Moving to Thailand with a pet from Japan.

From Japan: what's specific to you

• Coordinate with the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) for export inspection and paperwork.
• Japan being rabies-free simplifies export, but Thailand's import rules still apply in full.
• Confirm carrier cabin-vs-cargo and crate rules.
• If you might return to Japan with the pet later, check Japan's strict re-import rules in advance.

The import process, step by step

This Thailand-side sequence is the same from Japan as anywhere — the order matters most.

1. Microchip first. Thailand recognises the ISO 11784/11785 15-digit microchip. It must be implanted BEFORE the rabies vaccination so the two records are linked — if you vaccinate first and chip later, some authorities make you re-vaccinate.
2. Rabies vaccination. Your dog or cat needs a current rabies shot given after the microchip and (as a general rule) at least 21 days before travel and not expired on the travel date. Dogs also need core vaccines (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus); cats need panleukopenia, calicivirus and rhinotracheitis.
3. Rabies antibody (FAVN/RNATT) titer test — check whether you actually need one. Thailand's own instruction sheet for dogs, cats and rabbits does not list a titer among its requirements. Many owners pay for one anyway because a vet or shipper advises it, then wait weeks for the result. A titer is genuinely needed if your airline requires it, if you transit a country that requires it, or if you may later move the animal somewhere rabies-free. If none of those apply to your route, ask why you are being told to have it.
4. Apply for the import permit — Form R.1/1. This is the application you send to the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) asking for permission. Allow up to 7 business days; Thai public holidays push that out.
5. The permit is Form R.6, and this is the one that matters. R.6 is the approval, and it must be issued BEFORE your import date — it cannot be granted retroactively. Almost every pet-import guide on the internet calls R.7 the permit. It is not: R.7 is filled in at the airport quarantine desk on the day you land. Fly with an R.7 and no R.6 and the trip fails at check-in. The permit is valid for 60 days from issue, so applying months early is its own mistake.
6. Government health certificate, endorsed — and this is LAST, not first. A licensed vet completes the certificate, then your country's competent authority endorses it (USDA APHIS, UK APHA, an EU state vet). It is valid for only 10 days from the endorsement date, which is why it is the final step rather than an early one.
7. Book the flight correctly. Small pets may fly in-cabin on some airlines; larger animals travel as manifest/excess-baggage cargo. Snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds face cargo restrictions in hot months. Fly into Suvarnabhumi (BKK), which has the main Animal Quarantine Station.
8. Arrival — Form R.7 and inspection. R.7 is completed at the animal quarantine desk when you land, alongside your R.6. DLD officers check the microchip, the paperwork and the animal, and 500 baht per animal is charged with a receipt. If everything is in order Thailand does not impose a long mandatory quarantine — non-compliant animals can be detained, so the paperwork is everything.
9. Settle in. Line up a pet-friendly home before you fly (many Bangkok condos restrict or ban pets), and know your nearest 24-hour animal hospital and vet for the first weeks.

Mistakes to avoid

• Vaccinating against rabies BEFORE microchipping — the records won't link and you may have to start over.
• Leaving the government endorsement (USDA/APHA/state vet) until the last few days — endorsement has its own processing time.
• Booking a flight before checking the airline's breed, crate-size and seasonal heat embargoes for cargo.
• Assuming your condo allows pets — many Bangkok buildings don't, or cap size/number. Confirm the building's pet policy in writing before you sign.
• Letting the rabies vaccine or health certificate lapse against the travel date — both have validity windows.

Official resources

Always verify current rules against the primary sources before you book travel:

• Japan AQS (MAFF) ↗
• Thailand DLD e-service ↗

Frequently asked