Regulations on lithium batteries in Thailand
 

Here is the link saying what lithium batteries are permitted in Thailand in one's carry on.

Was not permitted by Flyertalk to include a website link so Google "Thai Airline lithium batteries" and it will indicate what and how many batteries can be in one's carry on.

Thailand, TSA, Japan nor Taiwan rules matters.
There are many different countries in Asia and each has their own law, rules and sovereignty. Claiming experience at NRT and Thailand as general Asian rules is irresponsible.

You were flying through China so what is permitted as per Chinese law applies. When the battery becomes used and the label will wear out and there will not be anything labelled stating the battery as NiMH and capacity. Chinese aviation security is in full rights to detain the bag and check the batteries and confiscate them if necessary.

MU might have handled the case better but once there is an issue with the content of the bags it is out of their hands.

BTW Public service announcement RE Chinese aviation rules:
Battery must be labelled as type and capacity and must be within the limit.
It also does not permit tools onboard, including bladeless leatherman and other pockets tools

This is very true. My English-only speaking co-worker for put on hold by them 3x until the phone call auto-hung-up. I called them with my limited Mandarin and got an answer the first time. No hold involved.

I have flown in China
 

Excuse me tentseller but I was responding to Dean1953 who didn't know what size battery and he said he always carried his nimh battery in his checked bags. I am not irresponsible as yo say as I fly in and out of China every year and the rules are the same as international standards of lithium batteries that batteries can not be more than 100-160 wh and must be carried in Carry On luggage. Lithium batteries in checked bags is Forbidden. Please Google "China Southern Airlines lithium batteries" and it even explains the calculation as I stated for mAh to wh standards. Or Google "China Aviation Authority lithium batteries" and read. It states the same as Thai Airways and the FAA. I would do research before accusations of irresponsibility on my part. An apology tentseller?
To Dean1945, Nimh batteries upon research are permitted in check bags but this type of battery can still heat up from over charging and catch catch fire and explode. They also look like lithium batteries so transfering through a Beijing Airport, they confiscated them. I refuse to transit through China at all cost but other airports can confiscate your nimh batteries also. Always carry any type of batteries in your carry on so your checked luggage is not held up and miss your connecting flight.

I am neither Chinese nor American, but I fly on both Chinese and American airlines quite often...both to and from China and America. So I have no axe to grind. Airlines from both countries, and governmental agencies from both countries have, and are entitled to have their own rules and processes. Please be assured, from the point of view of someone who is objective, that on the whole they operate sane and sensible rules and processes. But both have strange and bizarre obsessions that you just have to embrace, because they are simply not going to change. You might not like them, but if you get crazy about them, you are the only one who’s going to feel bad.

I got my battery confiscated at Chinese airport. It was a small battery yet labeling had worn off. :( I could not check it and carry on was confiscated by security as they could not verify it is 20,000mAh or lower. It was a small battery and no way it could have been greater than 20,000mAh.:mad: Yes, Chinese airport security is obsessed with batteries.:(

BTW, I had a much worse experience with delayed bag by KL but I don't want to bore everyone with details. In short, KL kept telling me wrong location for my bag. The bag went through six countries and eventually delivered to me back home in NYC after two weeks. I went through my entire trip without my bag. :mad:

A couple of points. Doesn't the Chinese government own a majority of China Eastern Airlines? If so, saying the security problem, created by the Chinese government, isn't entirely out of MU's hands. Second, I had a 3.5 hour layover at Shanghai airport. Like in the U.S., they could have confiscated the batteries, left a note, and put the bag on its way. The fact that I had to spend two weeks of my vacation trying to figure out where my bag was and how to get it back. I'll file for compensation for the bag being lost for more than 7 days. I don't expect MU to pay, or even respond. After 30 days, I'll file a small claims law suit against them and I think that will get their attention.

I've included the link way back in post #3, and somehow it warped... http://uk.ceair.com/en/content/infor...battery-safety

Kinda happy to hear that Chinese Airlines are actually stopping these types of threats

Two Types of batteries
 

There are two types of batteries Li-ion which are lithium batteries and Ni-mh which nichel batteries that are usually used for power tools. This is the type of battery the original poster, Dean1953 had in his checked bag that did not arrive in Chiang Mai on China Eastern. The ni-mh batteries are listed as being able to be put in Checked luggage but I personally would not do that. Researching Ni-mh batteries, they can still over heat from over charging and catch fire. They also look like lithium batteries and will be confiscated and may cause one's checked bag to be delayed being put on your plane if it's in your checked bag. Also, looking up China Eastern Airlines in Skytrax, reviews indicate it is an airline that has nonexistent Customer Service, doesn't reply or compensate for anything.

