Thailand’s smoking population on the rise

Figures released by Thailand’s National Statistical Office showed that the number of smokers aged 15 and above rose by 21 percent year-on-year to 11.4 million in 2014, according to a story in the Chiang Rai Times relayed by the TMA.

Last year, Thailand was estimated to have about 400,000 smokers aged 18 years and under.

The figures showed also that the average age for smoking initiation fell from 16.8 years in 2007 to 15.6 years last year.

About 50,000 people in the country reportedly die each year from smoking-related illnesses.

Meanwhile, her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali inaugurated a program at Future Park Rangsit in Pathum Thani organized by the Public Health Ministry on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31 to highlight the health effects of smoking and support the tobacco control bill that would, if passed, raise the minimum age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 20 and ban the sale of individual cigarettes.