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Tag: Thailand

  • CAPHRA Backs Evidence That Vaping Could Save Thousands of Thai Lives 

    CAPHRA Backs Evidence That Vaping Could Save Thousands of Thai Lives 

     The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today (March 19) endorsed compelling evidence presented by Asa Saligupta, Director of ENDs Cigarette Smoke Thailand, highlighting the life-saving potential of vaping as an alternative to deadly combustible cigarettes. 

    The Bangkok Post has revealed a stark public health contradiction: while smoking cigarettes is blamed for 71,000 Thai deaths annually, there has not been a single recorded death from e-cigarette use in Thailand. Yet conventional cigarettes remain widely available while vaping products remain prohibited. 

    “The evidence from Thailand mirrors what we’ve seen across the Asia-Pacific region—policies driven by misinformation rather than science are costing lives,” said Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA Executive Coordinator. “When Public Health England concluded that vaping is approximately 95% safer than smoking cigarettes, they provided a scientific foundation that many countries have used to develop sensible harm reduction policies.” 

    CAPHRA acknowledges concerns regarding youth access but emphasizes that proper regulation—not prohibition—is the appropriate solution. “We support restrictions on marketing to young people, but banning products that could save millions of adult smokers from premature death is neither,” Loucas said. “Thailand stands at a crossroads. It can continue its failed prohibition approach, or it can join the growing number of countries following scientific evidence to implement sensible regulations that will save countless lives.”

  • $3.9M of Illegal Vapes Seized in Thailand 

    $3.9M of Illegal Vapes Seized in Thailand 

    The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s investigation team raided warehouses in Thailand’s Nonthaburi province yesterday (March 18) and seized more than 260,000 e-cigarettes with a street value of over 130 million baht. ($3.9 million). Investigators believe the vaping products had been smuggled in from China through the Laem Chabang port in Chonburi and distributed to more than 100 retail outlets nationwide.

    Dubbed “Operation Smoke Out,” police said they targeted six warehouses in the province that were linked to five individuals who were responsible for shipping and distributing the products. Two men were arrested, the police said, adding that the suspects were allegedly paid 20,000 baht ($600) each to look after one of the warehouses.

    “This is considered a major raid with high value,” Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said while visiting the scene. “The officers will expand the investigation to the masterminds and bring them to justice.”

  • Thailand Turns Up Fight Against Vapes

    Thailand Turns Up Fight Against Vapes

    Thailand’s Office Minister Jiraporn Sindhuprai chaired a meeting with 20 government agencies for the second consecutive week, discussing measures to curb the spread of e-cigarettes. Sindhuprai said they are focusing on three key strategies: strict law enforcement cracking down on illegal e-cigarettes, preventive efforts to curb their spread, and related legal reforms. She also said a proposal to set up a special committee overseeing these efforts has been submitted.

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry blocked more than 9,000 web pages illegally selling e-cigarettes and is working with entrepreneurs to prevent search terms related to such products and shut down websites that attempt to sell them. They are also increasing enforcement on logistics companies that are required to display clear notices prohibiting the shipment of e-cigarettes and accessories, have enhanced security measures, scan suspicious packages, and retain sender data for at least 30 days.

    According to Royal Thai Police, there were 666 vape-related cases between Feb. 26 and March 4, with 690 suspects arrested and 454,958 items worth over 41 million baht ($1.2 million) seized.

  • Thai PM Orders Crackdown on E-Cigs

    Thai PM Orders Crackdown on E-Cigs

    Following a raid in Bangkok that seized 3,000 vapor items worth more than 2 million baht ($60,000) over the weekend, Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, ordered a comprehensive crackdown on e-cigarettes, warning that any officials found complicit will face serious consequences.

    The Thai government’s spokesperson, Jirayu Huangsap, said that the directive comes amid reports of widespread e-cigarette sales and corruption across the country.

     “The Prime Minister has ordered a crackdown on e-cigarettes and urged decisive action against any officials involved,” Jirayu said. “This operation covered just one jurisdiction under the Metropolitan Police Bureau, yet numerous illegal vendors were found operating openly.”

    Jirayu said shops selling the products were not concealed but operated openly on streets with eye-catching displays, making it unlikely that local police patrols would overlook them. He also said some of the shops were operating near schools, with reports suggesting certain officials had accepted bribes to turn a blind eye to these activities.

     “In areas where arrests are made by other agencies, local police must be investigated to determine whether negligence or involvement in bribery is a factor, similar to when illegal gambling dens are discovered in their jurisdictions,” Jirayu said. “I have already reported this to the Royal Thai Police. If commanding officers fail to take action, the problem will persist. The situation has escalated to the point where potent drugs are being mixed into e-cigarettes, resulting in youth fatalities, including cases of lung perforation.”

