At 10:00 PM on 3 August, officials from Pattaya Special Affairs apprehended a 28 years old Swedish tourist while he was operating a drone to capture images along Pattaya Beach in Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, without prior authorization.
According to an initial investigation conducted with the help of a translator, the Swede stated that he had just arrived in Pattaya as a tourist and wanted to capture images of the beach and sea. He said he was unaware of the nationwide drone flight ban during the current period of unrest along the Thai–Cambodian border.
The authorities confiscated the drone and took him to Pattaya City Police Station to proceed with legal steps. He was later released after receiving a formal warning, an explanation of relevant rules and regulations, and notification of the official flight ban.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued a nationwide ban on the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) from 30 July to 15 August 2025, or until further notice. The measure aims to ensure national security and safety and to facilitate operations of security personnel in affected border areas.
