US Media Warns Tourists: E-Cigarette Ban Enforced in Thailand

That is a rather heavy fine......! I would have thought around 5000 baht.

Good to read such stories.. Tourism is already declining and this kind of news will help it to go further down.. And than excessive fines as I thought the fine would be 10k.. but in corrupt Thailand all kind of fines are possible

The pair were later released after paying a fine of 40,000 baht.

There's the real crime. I hope they got a receipt. But I doubt it.

"..the behaviour was not only harmful to health and socially frowned upon among young people, but also illegal under Thai law."

Goin out on a limb, but I would guess 'young people' prefer e-ciggies over usual nicotine and tar delivery systems like Marlboros.... they think cleaner and perhaps 'healthier'... if Thailand gonna go the harmful to health route, then no excuse to exclude cigarettes in crack down. Other than tons of tax money brought in....

The weirdest thing about this news is that vaping is seen everywhere in e.g. the Sukhumvit area. The vapes are sold on the street, openly, and in some of the bars the vaping is allowed or tolerated. After cigarettes a new plague for the non-smoker by the way. I have never seen anyone taking action.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

She was informed that the behaviour was not only harmful to health and socially frowned upon among young people, but also illegal under Thai law.

Underlined is so far from reality it's beyond belief. Wasn't the main "reason" for the ban on vapes to protect the youth and that vaping is increasing in that demographic (of course tax and protecting the tobacco monopoly is the main reason). As for harmful to health this is true but less harmful than cigarettes.

2 hours ago, impulse said:

There's the real crime. I hope they got a receipt. But I doubt it.

Around 10k for Thais.

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The weirdest thing about this news is that vaping is seen everywhere in e.g. the Sukhumvit area.

That's the biggest issue in my mind. You can buy something in the bright light of day, then get arrested for it a few meters away.

How is a tourist to know what's legal and what's not?

And it's not just vapes. There has been a myriad of stories over the years of posters buying stuff that was illegal, all in the open. I bought pellet guns, knives, machetes, and bear spray, not realizing that I could get banged up just for having them. All in the open, bright light of day.

And why e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand ??

6 minutes ago, Look Chang said:

And why e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand ??

To protect the tobacco industry and tax revenue. Simple as. All talk about protecting health and the youth is a smoke screen.

e-Cigarette bad and danger to society - illegal. 👎
Cigarettes good, good for farmers, good for tobacco company, good for doctors in private practice - legal. 👍

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Around 10k for Thais.

5,000 Baht for Thais and farang where I live.

1 hour ago, impulse said:

How is a tourist to know what's legal and what's not?

Look for the signes posted around.

14 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

5,000 Baht for Thais and farang where I live.

Just goes to show how ridiculous it all is. Friend of my daughter got hit with 10k.

Friend of my daughter got hit with 10k.

"More of a fool for paying it without asking for a receipt".

''Smoking in prohibited public areas in Thailand, such as airports, beaches, public parks, and restaurants, can result in an immediate fine of up to 5,000 Thai Baht."

Stupid law on the use of vapes and Nothing wrong with cigarettes. However, good luck trying to beat the cigarette monopoly.

Not a very good advertisement for Thailand that depends on the foreign tourism to fine then so much. The should have gotten back warning. Thailand is struggling to invite the tourist here now,not showing friendliness and welcome. The Thai government should be in their bended knees that the tourist comes here,take a look at how Japan treats the tourist before the industry collapses

Friend of my daughter got hit with 10k.

"More of a fool for paying it without asking for a receipt".

''Smoking in prohibited public areas in Thailand, such as airports, beaches, public parks, and restaurants, can result in an immediate fine of up to 5,000 Thai Baht."

But that's smoking, which is location dependent. Vaping is illegal everywhere.

If you're a noob tourist, wet behind the ears, and you have a choice of forking over $1300 or spending an unspecified stretch in a Thai jail, I can see where you'd pay up and even thank the cops for not sending you to jail.

It ain't right, but it is Thailand.

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Good to read such stories.. Tourism is already declining and this kind of news will help it to go further down.. And than excessive fines as I thought the fine would be 10k.. but in corrupt Thailand all kind of fines are poss

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

5,000 Baht for Thais and farang where I live.

But not for policemen who are vaping too.. Seen several.... Enforce law by RTP who break the laws and don't care

Malaysia fully legalised vaping in 2024 after many years of it being in the “grey” area. Vaping is cleaner, ie no buts nor are ashtrays needed. Vaping is less harmful than smoking, due to no combustion/tar produced.

It is common in Europe, in the west in general. Was legalised in Dubai 2017, where licensed shops now sell vapes and liquid, all regulated and taxed.

For a country relying on the income of tourists and their 💰, it seems counterproductive to forbid vaping but hypocritically allow smoking.

Many a smoker were able to quit cigarettes thanks to vaping, yet these people are seen as criminals here. So yes, they better not choose Thailand as a place for vacation.

Always very amused on the absurd or harsh laws, when these chinese crap gizmos are sold openly on the streets all around Nana BTS in Bangkok.

Here we are, guys, it is not safer

On 4/25/2026 at 4:20 PM, still kicking said:

Here we are, guys, it is not safer

On 4/25/2026 at 4:20 PM, still kicking said:

Here we are, guys, it is not safer

Depends entirely on the liquid being vaped! Stuff drugs into a cigarette - what happens! When talking about vapes or cigarettes the assumption is comparison of regulated articles!

On 4/25/2026 at 9:33 AM, Dirk Z said:

"The weirdest thing about this news is that vaping is seen everywhere in e.g. the Sukhumvit area. The vapes are sold on the street, openly, and in some of the bars the vaping is allowed or tolerated. After cigarettes a new plague for the non-smoker by the way. I have never seen anyone taking action.

"Sukhumvit" is not "everywhere", quite the opposite. Like El Arenal is not Spain, lower sukhumvit is a place similar to Pattaya, but even the other tourist ghettos, eg Hua Hin, are quite different. Normal Thai places are like a different planet.

Vaping is rarely done in public there, usually at least in semi-privacy, like on the condo grounds. And Thais who vape (not many), sometimes do pay those hefty fines of up to 20000.

On 5/8/2026 at 10:54 PM, Hish said:

"Sukhumvit" is not "everywhere", quite the opposite. Like El Arenal is not Spain, lower sukhumvit is a place similar to Pattaya, but even the other tourist ghettos, eg Hua Hin, are quite different. Normal Thai places are like a different planet.

Vaping is rarely done in public there, usually at least in semi-privacy, like on the condo grounds. And Thais who vape (not many), sometimes do pay those hefty fines of up to 20000.

I did not say Sukhumvit is "everywhere", but I said: everywhere in e.g. the Sukhumvit area.