Thailand has one of the strictest anti-smoking policies in the world and enforces them with heavy fines and prison sentences. Tourists should be aware of the rules, especially regarding public smoking bans and the ban on e-cigarettes.
Thailand is known for its strict anti-smoking policy, which has been tightened considerably in recent years. It is important for tourists to be aware of the rules in force, as violations can result in heavy fines or even imprisonment.
This article provides an overview of the most important provisions, import and export rules for cigarettes, where cigarettes are available and some practical tips for smokers.
Smoking bans and regulations
Smoking is prohibited in many public places in Thailand. This includes airports, train stations, bus stations, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, cafes and government buildings. Smoking is also prohibited in air-conditioned vehicles and in shared areas such as elevators and stairwells. The smoking ban is strictly enforced and violators risk fines of up to 5.000 baht (about €130).
One of the most drastic measures is the smoking ban on a large number of beaches, including popular tourist destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya and Koh Samui. This ban was introduced to combat pollution from cigarette butts and improve air quality. Anyone caught with a cigarette on one of these beaches risks a fine of up to 100.000 baht (€2.600) or even a prison sentence of up to one year. In practice, however, lower fines are often imposed.
Fines and enforcement
Thailand takes smoking and vaping very seriously and the penalties can be severe. Lighting up a cigarette in the wrong place can be a costly mistake. Thai authorities actively police tourist areas, airports and beaches where smoking is prohibited. Police checks can be unannounced and arguing with the authorities about the rules is discouraged.
Import and export regulations for cigarettes
Tourists traveling to Thailand are allowed to travel a maximum of 200 cigarettes (one carton) per person. Anyone who exceeds this limit risks a heavy fine and confiscation of the cigarettes. Thai customs strictly controls this, especially upon arrival at airports.
There is also a limit for the export of cigarettes 200 cigarettes per person. Travelers leaving Thailand who wish to take cigarettes with them to their next destination should also be aware of the import regulations in the country of arrival.
Ban on electronic cigarettes and vaping
The use, import and sale of electronic cigarettes and vapes are completely prohibited in Thailand. This ban also applies to accessories, refills and liquids. Thai authorities are strict about this and tourists caught with a vape can receive heavy fines or even a prison sentence in serious cases.
There have been several cases of tourists being arrested for possession of an e-cigarette, often in combination with large quantities of liquids or suspicion of trafficking. Even if your vape is only in your luggage and you do not use it, this can already have legal consequences. Therefore, it is recommended not to bring such products to Thailand.
Where to buy cigarettes in Thailand?
You can easily buy cigarettes in Thailand at supermarkets, convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, gas stations and tobacconists. Sales are strictly regulated and you may be required to show ID when purchasing. Smoking is often prohibited in the immediate vicinity of these stores, as many chains are located in smoke-free zones.
Note that cigarettes in Thailand have become significantly more expensive due to high excise duties. In addition, cigarettes are packaged in uniform, unattractive packaging without brand logos, a measure intended to discourage smoking.
Tips for smokers in Thailand
- Check the rules: Smoking bans are strictly enforced. Always check that smoking is permitted where you are.
- Use designated smoking areas: Airports, some hotels and large shopping malls have designated smoking areas. Use them to avoid fines.
- Do not throw cigarette butts on the street: Carelessly throwing away a cigarette butt can result in a fine, especially in tourist areas and on beaches.
- Avoid smoking near temples and royal buildings: Out of respect for Thai culture and religion, smoking near Buddhist temples and palaces is inappropriate and often prohibited.
- Do not bring e-cigarettes: Even if your vape is only in your luggage and you don't use it, this can have legal consequences.
- When in doubt, ask: Are you unsure whether smoking is allowed somewhere? Ask a local or an employee to avoid problems.
Conclusion
Thailand has one of the strictest anti-smoking policies in the world and enforces them with heavy fines and prison sentences. Tourists should be aware of the rules, especially regarding public smoking bans and the ban on e-cigarettes. Cigarettes may be imported and exported in limited quantities, and smokers are advised to stick to designated smoking zones to avoid problems. Good preparation prevents nasty surprises and ensures a carefree stay in Thailand.
Parks, such as Lumpini Park in Bangkok, are also public places where smoking is not allowed.
“Please note that cigarettes in Thailand have become considerably more expensive due to high excise duties”? Well, for Camel Yellow I pay 72฿ (2€). I can't really call it 'expensive' compared to NL with 12€. Also 20 pieces.
Before that, I think about 8 years ago, I paid 60€ for a pack of 20 Camels.
What a load of rubbish if you are a decent person you do not throw cigarette butts on the street and smoke in places where you can do so without disturbing other people. Thailand's smoking policy is based on decency, they can learn a lot from it in the Netherlands.
dear Helmoot,
It is of course complete nonsense that they can learn anything from this in Thailand.
When they were building a house here, at one point there were cigarette butts everywhere.
I filled a few small buckets with sand and told them to clean up their mess and if they smoke to throw their butts in the buckets provided. If you don't say anything it's okay with them.
You're on someone else's turf, so behave accordingly.
Dear Helmoed, If your theory is true, which is of course complete nonsense, then I wonder why a government would even make a smoking ban law. Only hoping for human decency, unfortunately does not work in any country, so also not in Thailand.
I am currently in Phuket, Patong Beach, here people smoke on the beach to their heart's content.
Cigarette butts disappear into the sand.
Tourists wipe their feet on everything.
There is no control, only warning signs
Not only on Patong beach. I'm in Kata and there too, people smoke on the beach like crazy. By the way, you see vaping everywhere
In almost all bars and restaurants in Pattaya they still smoke freely.
Antisocial behavior towards non-smokers.
Only the better restaurants have a non-smoking area.
As a smoker, you would be stupid if you brought cigarettes from the Netherlands.
And about vaping, it is done here to its heart's content, on the street on the back of a scooter and it is mainly the youth who do it.
The smoking ban was introduced to improve air quality under penalty of heavy fines? Hello and the trucks that blow out black smoke here are no problem no fines? Well I am not a smoker but know that everything you ban here to the youth they do just that. There are no efficient controls so….
Good example does good follow. But on/at Dongtan beach in Pattaya-Jomtien teaches otherwise, A beach full of illegal trade and foreign (guest) workers. There is no enforcement but coffee money. Annoying.
Sorry, but what nonsense. I don't smoke myself and am now in Thailand and everywhere people smoke, BKK, Phuket, Samui, both cigarettes and cannabis. Sometimes they even ask in a bar if you want to smoke. Yesterday at breakfast and 2 people start smoking and no one from the staff says anything. I don't understand how people can say that in the Netherlands we can take an example from Thailand in this respect
How awful for the enforcers to have to watch over that. Was a nasty job. I have seen monks smoke in a way of serious addicts., so smoking like rehab. clients. That is smoking too. But what now punish in a country where the air is infested with the MP.??? Where you can cut slices of the filthy air.!
Vaping and e-cigarettes are banned there simply because the smoking lobby (and their large available budgets) is very strong there. That is why the price of regular cigarettes remains very low. It is also not unusual to find vape shops in the immediate vicinity of police stations (whoever contributes neatly to the monthly salary of law enforcement can go all out) Legalizing weed also seems to me to be a big step forward in terms of supposedly safeguarding public health. Hilarious or well hypocritical again ' that decency that they can still learn a lot from in the Netherlands '. Do you smoke weed yourself Helmoed?
This is another one of those bullshit stories, even though the law may be enforced in this way, it certainly isn't. By the way, I'm not a smoker, but my wife is.
On every beach we go to she always asks the owner if there is a possibility to smoke, sometimes it is a separate corner where she obediently sits down to smoke, other times the owner brings a cup of sand to serve as an ashtray and sometimes they look at her like, of course you can smoke here.
Last January she went to get a new passport in Bangkok and even at the ministry there is a smoking corner, I have never seen any enforcement done, and my sister-in-law sells rolling tobacco and cartridges to the monks on the temple grounds and the monks smoke away happily there.
Last holiday also not encountered a smoking ban in any bar or restaurant and vaping? I would almost say who doesn't do it in Thailand. No, in the Netherlands it is much stricter in that regard, or maybe it is enforced in the Netherlands.
Because you can ban all kinds of things, but if no one enforces them, rules are pointless.
There is a lot of smoking on the beaches of Koh Samui. Also weed. What a stench. The butts just go into the sand. Never seen a police check.
In the restaurant where we like to eat, they just put ashtrays on the table. The other day, a few guys were smoking weed. In the restaurant. I spoke to them. Reaction with red eyes: it is legal….
Sometimes you see smokers stepping outside the restaurant to smoke there. That is very polite.
I understand that the staff doesn't say anything about it. That's their nature: avoid conflict and don't lose customers...
Our 'farang' neighbor behind us smokes a lot of weed in a day and the wind blows this nasty weed smell from his garden into ours.
It seems as if there is no environmental awareness in these people. I think it would be nice to be the center of the world… But yes, that is always at the expense of the other.
The freedom that the Thai have to live as they do, is really abused by the tourist, who thinks he can get away with anything. So bad that even decent behavior stands out to you…
It is incomprehensible that smoking and vaping are under so much pressure and that weed is freely available…
Who knows may say…