Thailand flight compensation: your rights for delayed and canceled flights

Flying from Thailand and had a disruption? You may be entitled to Thailand flight compensation under Regulation 101 — Thailand’s law covering passengers on all scheduled flights departing from Thai airports, whether you're flying with a Thai carrier or a foreign airline. It covers delays, cancellations, denied boarding, and tarmac delays.

Thailand's flight delay and cancellation law is known as the Regulation of the Civil Aviation Board No. 101. It's enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and sets out minimum rights for passengers when flights are delayed, canceled, or overbooked.

The regulation applies to all scheduled flights departing from airports in Thailand — both domestic and international. It doesn't matter whether you're flying with a Thai carrier like Thai Airways or Bangkok Airways, or with a foreign airline: if the flight leaves from Thailand, you're covered.

Regulation 101 gives passengers three main types of protection: the right to care (meals, hotel, communication) during disruptions, cash compensation for significant delays, cancellations, and denied boarding, and the right to choose between a refund or re-routing when you can't fly as planned.

Thailand's Regulation 101 entitles you to cash compensation when your flight is significantly delayed, canceled, or overbooked — as long as the disruption isn't caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amounts are set in Thai Baht and calculated based on three factors:

1. The type of disruption

2. How long you had to wait

3. The distance of your flight.

Here's a breakdown of compensation for international flights departing Thailand:

For domestic flights, compensation is a fixed amount regardless of distance:

• ฿1,200 (~€35) for delays over 5 hours

• ฿1,500 (~€40) for cancellations or denied boarding.

Airlines can offer compensation as cash, a travel voucher, a credit shell, or frequent flyer miles, but only with your consent. You always have the right to choose cash.

How does this compare to EC 261?

Under European Regulation EC 261, passengers can claim €250 to €600 for similar disruptions — significantly more than Thai law provides. If you’re flying from Thailand with an EU-based airline, you may qualify for this higher compensation. Check your flight with AirHelp to find out which regulation gives you the best claim.

Under Thailand’s flight delay and cancellation law, your rights depend on how long the delay lasts. The longer you wait, the more the airline has to do for you. Here’s how it works for international flights:

• After 2+ hours: free meals, drinks or food vouchers, and access to communication facilities (phone, email).

• After 5+ hours: everything above, plus ฿1,500 (~€40) compensation, free hotel accommodation (at least 1 night), and transport to and from the airport – if an overnight stay becomes necessary. You can also cancel your journey and get a full refund for the unused portion of your ticket.

• After 10+ hours: everything above, but with higher compensation based on flight distance — ฿2,000 to ฿4,500 (see table above). You also get a choice: full refund, re-routing on the next available flight at no extra cost, or alternative transport to your destination.

No compensation is owed if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances, but the airline must still provide meals, drinks, and accommodation regardless of the cause.

Domestic flights follow a similar structure but with two different thresholds: re-routing options kick in at 3 hours, and compensation (฿1,200) at 5 hours. Since most travelers will be on international routes, the thresholds above are the ones to remember.

Tarmac delays

If you’re already on board the aircraft and the plane is stuck on the tarmac, additional rules apply:

• The airline must maintain proper ventilation, cabin temperature, and lavatory access.

• If you need urgent medical assistance, the airline must arrange it.

• If the tarmac delay exceeds 3 hours with no confirmed take-off time, the airline must allow you to get off the plane, unless safety, security, or air traffic control prevents it.

All the standard delay rights (meals, compensation, etc.) apply on top of these tarmac-specific provisions.

If your flight from Thailand is canceled or you’re involuntarily denied boarding due to overbooking, your rights are stronger. The compensation amounts are the same as for delays over 10 hours (see the table above), and you’re entitled to full care and re-routing.

For cancellations, the airline must offer you:

• Care: free meals, drinks, communication, and hotel (if you need to wait overnight).

• Compensation: ฿2,000–฿4,500 for international flights, depending on distance (see table).

• A choice: full refund for the unused ticket, OR re-routing to your destination on the next available flight (or at a later date you choose), OR alternative transport.

For denied boarding due to overbooking, airlines must first ask for volunteers willing to give up their seats in exchange for agreed benefits. If there aren’t enough volunteers, passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily receive the same compensation and care as those affected by cancellations.

Your re-routing options in detail

When you're entitled to re-routing, the airline must book you on the next available flight to your destination (on their own flights or on another airline) at no extra cost. If seats aren't available the same day, you choose the date.

If the airline reroutes you to a different airport near your original destination, they must cover your transport to the airport you originally booked.

When airlines don’t have to pay compensation

Even if your flight is disrupted, airlines are exempt from paying compensation in the following situations:

Advance notice

The airline informed you at least 7 days before departure (international) or 3 days (domestic).

Reasonable re-routing

The airline notified you with less advance notice but offered a new flight that arrives within 3 hours of the original schedule.

Extraordinary circumstances

The disruption was caused by events that were unforeseeable and unavoidable, even after all reasonable measures. Examples of extraordinary circumstances include severe weather, political instability, security threats, and air traffic management decisions.

Upgrades and downgrades

If the airline moves you to a higher class than your ticket, you won’t pay anything extra. If you’re moved to a lower class (a downgrade), the airline must refund part of your fare:

You must always agree to a downgrade — the airline can’t move you to a lower class without your consent.

1. Contact the airline directly

Start by requesting compensation from the airline itself. Under Regulation 101, airlines must make a reimbursement form available, either at the airport check-in area, at their offices, or on their website. Fill in the form with your flight details, how you paid for your ticket, and how much you paid.

2. Know the refund timelines

Once the airline receives your form and documents, they have strict deadlines:

3. Escalate if necessary

If the airline ignores your claim or refuses to pay what you’re owed, you can file a formal complaint through the CAAT’s online Complaint Management System at complaint.caat.or.th. Include your booking confirmation, boarding pass, and any correspondence with the airline.

Could you be entitled to more?

AirHelp doesn’t currently process claims under Thailand’s Regulation 101. But if you flew from Thailand with an EU-based airline, your flight might also be covered by stronger EU rules, which provide up to €600 in compensation — significantly more than under Thai law.

AirHelp can check which regulation gives you the best claim. It’s free, it takes 2 minutes, and there’s no risk: we work on a no win, no fee basis.