  • Thailand: Despite Ban, Vaping Surges with Teens

    Thailand: Despite Ban, Vaping Surges with Teens

    Thailand’s government is being urged not to legalize e-cigarettes, citing the example of the Philippines, where it has led to increased smoking, a rise in the illegal tobacco trade, and reduced tax revenues. Despite being banned in 2014, e-cigarettes are abundantly available in the country, and the government is presumably missing out on significant tax revenues.

    Numerous organizations banded together at a parliament committee meeting hoping to make this a national agenda item, pointing to the drastic rise in youth use as a catalyst, saying there has been a tenfold increase in young vapers in just one year. Citing a 2022 e-cigarette report, Senate committee chair Varapas Phaiphannarat said the number of e-cigarette users aged 15 to 24 increased from 24,050 to 269,533. She also said 43% of primary school students aged nine to 12 had already tried e-cigarettes,

    “These figures indicate a serious public health crisis that threatens the well-being and future of Thai youth,” Varapas said.

  • E-cigarettes, E-baraku Banned from Students in Thailand

    E-cigarettes, E-baraku Banned from Students in Thailand

    On January 7, the cabinet of Thailand approved a proposal from the Ministry of Education that prohibits students from possessing electronic cigarettes and electronic baraku. Those items join cigarettes and narcotics on the nation’s list of prohibited items under the Child Protection Act.

    E-cigarettes and baraku (also known as water pipes or hookahs) are already illegal in Thailand, but are still widely available. E-baraku is a fairly new item that allows users to imitate smoking a cigarette.

    Deputy government spokesman Karom Ponpornklang said there would be four levels of punishment for students, climbing from warning to probation to deduction of behavioral points to behavioral modification activities. Education minister Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob said the ministry did not have the right to confiscate banned items, so other parties would have to be responsible for preventing their spread.

  • Thailand Launches Track-and-Trace System

    Thailand Launches Track-and-Trace System

    Photo: rangizzz

    Thailand is launching a track-and-trace system that allows smokers to verify the authenticity of their cigarettes by scanning a QR code, reports The Pattaya News.

    According to authorities, the innovation enhances tax collection efficiency, promotes transparency, and ensures compliance with international standards.

    Consumers can use smartphones to scan unique QR codes on cigarette excise stamps, accessing details such as the brand, manufacturer, tax payment date, shipment location and price.

    Discrepancies between the displayed information and the product can indicate contraband or counterfeit goods. Such illicit products may not meet quality standards and could pose serious health risks due to unregulated ingredients, says the Thai government.

    The system allows the public to report suspicious items directly to the Excise Department through a built-in whistleblowing feature.

  • Thailand: Push to Ban Smoking in Cars

    Thailand: Push to Ban Smoking in Cars

    Image: andranik123

    Thailand’s Tobacco Products Control Committee wants to ban smoking in private cars to protect passengers from secondhand smoke, reports The Nation.

    Speaking at a seminar on Nov. 5, Rerngruedee Pathanwanit of the Ramathibodi Medical School at Mahidol University said that approximately 70 percent of Thais are affected by secondhand smoke and an average of 20,688 Thais die of health complications caused by secondhand smoke each year.

    She also pointed out that Thailand stands fifth in the list of countries where women aged 15 to 49 are affected by secondhand smoke.

    Suwanna Ruangkanchasetr, deputy director of the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center, told the seminar that recent research found that up to 55 percent of families with children in the one-five age group had smokers in the house.

    Researchers also found unsafe levels of nicotine in the hair of children in homes with smokers, she added.

  • Thailand Likely to Miss Smoking Reduction Goal

    Thailand Likely to Miss Smoking Reduction Goal

    Image: Ivor

    Thailand will likely miss its target of reducing smoking by 30 percent by 2025 on current trends, reports Thaiger.

    Smoking prevalence among people aged 15 and over declined from 23 percent in 2005 to 21 percent in 2024. Men continue to smoke at significantly higher rates (39.8 percent) than women (3.5 percent).

    Health advocates are most concerned about underage smoking, particularly among boys aged 10–14, where the smoking rate is 11.3 percent. Overall, 7 percent of Thai youth are identified as smokers. Although the smoking prevalence has dropped substantially from 32 percent in 1991 to around 20 percent in 2009, it has since stabilized at between 19 percent and 20 percent.

    Activists insist that meeting the 2025 goal will require continued focus on public health initiatives and smoking cessation programs.

  • Retailers Required to Display Tobacco Warning Posters

    Retailers Required to Display Tobacco Warning Posters

    Photos courtesy of Mathijs Aliet

    Tobacco vendors in Thailand must display posters highlighting the risks of smoking, following the enactment of a new rule on Aug. 21, reports the Pattaya Mail.

    The 7 cm by 21 cm posters must be visible at all sales points during operating hours, the Department of Disease Control (DCC) announced. Violators risk a fine of THB5,000 ($146).

    The posters, provided by the Public Health Ministry, seek to reduce the number of new smokers, particularly among minors. Vendors can obtain the materials from Excise Department offices nationwide or download them from the DCC website.