SueH

Just a hint: What if I take a so rather cheap e-cig with me while travalling and flight and on arrival at the airport I'd through it in the next bin. You all here write about lots of existing and good vape shops and almost every market seems to sell them too, or I just ask in the thaivapers forum, so then I could buy a small one for my 3 weeks of stay there (possession and using is legal, but only in private) and either I'll throw it away before checking out or just take it with me home, there is nothing against "export" I assume? How about that?
 

The mentioned Swiss Guy who has been arrested for vaping in public and importing his vape gear in July is still sitting there and is waiting for judgement, I wonder why others here, who were also arrested for the same reason were released and free to go after a few hours and after having payed a fine, and this guy, who had already paid a huge deposit to get out of his 6 days of custody still cannot leave the country and go home before a judge hasn't passed sentence.... 

Hello again, thx for all your reactions. Nearly everybody in the thai vaping community have great doubts about such a sudden and harsh punishment happening to a tourist only because of vaping in public or carrying his own e-cig (possession is legal). There is not one such case ever happened until now, only some  reports about "agreements" (cash) when getting caught in public or in cars. That happens often.

I wonder, why the thai press doesn't report this case, normally they are really after such "sensational" news about farangs no following the rules .

Only one paper (never heard of it) quotes this case:
https://www.stickboybkk.com/news/swiss-tourist-facing-e-cigarette-charges/ but has no detailed information either. 

Today Swiss Paper added un update:
 

Quote

In recent months, however, Thailand has tightened the fight against e-cigarettes. According to the Bangkok Post, the Ministry of Health of Thailand announced two months ago that stricter rules for e-cigarettes would be introduced in mid-year.
In the last two months there have been several raids and arrests related to the e-cigarette trade, according to media from Thailand. The new policy of the government might also explain the strict action against the Swiss.

Hello 

I just got a very sad news about a friend who is a vaper (using e-cigarettes instead of smoking tobacco) which I want to share to this community to warn every vaper to be very careful, the police seems to become more and more strict concerning law against e-cigs. Vaper are treated like drugsmuggler. This is really true and not a made up story (like some other I read). 
 

On July 26, 2017, a close friend of my local shop was arrested in the streets of Thailand because he used an e-cigarette. To pre-empt any doubts: The police, the Swiss Embassy, and other affected agencies were informed that our friend had not been otherwise illegally involved. Apparently and state of affairs his offense was the use of an e-cigarette in the public, more specifically, he is accused of importing e-cigarettes. This is at least the official charge.

We are aware that some countries have difficulty dealing with e-cigarettes. In Thailand, the situation seems relatively unclear and arbitrary. Apparently even in Thailand itself exists a lively, official market for e-cigarettes and the image of vaping people is no longer special in Thailand - although vaping is officially illegal in Thailand. Well, quite obviously a police officer on that date decided that vaping was "extra" illegal today. He was arrested, led away, and sat six days in jail - completely cut off from the environment, without real contact and under degrading and humiliating conditions.

Of course, embassies, relatives, friends, and also we did everything possible to get him out of prison as quickly as possible, but this has been proved incredibly difficult. In the meantime the deposit could be made. Our friend was able to leave the prison yesterday and is now waiting for the effective trial. A judgment could be an immediate deportation to up to 5 years imprisonment. We now hope that our friend will be able to leave the situation undamaged, to leave Thailand as soon as possible and to go home.

In this way we want to warn the community: If anyone of you plans to visit Thailand, please leave your vape gears at home! That's no joke. Our friend has to serve as a precedent, that no one has seen coming. No matter what you read on the net, do not take the risk. Please take care of yourself.

You are more than welcome to share this letter.