The DeWalt 18V battery, checking my 18V XRP, DC 9096 only has a line "Ni-Cd DO NOT INCINERATE" in the warning. There is no battery type or capacity anywhere on the case. Dewalt also had a limited run of an 18V LiON DC9180 which was discontinued and recalled due to users using the original 18V charger and causing these packs to ignite. The DC9180 is labelled as 18V 36Wh and on the warning, it states "LiON DO NOT INCINERATE"

As per Chinese Aviation rule:
the unlabelled battery will be confiscated
the 18V LiON (if that is what OP has) is above the permitted capacity and will be confiscated.

OP was flying PVG, KUM so it should not be a surprise that these were intercepted at PVG and confiscated.

I just arrived back on my return flight on MU, going Bangkok-Shanghai-LAX. I was surprised at BKK. At the check in desk, there was a large sign saying that several items were prohibited from checked bags, including pack batteries. Before taking my bag, the lady that issued the boarding passes asked me if I had any batteries. This contrasts with LAX, where there were no signs and no one warning me about the Chinese battery fedish. Security at Shanghai was being anal, with looking at my carry on twice and running it through x-ray 3 times. It turns out that they had never seen a cigar ashtray. My two bags showed up at LAX, which was a relief as I fly to Kansas City tomorrow on Southwest and I'm sure MU wouldn't ship a lost bag to KC for free. Now that I'm back on U.S. Soil, I'll press my claim for compensation, for MU keeping my bag almost 2 weeks. Whether I fly MU again, I don't know. I definitely won't fly them to Chiangmai, but may do a round trip to Bangkok. I really hate going through Shanghai, so the savings on the ticket would have to be considerable.

FAA says NO lithium batteries in checked bags
 

Dean1953, you have it all wrong. The US FAA doesn't allow lithium batteries in checked bags, not just at Bangkok or in China. In your early post you said since a TSA agent didn't know a definative answer about batteries, you have always been putting your batteries in your checked luggage which is illegal worldwide. Just Google "FAA lithium batteries" and read. Google "Thai Airways batteries". Google "China Aviation Authority batteries". Do a European airline. They all say batteries must be in one's carry on bag. Batteries are forbidden in Checked Bags! If you continue to put batteries in your checked bag when your checked bag is xrayed behind the walls on it's way to your plane, the bag will be pulled aside, opened and batteries conficated and your bag delayed and possibly not put on your plane as probably why your bag didn't make it to Chiang Mai. Also China Eastern Airlines and Air China never compensate passengers as they are noted for no customer service.

I've carried DeWalt cordless batteries in checked bags through both Narita and Taipei airports with no problems, the last time 4 years ago. China's fetish with batteries goes far beyond just lithium batteries. I'm dividing my response for two different actions by MU. I'm not thrilled that my batteries were taken but can live with that. I'm going after MU for all of the items that I had to replace in lost bag, plus having to take taxi to and from airport to retrieve bag. My layover in Shanghai was 3.5 hours, plenty of time to remove batteries and put a note in bag. Maybe you've accepted MU customer service (really no customer service), but I don't. By international treaty, I am allowed to pursue my claim of lost luggage for more than 7 days. I'll pursue it through letters, small claims court and through complaints filed with the DOT. Maybe they won't pay but I'll make sure that the corresponding bad publicity cost them business.

I just went through security at LAX using TSA pre check and it took me 7 minutes from the start of the line to where I'm at a bagel shop inside security. They didn't need 3 x-rays and two visual examinations of my carryon bag. Right now, I'm glad that I only go over every 18-24 months to Thailand. I have no desire to ever visit China as a tourist, if the people that I've met at the airports are indicative of how most Chinese approach tourists/westerners. By my calculations, I will move back to Thailand in 8 years. At every visit coming 2 years apart, that means I only have to endure these horrendous flying experiences 3 more times.