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Smoking and electronical cigarettes in Thailand

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Smoking or vaping in Thailand

There are more and more rules about smoking in Thailand. Its gradually forbbiden on all beaches for instance and only a few people know about it but the electronic cigarette is illegal in Thailand(see below).

Electronic cigarettes are illegal in Thailand

The interdiction includes using e-cigarettes or importing them into Thailand. The penalty is a fine of 4 times the values of the product and possibly up to a 10 years prison sentence. Tourist coing to Thailand are more likely to simply see their material confiscared and may alos have to pay a fine but won't serve prison time for just importing a n electronic cigarette for their personal use but they are unable to pay the fine they can get in prison the time they pay it. Arrests are rare but they exist and some tourists will remember it for a long time. A project to relax the legislation in this area is under consideration but in the meantime, better not to take your electronic cigarette with you when you come to Thailand!

No smoking on Thai beaches

Initially set up on 24 beaches in Thailand, the smoking ban is gradually being extended to all beaches in the country. Smoking or dropping cigarette butts on one of the affected beaches (you will see there will be signs and dedicated smoking areas), you will make you be fined 100,000 baht and / or one year imprisonment. This ban is more due to the environmental scourge of butts buried in the sand by many smokers than to the possible nuisance to others.

Other smoking bans in Thailand

There are many public places and even some private ones where smoking is forbidden in Thailand. Bangkok metros (BTS, MRT and ARL), buses, trains, railways stations, on some ferries, in elevators, shopping centers, many restaurants ... and the law could still restrict public spaces where people can smoke. Before the end of the first quarter of 2019, there should be an exclusion zone within 5 meters around the entrances of all public buildings. Some hotels prohibit smoking throughout the establishment or precise areas. Everyhere smoking is forbidden, it is always indicated but not always in a very visible way.The fine to pay is also indicated. This is still often indicated 2,000 THB but these are old signs because the fine increased to THB 5,000. In Thailand, it is illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under 20 years of age. The authorities are determined that no young person will start smoking anymore. Advertising for cigarette packages is also prohibited in all forms.

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