Thai AED Law — Ministerial Regulation No. 69, Installation Standards & Building Requirements

Ministerial Regulation No. 69 — Thailand's First AED Law

Ministerial Regulation No. 69 (B.E. 2564/2021) is Thailand's first law mandating AED installation provisions in certain building types. It amends Ministerial Regulation No. 33 (B.E. 2535) under the Building Control Act B.E. 2522.

Key provision — Clause 29/2 (added): "High-rise buildings and extra-large special public buildings must provide space or designated locations for the installation of Automated External Defibrillators (AED)."

Effective date: December 2, 2021

Existing buildings: Buildings constructed before 2021 must retrofit to include AED installation points within the timeline set by authorities (between 2023-2024).

This regulation marks a major milestone — prior to this, Thailand had no law requiring AED installation, despite countries like Japan, the United States, and Denmark having similar mandates for years.

Which Buildings Must Install AEDs?

Under Ministerial Regulation No. 69, four main building categories must provide AED installation points:

1. High-Rise Buildings Buildings 23 meters or taller (approximately 7-8 stories), measured from ground level to the highest floor. As defined in Ministerial Regulation No. 33. Examples: condominiums, office towers, hotels.

2. Extra-Large Special Buildings Buildings with total floor area across all levels of 10,000 square meters or more. Examples: department stores, shopping malls, convention centers, stadiums, large hospitals.

3. Healthcare Facilities Clinics and medical facilities of all sizes must maintain AED as a basic safety standard to protect patients and staff.

4. Mobile Medical Units Mobile X-ray vehicles, mobile dental clinics, and other medical transport vehicles must be equipped with AED.

Important note: The law specifies "public buildings" — private residential buildings not open to the public are not mandated. However, condominiums and housing estates with elderly residents are strongly recommended.

Public buildings per Ministerial Regulation No. 55 include: theaters, hotels, hospitals, schools, libraries, stadiums, markets, shopping centers, airports, transit stations, parking structures, bridges, and more.

AED Installation Standards per Emergency Medical Committee (กพฉ.)

The Emergency Medical Committee (กพฉ.) announcement on "Standards for Emergency Care and Basic Life Support Outside Hospital, B.E. 2564" took effect December 1, 2021. It establishes AED installation and device specifications:

Installation location requirements: - Mounted in easily visible locations, visible even in darkness - Height from floor not exceeding 1.50 meters - International warning symbols (standard AED signage) - Clear directional signage to AED location - Accessible within 4 minutes from discovery of a cardiac arrest patient (the 4-minute rule)

System requirements: - Location coordinates linked to emergency dispatch center - Defined coordination and incident reporting procedures - Emergency drills at least once annually

Why the 4-minute rule matters: According to the American Heart Association (AHA, 2020), survival drops 7-10% for every minute without AED defibrillation. CPR combined with AED within 3-5 minutes yields 50-70% survival rates. Waiting for EMS (average 8-12 minutes in Bangkok) drops survival below 10%.

The กพฉ. 4-minute access rule is therefore grounded in clear medical evidence.

Read more: See why 4 minutes is the line between life and death in our Cardiac Arrest Emergency Guide.

AED Specifications per กพฉ. Standards

The กพฉ. announcement sets minimum AED specifications for building installations:

Required features: - Semi-Automatic or Fully Automatic operation - Pediatric shock energy: 50 joules - Adult shock energy: minimum 120 joules - Heart rhythm analysis and shock delivery within 10 seconds - Thai and English voice guidance - Suitable for both pediatric and adult use - Registered medical device under the Medical Device Act

Relevant international standards: - IEC 60601-1 — Electrical medical device safety - IEC 60601-2-4 — Defibrillator-specific standard - CE Marking — European conformity certification - Thai FDA (อย.) — All AEDs sold in Thailand must be FDA-approved

Recommended additional specs (not legally required but advised): - IP65 water/dust protection — for outdoor, factory, or pool installations - Remote Network Management — for organizations with multiple AEDs - Color display — shows ECG waveforms and CPR video for user confidence

Compare AED specs across brands in our AED Brand Comparison guide.

Legal Protection for AED Users — Thailand's Good Samaritan Law

A common concern: "If I use an AED and something goes wrong, can I be sued?" The answer is no — Thai law protects good-faith rescuers.

Emergency Medical Act B.E. 2551 (2008) Section 29 provides legal protection for emergency responders and bystanders. Non-medical personnel who use an AED in good faith to help a patient are protected from civil and criminal liability.

Key points: - AEDs are designed for use by anyone — no medical license required - AEDs will not shock a normally beating heart — the automatic system prevents misuse - Imperfect CPR is far better than no CPR at all - CPR/AED training is recommended for confidence but not legally required

Medical Device Act B.E. 2551 (2008) AEDs are classified as medical devices requiring import authorization from the Thai FDA (อย.). Distributors must hold proper licenses and devices must meet established standards. This responsibility falls on the distributor, not the buyer.

Read more about using AEDs in our What is an AED — Complete Guide.

Penalties and Enforcement

Ministerial Regulation No. 69 is issued under the Building Control Act B.E. 2522, which provides penalties for non-compliance.

Penalties under the Building Control Act: - Building owners who violate ministerial regulations may be ordered to rectify within a specified period - Failure to comply may result in daily fines throughout the violation period - In serious cases, local authorities can order the building to cease operations

Practical enforcement: Currently, enforcement of Thailand's AED law is in its early stages — more promotional than punitive. However: - New construction must include AED installation plans in building designs - License renewals for existing buildings may require proof of AED provisions - Enforcement is expected to become stricter over time

Recommendation: Even with limited enforcement, installing AEDs provides multiple benefits: 1. Compliance before strict enforcement begins 2. Reduced legal liability in case of cardiac emergencies on premises 3. Enhanced safety for building occupants — can genuinely save lives 4. Increased property value and building reputation

AED Law Summary for Building Owners

Relevant laws and announcements:

| Law | Key Content | |-----|-------------| | Building Control Act B.E. 2522 | Parent law authorizing ministerial regulations | | Ministerial Reg. No. 33 (B.E. 2535) | Defines high-rise (23m) and extra-large buildings (10,000 sqm) | | Ministerial Reg. No. 69 (B.E. 2564) | Added Clause 29/2 — mandatory AED installation points | | กพฉ. Announcement B.E. 2564 | AED installation standards and device specifications | | Emergency Medical Act B.E. 2551 | Legal protection for good-faith AED users | | Medical Device Act B.E. 2551 | AEDs must be Thai FDA-approved |

Checklist for building owners: 1. ✅ Verify if your building qualifies (23m+ height or 10,000 sqm+ area) 2. ✅ Select AEDs meeting กพฉ. and Thai FDA standards 3. ✅ Install within 4-minute access, at 1.50m height or below 4. ✅ Post international AED symbols and directional signage 5. ✅ Register coordinates with emergency dispatch center 6. ✅ Train personnel and conduct emergency drills at least annually 7. ✅ Inspect AED condition monthly

See our AED Maintenance Checklist for maintenance details, or contact Thunder Venture Group for assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions