Thai Youths Face Rising E-Cigarette Use, Online Gambling Issues

Youth in Thailand are increasingly engaging in risky behaviors such as e-cigarette use and online gambling. The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) highlights a sharp increase in these activities, with young people being heavily targeted by aggressive marketing campaigns. This issue has raised concerns about potential mental health problems, family tensions, and declining academic performance.

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The 2025 Thai Health Report, developed with Mahidol University, reveals a dramatic tenfold increase in youth e-cigarette use from 2021 to 2022, with user numbers rising from 24,050 to 269,533. Online gambling has followed a similarly concerning trend. In 2023, a study by the Gambling Problem Study Centre found that 32.3% of Thai youth engaged in online gambling, spending an average of 1,633 baht monthly. This expenditure translates into approximately 58.7 billion baht in annual gambling revenue from this age group alone.

To combat these issues, ThaiHealth has been actively working since 2017 to create safe environments that empower youth at the community level. This initiative has established 1,054 learning spaces and organized 1,376 creative activities, impacting over 200,000 children and young people. ThaiHealth's assistant manager, Paranee Phuprasert, emphasizes the importance of community involvement in addressing this challenge.

Nisa Rattanadilok Na Phuket, director of ThaiHealth's Office of Community Health Support, stresses the need for collaboration among local governments, administrative authorities, state agencies, and community organizations. Strong youth councils, now active in more than 243 local administrative organizations, are becoming crucial to this effort, reported Bangkok Post.

Key Takeaways

• E-cigarette use among Thai youth increased tenfold from 2021 to 2022.

• 32.3% of Thai youth engaged in online gambling in 2023.

• ThaiHealth is promoting community collaboration to tackle these issues.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Bangkok Post · 25 Feb 2026