Confusion reigns anew as D-Day for beach smoking ban arrives

[webfact]

Confusion reigns anew as D-Day for beach smoking ban arrives

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that the department of coastal resources were still threatening to jail or heavily fine tourists for smoking on two of Surat Thani's popular beaches.

 

Though they said the authorities were conducting a "softly, softly" approach offenders could still be in big trouble according to the ordinances.

 

Smoking was supposed to be banned on 20 Thai beaches as of yesterday.

 

The threat to jail was the latest confusing word after a story appeared earlier Wednesday saying that the directives now applied to 24 beaches but would not be enforced until February 1st 2018.

 

Daily News said that smoking was banned on Bo Phut beach on Koh Samui and Koh Tao beach on Koh Pangan.

 

They said that people could not walk and smoke on the beach - they must put their cigarettes out first.

 

If they didn't they could face a year in jail, a 100,000 baht fine or both according to Ordinance Number 17.

 

Meanwhile, hotels with tables and reclines on the beach at Chaweng in Samui had collected in ashtrays from the beach area and organised their own smoking areas within the hotel grounds.

 

Staff were on hand to tell tourists - many of whom were unaware and were smoking on the beach - not to smoke on the sand.

 

But according to their earlier statement citing the coastal resources department Chaweng was not actually part of the scheme just yet.

 

They quoted a female Swiss tourist called Damara as saying that she understood there should be no nudity on the beach but didnt agree with the smoking ban.

 

Though she said she didn't like irresponsible smokers who put their cigarettes out in the sand saying they should use an ashtray.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-02

[Samui Bodoh]

I have no problem with this ordinance in principle, but it is certain to cause trouble in practice.

 

Let me see... a law few people know about, LARGE fines for violating it, and officials who have a knack for... ahem... oh... er...  creative asset-gathering.

 

What could go wrong?

[Get Real]

Nothing new. Confusion reigns everywhere.

[baansgr]

Still using the term tourists. Is it only foreigners or visitors that cant smoke on the beach

[ChrisY1]

Seems as though this new law is definitely aimed at tourists....a year in jail for having a puff is totally stupid.

It will only need a few tourists to get nabbed for word to spread.....Russians and Chinese love fags!

[mark01]

For years the bib have been chasing tourists for dropping cigarette butts near BTS stations.

A nice little earner.

And why? Because they make sure there are no ashtrays or garbage bins around the stations to put them in.

 

This will undoubtedly just become another police income source, and not address the real problem of Thailand's dirty beaches.

 

[terminatorchiangmai]

Maybe to should have started with beach ashtrays first and fine the people dumping their garbage everywhere .

Much more money to be made.

[Tropicalevo]

This is all acedemic anyway. Tourists, ex-pats and locals alike break the non-smoking laws daily.

 

For some years now it has been illegal to smoke inside public buidings, inside a restaurant or bar and even illegal to smoke in the open areas of said premises. (There are supposed to be designated smoking areas in place!) 2,000 baht fine and up to one year in gaol. This law is almost universally ignored by smokers.

[HooHaa]

Been visiting "koh pangan" for over 20 years and still havent made it to koh tao beach.

 

And this from one of the country's major english news papers.

[doctorproc156]

14 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

This is all acedemic anyway. Tourists, ex-pats and locals alike break the non-smoking laws daily.

 

For some years now it has been illegal to smoke inside public buidings, inside a restaurant or bar and even illegal to smoke in the open areas of said premises. (There are supposed to be designated smoking areas in place!) 2,000 baht fine and up to one year in gaol. This law is almost universally ignored by smokers.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that these laws have been "universally ignored". Smoking indoors and in restaurants as come to a complete stop and generally speaking, people do smoke away from building entrances and only smoke by the area where the ash tray is located.

 

Either way, I agree with what another poster said here. These laws are broken by Thais far, far more than foreigners, but as with the littering enforcement on Sukhumvit road, of course it's only the foreigners that get the punishment.

