Foreign tourists kicking up a stink about smoking ban - but Thais "willingly cooperate"

[johnhw]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Bunch of spoiled brats whining while the world changes faster than they can keep up. Fact: smokers have an addiction, equal or worse than heroin addiction. To that extent, sympathy applies - That used to be an excuse, but no more. Secondarily  that it's merely a habit and a choice. The methadone for smokers is vaping. You get your nicotine, no worries, no hardship. your addiction will therefore not impose on others.  Fact: It's now widely recognized that secondhand smoke in any situation is unhealthy to anyone who breathes it. And I don't want to hear any excuses about the quality of Thailand city air. That's a pathetic and baseless excuse. Thailand is working on all these problems, hence the smoking ban. You are still making it worse for whoever sits next to you. Fact: If you light up a cigarette you're choosing to do the equivalent of wafting the smell of garbage or body odor or human waste into the face of the person next to you. Often times you are ruining someone's otherwise delicious meal. How would you like it if heroin addicts went around poking people with their used needles? Which is worse, lung cancer or AIDS? AIDS is manageable. Lung cancer is a death sentence.  My mom died of lung cancer, within 3 weeks of her diagnosis. Then there are the pigs who stub out their butts in the sand on the beaches. <deleted>? We come here to enjoy the beaches. You can't at least use a cup or a beer bottle? That's a no brainer,  easily dealt with, 'nuff said about that. . In today's world if you choose to smoke rather than vape anywhere that someone else has to breathe it, ESPECIALLY in a place where people come to enjoy fresh air, or sit down for a meal, then you're a self indulgent inconsiderate pig. You DON'T have the right to pollute the air that someone else has to breathe. Don't expect them to move. You do it. PERIOD, END OF STORY. The world has changed. It continues to change and call on people to keep up. 

.....call on people to keep up? On this venue, even CATCH up would be a  long shot. Many comments here are reminiscent of Grade Shool recesses 50 yrs ago......in Swampsewer, Alabamssippi

[AlphMichaels]

1 hour ago, farcanell said:

Assumedly you don’t count yourself as a sedentary angry soul, right?

 

doing your research is good advise... very good.

 

it will show that corruption is rife... laws are often broken.... the police won’t help... tourists suffer a two tiered price system... the law is not equally applied to all.... and one way or another, it’s highly likely that you will be scammed

 

i could be wrong, but IMHO, sane laws will be followed by westerners (especially when supported by infrastructure, like rubbish bins for rubbish), whereas crazy sh##, Which seems to make no sense, won’t be followed so willingly., and therein lies the problem.

 

next up will be stories about locals wondering the beach in t shirts with logos announcing “official fine collector”

Hi Farcanell.  Sedentary soul?  No.  I'll go permanently sedentary when my time comes.  I'm very active at 60 tho I limit runs and gym to 3-4 days a week now. But I go at it well for my age.  I joke w/wife I need to print t-shirts that say "If I'm face down call ##".   

 

You make valid points but nobody here is going to change it.   Corruption is endemic in our world and has been for millennia. It may a more civilised form but it's still corruption.  Discriminating against westerners..., welcome to that which we've heaped on peoples across the globe for centuries...., imposing our idea of what's right and what's not.  There's a shift underway.   

 

Cheers!  

[wavemanwww]

I strongly suggest that all falangs that visit Pattaya . Take photo'"s of Thai netzinens smoking on or near the restricted zones. I also suggest all Thai's take photo.s of Falang smoking on or near the beach and upload on this news site Lets see who sends the most photos?

 

Besides that a sign to come ...how to kill off the increase in Falang tourists to Thailand. Easy employ a moron tourist Thai Minister. Less Falangs less bribes less tea money!

 

LOS

[sawadee1947]

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thaivisa notes that so far there has been a "softly, softly" approach - but from February 1st the law states that those that break the beach smoking ban will face up to a year in jail or 100,000 baht fines - or both. 

That's great. Jail them all who won't follow the law. In IRL and other countries it's law since ages. And every smoker knows the law and can have the stinking corner.

So why they complain about when being in Thailand?

Best solution: Ban all smoker from entering Thailand.....

[wavemanwww]

3 minutes ago, johnhw said:

.....call on people to keep up? On this venue, even CATCH up would be a  long shot. Many comments here are reminiscent of Grade Shool recesses 50 yrs ago......in Swampsewer, Alabamssippi

yes those were the days, When we had no gay rights. Leave our front door unlocked and not live in a cotton wool protective society. On top of that killed Japanese soldiers who invaded Thailand, Ahh No Thanks from Thailand after kicking them out. But thanks to Japs for building a railway using foreign free slaves( prisoners of war)!

[nausea]

Farangs won't play our nonsensical game, boo-hoo.

[Happyman58]

18 hours ago, YaiJung said:

"But at least most Thais are OK with it and gladly cooperate". ... I went for a walk at dongtan beach this afternoon and saw more Thais than foreigners smoking on the beach.

Thais know they  wont be booked because most cant or refuse to pay the fine The Farang are the ones they want. They are the piggy banks you might say  Old saying " Why catch goldfish when you can catch Marlin" Thais are the goldfish Farang are the marlin Then the Thais are such law abiding citizens as we all know Might try telling that to the idiot in the mini van this afternoon who tried to come up inside me when i was turning left on a one lane street

[AlphMichaels]

Outstanding.

[Rimmer]

Some off topic posts removed

[Kadilo]

Won't be long before some Thais not only come round selling food but offer a service where they carry the foreigners in a hammock to the smoking area, wait while they puff away, then sell them a beer before carrying them back. 

