New legislation Smoke-Free along the beach

[Thian]

11 minutes ago, slippery snake said:

only smokers will be in them and they have no regard for their own health.

Same goes for the sexpats in pattaya who like unsafe hiv-infected sex and drink alcohol every day.

[thhMan]

In some countries, they have bins located on the footpaths, for things like bottles, bags, smokes butts etc.

The problem is not the smokes, but the Thais that would use those public bins as their own garbage dump, negating their public use.

 

To combat this, perhaps neutering all Thai males, so they dont breed more of their stupidity into Thailand....

[cookieqw]

i like the way they are stood in front of a picture of what a beach should look like, same happened at the world class pattaya marina, photo shoot was in front of a picture of a marina.  what are they hiding behind those pictures ???

 

' While smoking is not totally banned on beaches, tourists must now only smoke in the designated areas. These new regulations will come into effect on February 1st, 2018. '  i thought it was totally banned and it started today !!!!

[CantSpell]

I totally approve...

 

We don't need cigarette butts to mix with the raw sewage pipes on the beaches, that would not be a decent mix 

[pattayadgw]

This cig butt thing is a farce and i mean a SERIOUS FARCE!!  Education and stiff penalties are the key to sort out Thailands woeful track record for waste management and this has to start with the Govt. opening money on #1 Education of the people in school and others not in school through Advertising campaigns.  #2 Increase ALL fines for ANYONE caught not disposing of waste / rubbish in the proper facility.  #3 Serious fines for any vessels caught throwing / discharging any form of waste into the ocean.   

[Appetiser]

I’m a smoker & use the Pattaya beach chairs & always ask for an ashtray & been provided with one by the vendor.  I also consider people sitting next to me & have no problem going for a stroll whilst smoking so as not to spoil their relaxation. However, I do agree that people who throw their cigarette butts or any kind of rubbish away should be penalised. But the penalty fine for smokers is way too harsh given the amount & kinds of trash abundantly strewn on the beach.

 

What irritates me most is a bigger threat to marine life, the environment & people’s health. Is the masses of boats that discharge “engine polluting toxins, fuel, oil etc” into the water. You can actually see the oils congealing with the water & smell & taste the repugnant exhaust gases too. And for that reason I spend less time on the chairs & certainly do not wade in the water……

 

For what it’s worth, I would have segregated smoking chair areas ie, if the vendor allocated 6 chairs  for smokers at the rear say. That way there is less passive smoke and smokers would also be aware that they will be observed by the vendor to ensure that their cigarette butts are disposed of properly.  

 

But as someone else commented. Maybe the “inequitable Thai tourist taxes” is nudging people to find another holiday destination.

[Jonah Tenner]

41 minutes ago, CantSpell said:

I totally approve...

 

We don't need cigarette butts to mix with the raw sewage pipes on the beaches, that would not be a decent mix 

Poisonous.

[nisakiman]

10 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

Good. Cigarette butts are disgusting and too many smokers just throw them on  the ground. Something needs to be done and not just at the beach.

Ashtrays, perhaps? Or is that too simple a solution? It seems to work in other countries.

 

In fact I remember years ago a beach in Phuket I used to go to had clay pots with sand in under every umbrella to use as an ashtray, and there were no cigarette butts on the beach at all. When smokers are given an ashtray, they tend to use it.

 

The problem these days is that the anti-smoking zealots think it's clever to remove all ashtrays from everywhere ("that'll show 'em, those nasty smokers"), and then they whine and complain because there are cigarette butts on the ground. Doh...

[YetAnother]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

While smoking is not totally banned on beaches, tourists must now only smoke in the designated areas. These new regulations will come into effect on February 1st, 2018.

this is the latest beat in the drumming of ultra-conservatism that is picking away, incessantly at the country; next we will see stricter alcohol laws (adding to the already remarkably foolish ones);

then who knows ?; immigration ? (any expats worried ??)

[wakeupplease]

Nice one another great law to add to the lack of freedom what with no clicking of likes on facebook, you cannot view certain people on line or criticize those at the top, soon it will be a no go area for tourists, just wait and see.

 

Yet the water quality still allows you to swim with turds, utter mad house

Edited November 1, 2017 by wakeupplease

[Humpy]

Kipper Room  more like it !! ?

[thaibeachlovers]

555555555555555555

Good luck with that!

[observer90210]

If I dare ask, what about the sewage water and other trash pumped into the sea ?

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Probably the most illogical waste of money I have ever seen, even in Thailand.

These will be sweat boxes, and where will the smoke go, vented with extractor fans into the air.

Question: How many Chinese smokers can you get in a 120c telephone box?

 

A few small fenced off "Smoker's Rest" areas with a few concrete/wooden tables and benches under the trees and ample ash trays and bins for those having a beer too is what is needed.

I agree with other posts too, the beaches need waste bins and a cleaning service to rake the sand for broken glass and needles etc etc.

Never mind the sewage!!!

Also if tourists can see the jet-ski and parasailing lads puffing away they will just book a holiday elsewhere next time.

 

Once again a totally ill considered edict with no common sense or logic applied.

Amazing Thailand.

