Continuous and intense UV irradiation on PTT film using two types of UV bulbs at different irradiation power level was carried out to modify surface characteristics of the film including zeta potential, wettability, surface energy, and dyeability. ESCA analysis of the irradiated film showed higher O/C ratio than the untreated film indicating photooxidation of outer surface layer. ATR analysis showed that the ester bonds were broken and some new groups were produced such as carboxylic acid, phenolic hydroxy, and other esters, implying that ester bonds of PTT was responsible for the observed photooxidation effect. The surface of the treated PTT film became more hydrophilic and wettable to water, coupled with increased surface energy. Polar component of the surface energy increased and nonpolar component decreased with increasing irradiation energy. The treatment also decreased zeta potential of the modified surface and nanoscale roughness increased with increasing irradiation. The dyeability of the treated films to catonic dyes was significantly improved by electrostatic and polar interaction between dye molecules and the anionic film surface. The UV irradiation seems to be a viable polymer surface modification technology, which has advantages such as no vacuum requirement and continuous process unlike plasma treatment.