty of detecting and managing fires originating in the cargo hold.
New Regulations Mandate Cabin Carry-On and Limit Device Capacity

Under the revised guidelines, power banks are now strictly confined to cabin baggage, a critical change from previous practices. The capacity of these portable charging devices is capped at 100 watt-hours (Wh), which equates to approximately 20,000 milliampere-hours (mAh) for typical 3.7-volt power banks. This specific limit is slightly more stringent than the commonly accepted 100Wh equivalent of around 27,000mAh. For power banks with capacities ranging from 101Wh to 160Wh, passengers must now obtain explicit approval from the airline prior to their flight.
Restrictions on Quantity and Device Condition

Further enhancing safety protocols, each passenger is now limited to carrying a maximum of two lithium-battery power banks. A crucial aspect of these new rules is the explicit ban on any devices that have unclear or missing capacity labels, ensuring that only verifiable and compliant power banks are permitted onboard. This measure aims to remove ambiguity and potential safety risks associated with unlabelled or mislabelled devices.
Prohibitions on In-Flight Use and Storage

The implemented regulations also introduce stringent prohibitions on the usage of power banks during flights. Passengers are explicitly barred from charging their power banks or using them to charge other electronic devices, such as mobile phones, while the aircraft is in the air. Furthermore, power banks must be kept within easy reach of the passenger, for instance, in a seat pocket, under the seat in front, or carried directly by the passenger, and are expressly forbidden from being stored in overhead lockers. This positioning is designed to allow for immediate detection and containment should a device malfunction.
Regional Alignment and Implementation Timeline

Thailand's adoption of these stricter power bank rules follows the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines, which took effect on March 27. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand implemented its version of these standards approximately 10 weeks later. This move aligns Thailand with a growing international trend, as various airlines and aviation authorities, including those in Malaysia and Singapore, had already begun to tighten their own power bank restrictions around April 2025 and April 2026 respectively. For instance, Singapore implemented its limit of two power banks per passenger from April 15, 2026, with Singapore Airlines and Scoot banning in-flight charging and use from April 1, 2025. This coordinated effort reflects a global recognition of the safety imperative surrounding lithium batteries on commercial flights.

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Why has Thailand tightened power bank rules on flights?

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