[Luckysilk]

“They quoted a female Swiss tourist called Damara as saying that she understood there should be no nudity on the beach but didnt agree with the smoking ban.”

 

Bloody Swiss got it backwards - ban smoking and allow nudity :)

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

smoking on the beach - not to smoke on the sand.

Can they smoke in the water while sitting on a float?

[baansgr]

Could be worse, was in Olongapo near Subic recently, total smoking ban there with only a few limited places allowed. 

[wirat69]

36 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

For some years now it has been illegal to smoke inside public buidings, inside a restaurant or bar and even illegal to smoke in the open areas of said premises.... 2,000 baht fine and up to one year in gaol. 

The fine was increased to 5,000 baht during 2017!!!

[wirat69]

1 hour ago, mark01 said:

near BTS stations.

A nice little earner.

And why? Because they make sure there are no ashtrays or garbage bins around the stations to put them in.

That's why they have convenient holes in the footpath... Don't worry about the blocking of the sewer system!!

[sammieuk1]

Wonder what the fine will be for vaping on the beach ? 

[juice777]

Confused in Thailand well I never

And a Swiss who agrees with no nudity well I never again.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[juice777]

Wonder what the fine will be for vaping on the beach ? 

Well that's actually against the law anywhere. So I suppose the Death penalty. Or if you are Thai a Wai and a 500THB. Then get rewarded with your 15mins of fame having your picture with the local super cops all over the Thai News.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[tandor]

4 hours ago, baansgr said:

Still using the term tourists. Is it only foreigners or visitors that cant smoke on the beach

...no ifs and butts.

[DrPhibes]

5 hours ago, Luckysilk said:

“They quoted a female Swiss tourist called Damara as saying that she understood there should be no nudity on the beach but didnt agree with the smoking ban.”

 

Bloody Swiss got it backwards - ban smoking and allow nudity :)

No, Some of those girls would still be "SMOOOK'n!" per The Mask (movie) and would have to pay the fine out in goods and services :-)

[garbolino]

what about smokers on boats in Pattaya bay and Jomtien....can one smoke on a jetski???

[PoorSucker]

15 hours ago, HooHaa said:

Been visiting "koh pangan" for over 20 years and still havent made it to koh tao beach.

 

And this from one of the country's major english news papers.

All of Koh Tao, belongs to Koh PhanGhan district. 

Same goes as they write Bophut Beach, they mean Bophut sub district, they really mean Chaweng Beach. 

[PoorSucker]

14 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Wonder what the fine will be for vaping on the beach ? 

That old news,  vaping in Thailand is illegal and maximum penalty is five years in prison. 

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

Maybe to should have started with beach ashtrays first and fine the people dumping their garbage everywhere .

Much more money to be made.

Yes a few thousand of those washing up on Hua Hin Beach would look lovely.

First approach should be to spray a fire extinguisher into the face of smokers, second offence, the fine.

And there ain't going to be any year in jail sentences .......

[terminatorchiangmai]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes a few thousand of those washing up on Hua Hin Beach would look lovely.

First approach should be to spray a fire extinguisher into the face of smokers, second offence, the fine.

And there ain't going to be any year in jail sentences .......

I did not say you it was ok to  leave your garbage behind on the beach did i ?

[HooHaa]

10 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

That old news,  vaping in Thailand is illegal and maximum penalty is five years in prison. 

death

[HooHaa]

10 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

All of Koh Tao, belongs to Koh PhanGhan district. 

Same goes as they write Bophut Beach, they mean Bophut sub district, they really mean Chaweng Beach. 

then why not write that?

[jacko45k]

18 hours ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

I did not say you it was ok to  leave your garbage behind on the beach did i ?

Well they don't seem inclined to take their cigarette butts away with them so I would expect these boat ashtrays to get left or simply tipped into the sand. 

E-Cigarettes should be made acceptable.

[pieeyed]

Total stupidity. Supposedly in pattaya during the navy show the beach vendors cannot sell any booze?

[thaibeachlovers]

Confusion reigns. Situation normal then .