A complaint over honey in carry-on at Bangkok airport has renewed attention on a simple rule many travellers miss: honey, jams and pastes count as liquids and face the 100 ml limit.
A foreign traveller sparked a social-media storm after security officers at a Bangkok airport confiscated a jar of honey. The case turned into a broader reminder that honey in carry-on is treated as a liquid and is subject to the standard 100 ml limit.
Why the jar was taken
The traveller said he had previously carried the same product through other Asian countries without any problem. At Bangkok airport, however, security applied international rules on liquids strictly and removed the jar during screening.
The reaction was immediate. The traveller later posted an emotional message on Threads and compared the Thai airport with Singapore’s Changi Airport. Online responses were mixed, with some users focusing less on the complaint and more on the airport image being discussed in the post.
What the rule means for passengers
For air travel, honey is not treated as a solid souvenir. It falls into the same category as jams and pastes, which means the 100 ml limit applies without exception. In practical terms, that makes honey in carry-on a poor choice unless the container is very small and packed according to cabin-bag rules.
If the product exceeds the limit, it should be placed in checked baggage instead. That is the simplest way to avoid losing it at security.
Why Bangkok airports enforce this strictly
Security checks in Thailand are described as highly rigorous, and the Bangkok airport in this case followed that approach closely. The point is not the souvenir itself, but the way liquid restrictions are enforced at screening.
Some commenters also noted that a damaged-floor image circulating in the discussion came from Don Mueang, the older airport that is still waiting for a promised renovation. That detail fuelled the online debate, but it does not change the rule on cabin liquids.
How to avoid the same problem
- Do not assume a food souvenir will be allowed in the cabin.
- Treat honey, jams and pastes as liquids.
- Keep the 100 ml limit in mind for hand luggage.
- Put liquid souvenirs in checked baggage if they are larger than the cabin limit.
For travellers connecting through Bangkok, the lesson is straightforward: honey in carry-on is likely to be removed if it exceeds the permitted amount. Checking the item before departure can prevent an unnecessary loss at security.