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by George FmplesdaCosteedback

[khunPer]

Perhaps cigarette buds (filters) are not that bad, seem to be a valuable energy-storage material after a new British scientific stude from University of Nottingham...

Are discarded cigarette butts the next high performing hydrogen storage material? (October 31st)

and published in Royal Society of Chemistry, journal Energy & Environmental Science...

Cigarette butt-derived carbons have ultra-high surface area and unprecedented hydrogen storage capacity

[Stargeezr]

Non smokers All support any attempt to have smokers be more Adult and responsible for

their filthy habit. It will take another lifetime to get even the majority of them to actually

change as  their lax attitudes need to change as well.

Geezer

[kiwikeith]

23 hours ago, jaywalker said:

Plastic bottles, condoms, needles and bags etc pose no threat whatsoever though.

 

 

Chinese tourists will be exempt as they will take no notice, smoke at will and spit on the beach by the thousands.

Standing room only when some tours arrive at beach sites

[bristolgeoff]

i remember seeing smoking rooms or some kind of pedstal to smoke round in airports.they were full of smokers and all you could see was smoke.no different  to what u have here

[sitti]

23 hours ago, Oligabba said:

Your inane reply indicates your inability to appreciate a complex problem.

:-) complex problem only for smokers. I don't smoke so....

[greenchair]

Are they seriously suggesting that box. ?

Or is it the 3 billion baht investment with a company that is NOT owned by a family member to build them that makes them so necessary ? 

[pattjock]

The main problem with this legislation is that it does not address the main source of cigarette butts on the beach.

 

All vendors on the beach supply ash trays and if not they pick up the buts dropped in their area as they have to keep this clean.

 

99.99% of the cigarette butts found on the beach come from the day water that is released from all the drains in the city. In Pattaya there is not a single public ash tray along beach road or Jomtien beach, same inside the city. Most of the cigarette buts end up in the drain and are released out in the sea where they are washed up on the beaches.

 

To stop this pollution the government need to supply trash bins and ash trays around the city and enforce the littering laws that are already existing. They also need to have some sort of filtering of what they release out into the sea.

 

99.9% of the buts on the beaches are released by the local governments.

[coulson]

What an eyesore. Doesn't look like an extract fan either, who is going to stand in that?

 

I had a mate on to me yesterday about the whole issue, seems to be making humorous press around the world. 

[overherebc]

Simple solution.

Make all beaches non smoking with smoking areas near.

Big bin with holes to drop the butt in and empty them every night and burn them. Holes big enough for a cig' end but nothing bigger like plastic bottles etc.

I could handle it and I'm a smoker.

 

[HHTel]

9 hours ago, overherebc said:

Simple solution.

Make all beaches non smoking with smoking areas near.

Big bin with holes to drop the butt in and empty them every night and burn them. Holes big enough for a cig' end but nothing bigger like plastic bottles etc.

I could handle it and I'm a smoker.

 

Stop it with your common sense.  You should know that's not allowed in Thailand!!

[webfact]

Thailand starts 90-day trial of cigarette ban, violators to face one year in jail

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: Creative Commons

 

Starting Feb. 1, smoking will be strictly banned on all Thai beaches, which means having even a quick ciggie could land you in a Thai prison for a year or fined up to THB100,000 ($US3,000).

 

On Wednesday, Thailand launched a 90-day trial of the cigarette ban, prohibiting smoking on 24 beaches. During this three-month period, authorities will kick off a campaign to inform beachgoers of the law but won’t punish violators until the amnesty period ends, Prachachart reported.

 

The 24 beaches that have banned smoking include some of the country’s most popular destinations, including Patong, Phuket; Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan; Bo Phut, Koh Samui; Chalok Baan Kao, Koh Phangan; Khao Lak, Pangha; and Kor Kwang, Krabi.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/thailand-starts-90-day-trial-cigarette-ban-violators-face-one-year-jail/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-11-03

[RichardColeman]

The guy with his smoking act in Walking street better not stray onto the beach ! He'll be in prison for life.

[sesdave]

I am all for not smoking but instead of applying a law that will  target specific people with unrealistic penalties compared with other crimes why not implement a solution that will resolve the  beach cigarette butt/rubbish polution problem for once and for all.  

http://www.hbarber.com/Cleaners/SurfRake/Default.html 

Purchase of a suitably sized rake and tractor for each beach with nightly cleaning would return the beaches to their former glory and pristine clean. This would attract tourists instead of scaring them away with draconian laws.

[Emster23]

Again I will ask how "beach" is defined in Thai law" does it include sidewalks? Into the street? Or is this up to police discretion and assessment of how effective a shakedown might be?

[biggles45]

Yet another stupid law from an inept "government", that consistently applies bandaid treatments rather than tackle the cause of the problem. How much of the rubbish shown recently on beaches is ciggie butts ? 

[natway09]

Change the law after the 3 month trial,,,, the prisons are full already

Sorry sessdave that will not work as most of the pollution on the beaches does not originate there.

It is mostly washed down the drains into the ocean  along with untreated sewerage, cooking fat (almost no grease traps IN USE) & yes millions of cigarette butts that do NOT originate from beach smoking.

Sensible butt receptacles along the walkways & beach perimeter would have a better outcome. Maybe except for the Chinese, but they need to cull them anyway