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Pattaya is serious! 100,000 baht fine for smoking but no jail time mentioned

 

Picture: Sophon Cable

 

Sophon Cable TV reported that a meeting held at City Hall announced that the authorities fully intended to get tough with smokers who defy the beach lighting up ban.

 

Am anti-smoking committee to organise activities related to the ban has even been set up.

 

But while defiant smokers could face a 100,000 baht fine when the ban is enforced from February 1st no one mentioned the year in jail that was previously threatened.

 

While signage seems to suggest that other mess on the beach will also not be tolerated - "zero waste beach" is the sound bite.

 

The Pattaya ban will only apply to a one kilometer stretch of Jomtien known as Dongtan Beach. It will be applied to other Pattaya beaches later, said Sophon.

 

Head of the beach smoking committee Wuthiphon Jaroenphon said that Pattaya would be getting serious with smokers who defy the ban from February 1st 2018.

 

In the meantime PR campaigns and information drives are being carried out. Officials with signage that said "Smoke-free and Zero Waste Beach" were photographed by the media.

 

Signs will be in Thai, English and Chinese.

 

Wuthiphon said that the 44 beach umbrella and deckchair operators in Dongtan would undergoing training about the ban.

 

The Jomtien experiment will be like one in Patong, Phuket, said Sophon, with other Pattaya beaches to follow later.

 

The scheme to ban smoking is coming into force after a survey carried out by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources found hundreds of thousands of butts were contaminating Thai beaches in Phuket.

 

It has variously been reported that a jail term could be applied along with the heavy fine but no mention was made of this possibility on the Sophon story on Facebook. 

 

Source: Sophon Cable

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-23

[aguy30]

Absolute stupidity!

 

If a person (think farang) smokes a cigarette on the beach, he can get a fine of 100,000 baht. This is absolutely absurd and even more so when you consider that a Thai can violently assault a farang and receive a whopping 500 baht fine and then walk away without jail time. I'm all for "no smoking" but the realistic fine should be about 1000 baht.

 

Seems the government is trying its best to destroy the Pattaya beaches frequented by farangs. The beaches were enjoyable more than 10 years ago. Now they are dirty, very compressed limited seating and soon no more food and beer. Doesn't anyone in charge know what beach users want?

 

The people in charge of Pattaya need to go to Bali (Kuta and Legian) for a few weeks and learn from them how to make a success of the beaches both daytime and also allow night time use. Bali beaches are far better that Pattaya. They might also investigate why Bali's night life is prospering while Pattaya is in a downward spiral.

 

On second thought these are not a reasonable suggestions as Thais already know everything and have no need to learn anything different or new from non Thais.

 

[bristolgeoff]

when no one sits at the beach and no customers for anything they offer.the hotel pool lets u smoke eat and drink.where do think they will go

[giddyup]

What Thai is going to be able to cough up (pun intended) 100,000 baht fine for smoking? This outrageous fine is obviously aimed at the tourist market, as if they aren't doing enough already to deter tourists.

[InMyShadow]

What Thai is going to be able to cough up (pun intended) 100,000 baht fine for smoking? This outrageous fine is obviously aimed at the tourist market, as if they aren't doing enough already to deter tourists.

what farang can afford to drop 3 - 4 thousand dollars?
most tourists are maxed out on credit cards.
This will be good though because finally the officials will start to hear "no hab" and from westerners

[giddyup]

Just now, InMyShadow said:

what farang can afford to drop 3 - 4 thousand dollars?
most tourists are maxed out on credit cards.
This will be good though because finally the officials will start to hear "no hab" and from westerners
 

The difference might be that the falang gets put in jail until his friends or family can send the 100,000 baht.

[Sakeopete]

I'm not a smoker but will avoid beaches. For sure it will not take long before bogus charges are laid on a non smoker for bribes. 

[Emster23]

" Signs will be in Thai, English and Chinese. "

 Tons of Russians here in Jomtien. Plenty of shops have signs, menus in Russian. No signs for no smoking in Russian.

 Pattaya has always been serious about shaking down tourists

[RichardColeman]

..and zero waste beaches ! Yeah, right !

[RichardColeman]

Wait till it hits the Uk and other media that people are forcefully being held in prison for smoking on a beach unless they pay 100,000 baht. Bye bye tourism,

[marginline]

1 hour ago, aguy30 said:

Absolute stupidity!

 

If a person (think farang) smokes a cigarette on the beach, he can get a fine of 100,000 baht. This is absolutely absurd and even more so when you consider that a Thai can violently assault a farang and receive a whopping 500 baht fine and then walk away without jail time. I'm all for "no smoking" but the realistic fine should be about 1000 baht.

 

Seems the government is trying its best to destroy the Pattaya beaches frequented by farangs. The beaches were enjoyable more than 10 years ago. Now they are dirty, very compressed limited seating and soon no more food and beer. Doesn't anyone in charge know what beach users want?

 

The people in charge of Pattaya need to go to Bali (Kuta and Legian) for a few weeks and learn from them how to make a success of the beaches both daytime and also allow night time use. Bali beaches are far better that Pattaya. They might also investigate why Bali's night life is prospering while Pattaya is in a downward spiral.