 

[HerbalEd]

20 hours ago, gandalf12 said:

Law abiding Thai's? Is this a new breed of Thai as they ignore the laws more than any other nationality

Regarding "They said if they are not allowed the freedom to smoke they won't come back to Pattaya. Most of these are foreign tourists."

 

Thank you. You won't be missed.

[B4Jazz]

"those that break the beach smoking ban will face up to a year in jail or 100,000 baht fines - or both. "

 

Seems crazy when people do all sorts of crimes and only get fined 500baht. Problem is most other countries in Asia do not have these bans, I can see tourists going elsewhere. You probably need to smoke to go on Pattaya beach anyway. Smoking I'm not keen on but I think the sewerage problem is more important than a few smokes on Pattaya beach.

[The manic]

On 06/12/2017 at 11:19 PM, smedly said:

because banning smoking in a huge open air outdoor space is idiotic never mind the jail time 

 

banning people from general littering is not idiotic and actually goes some way to deal with the actual real problem

Public smoking sets a bad example to children, it makes the air smell bad and triggers smokers who have recently given up. Only 10% of prople smoke and they have no right to pollute the air of others.  Smoking is a flithy, smelly, outdated antisocial habit.  

[The manic]

8 hours ago, wavemanwww said:

I strongly suggest that all falangs that visit Pattaya . Take photo'"s of Thai netzinens smoking on or near the restricted zones. I also suggest all Thai's take photo.s of Falang smoking on or near the beach and upload on this news site Lets see who sends the most photos?

 

Besides that a sign to come ...how to kill off the increase in Falang tourists to Thailand. Easy employ a moron tourist Thai Minister. Less Falangs less bribes less tea money!

 

LOS

But most people tourists and Thais alike do not smoke and approve of the law. 

Edited December 7, 2017 by The manic

[The manic]

21 hours ago, Thechook said:

I guess thais were informed about the new laws but the international community were not.  Travel companies do not tell their customer and when they arrive they expected the place to be as it was last month.  Pattaya has a lot of men returning  a few times a year so they may not like the changes and look for fresh horizons

But the 90% of non smokers will rejoice and spread the good news. 

[atyclb]

smokers adapt well.  they must choose between smoking in certain areas versus pussy access in pattaya.  me thinks they will adapt

 

venues that ban smoking still do very well

 

personally being on a nice beach without 2nd hand smoke is nice.

[observer90210]

10 hours ago, mikiea said:

how about applying the same attention to child trafficking , bondage  and slavery crimes against the thai people ? thailand and a few places in africa are the only places left that put their own people and children into slavery . deal with that first . 

options are open for many unacceptable crimes dear fellow....but one by one, as things move slowly in Thailand, as you must be aware of course...

[Grumpy Duck]

On 12/7/2017 at 12:21 AM, Kadilo said:

Yep completely OTT. But that's the rule they have come up with and if some grumpy old foreigners think threatening not to come back is gonna make a difference I think they are mistaken. 

Hopefully they will ban foreigners wearing budgie smugglers on the beach too. 

What are budgie smugglers?

[Carib]

10 minutes ago, Grumpy Duck said:

What are budgie smugglers?

[Sir Dude]

"They are used to the freedoms of the past," added Chatchawan.

 

Haha, said like proper committed peon of the junta. He has no idea of how true that is starting to ring on so many things here.

[wavemanwww]

9 hours ago, The manic said:

But most people tourists and Thais alike do not smoke and approve of the law. 

You walk along Pattaya and count them? LOL The old saying,"Lies dam lies and statistics" Please show us the paperwork regards Pattaya smokers Mr  Maniac

[mikiea]

On 12/8/2017 at 1:53 AM, observer90210 said:

options are open for many unacceptable crimes dear fellow....but one by one, as things move slowly in Thailand, as you must be aware of course...

huh ....? use make no sense...options ?  ehhhh.... you should read your statement before pushing the "post" tab .

[observer90210]

1 hour ago, mikiea said:

huh ....? use make no sense...options ?  ehhhh.... you should read your statement before pushing the "post" tab .

sorry, but I don't entertain conversations with trolls...bye and welcome to my ignore list.

[mikiea]

On 12/9/2017 at 9:13 AM, klauskunkel said:

Is that the guy's office, or living room? In either case it surely looks like he is doing OK.

 

18 hours ago, observer90210 said:

sorry, but I don't entertain conversations with trolls...bye and welcome to my ignore list.

two words for u   MAN UP.....

[mikiea]

On 12/8/2017 at 1:53 AM, observer90210 said:

options are open for many unacceptable crimes dear fellow....but one by one, as things move slowly in Thailand, as you must be aware of course...

you post it twice and i say "huh" twice ....hahaha hahaha hahaha 

[DrTuner]

"Freedoms of the past". Well put. That "freedom" was a major attraction for western tourists. Of course it never existed, it was just simply draconian junta laws from ages ago not being enforced. Now it's hammer time with the country becoming a boring rule hell.

[angy]

I think that also many tourist don't come to Thailand because is difficult to find recreational place that are smoke free. I live here but avoid to go to discos and other places because of the smoke ... and also for the sound too high, I know there is a law also for these things but is totally avoided.

[WHYWHY]

As adults we make choices 

Smoke Don't Smoke 

Drink Don't Drink

Loud music No Loud music 

Drive Don't Drive 

How about instead of Ban this Ban that 

Look at Traffic road Death just to name a few 

 

[matsellah]

 

 

Edited December 11, 2017 by matsellah
Didn't work the first time.