 

On second thought these are not a reasonable suggestions as Thais already know everything and have no need to learn anything different or new from non Thais.

 

Very, very, very good critique aguy30! Thank you. 

[HarrySeaman]

I suspect in two months time that the "law" will just about as effective as the one that bans smoking in bars and restaurants.

 

I can't tell you how many times I have been in bars and restaurants where the 2000 Bt fine for smoking sign was not only ignored by the customers but the bar placed ashtrays at every table for the convenience of the smoking customers.

[sammieuk1]

Will there be anyone left on the beach to fine. ? Tourists may end up Selling a kidney to pay this ridiculous priced fine rendering repeat offenders in a spot of bother.

[thaijoe]

what will the thai people get, a wai, 100 baht fine and a smile , oh, and a( my ben lie)

[mark01]

As we know, the Thai solution to low ceilings is beheading.

 

[weegee]

7 minutes ago, mark01 said:

As we know, the Thai solution to low ceilings is beheading.

 

Hell... for a minute there, I thought that was a recent photo of Molly enjoying his retirement....

[yellowboat]

Tons of raw sewage spewed into the sea is okay, but no smoking.  Priorities are in disarray 

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm..... it’s like smoking is more serious that pedophilia( only in Thailand I suggest) but......TIT

[Jimbo2014]

Nice to hear and good on the Thai government.  Good way to cut back on this gross habit and get some revenue at the same time.

[wgdanson]

So if you are on Dongtan Beach and want a gasper, walk a small distance to Jomtien Beach, have your smoke, then walk back. 

[soalbundy]

100,000 Baht fine or 5,000 in the hand, we are flexible

[wgdanson]

Please Officer, I was smoking a roll-up so no nasty filter tip on the sand.OR, I put my fag end into that polystyrene box which that Thai man left, so not on the sand.

Edited November 23, 2017 by wgdanson

[Timebandit]

Another non-smoker here. What about the incredible number of tour buses belching black smoke from clogged diesel engines? These are not only near the beach but everywhere in town and suburbs. This is much more health threatening. The Chinese are big smokers in several different ways. Will the touring bus company be fined? Who owns those big bus companies?

[gandalf12]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

What Thai is going to be able to cough up (pun intended) 100,000 baht fine for smoking? This outrageous fine is obviously aimed at the tourist market, as if they aren't doing enough already to deter tourists.

Think about this, if tourists don't come then the Thai people will really be cut off from the world and control will be ultimate

[ScotBkk]

2 hours ago, aguy30 said:

Absolute stupidity!

 

If a person (think farang) smokes a cigarette on the beach, he can get a fine of 100,000 baht. This is absolutely absurd and even more so when you consider that a Thai can violently assault a farang and receive a whopping 500 baht fine and then walk away without jail time. I'm all for "no smoking" but the realistic fine should be about 1000 baht.

 

Seems the government is trying its best to destroy the Pattaya beaches frequented by farangs. The beaches were enjoyable more than 10 years ago. Now they are dirty, very compressed limited seating and soon no more food and beer. Doesn't anyone in charge know what beach users want?

 

The people in charge of Pattaya need to go to Bali (Kuta and Legian) for a few weeks and learn from them how to make a success of the beaches both daytime and also allow night time use. Bali beaches are far better that Pattaya. They might also investigate why Bali's night life is prospering while Pattaya is in a downward spiral.

 

On second thought these are not a reasonable suggestions as Thais already know everything and have no need to learn anything different or new from non Thais.

 

Its beyond a Joke. Pattaya beaches are cesspits now having the audacity to fine Farangs for smoking. Does that include non-farangs? I think Thailand should Ban farangs from everywhere and time they discovered why they need our hard earned  cash !!!

[wealthychef]

2 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

when no one sits at the beach and no customers for anything they offer.the hotel pool lets u smoke eat and drink.where do think they will go

Away from Pattaya, I guess. 

[thai006]

 very good

[slippery snake]

1 hour ago, thaijoe said:

what will the thai people get, a wai, 100 baht fine and a smile , oh, and a( my ben lie)

Don't be silly,, this is for farangs, not Thais..   like when there was a police road block opposite where I had dinner the other night, to book bike riders not wearing a helmet..  Farangs were stopped and booked,   Thais just got waved on through.... 

No wonder they never change !!!! 

[slippery snake]

Who cares ?? no one goes to Pattaya for the beach so won't affect many..  

If you want to sit on the beach, and swim, then you don't go there..

Wonder if you can smoke on the walkway along the beach front ???  

Then you can smoke there and throw your cigarette butts over the rail and on to the beach... 

You're not on the beach so is that OK ??? 

[Howiehotspur]

I was in cozy beach , just today , saw about 4-5 people smoking ( I think all Russian although that obviously makes no difference )  , 2 of which went to the back of the beach , into / under the trees , which I guess is the right thing to do ? .. but the very nice Vendor guy who I always go to for my bed , he must smoke about 40 a day ....