Jump to content

E-cigarette users urge quick solution after tourist’s bribery accusation


webfact

Recommended Posts

E-cigarette users urge quick solution after tourist’s bribery accusation

By THE NATION

 

9b749db9082866bf2f935c422bdf2728.jpeg

File photo : Photo courtesy of Patchilit Ruangsri

 

A NETWORK of e-cigarette users has called on the authorities to quickly come up with appropriate solutions to regulate e-cigarettes in order to protect the country’s image among foreign tourists.

 

They also plan to submit suggestions to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. 

 

The suggestion was in response to a news report on French online media outlet Var-matin, which reported that Thai authorities had demanded a Bt40,000 bribe from a Frenchwoman to free her after she was arrested for possessing an e-cigarette.

 

The 31-year-old woman was on vacation in Phuket in January. She was allowed to return home last month, but then shared her experience with the media.

 

“The news hurts the country’s image as a tourist destination. It’s a result of the ban on e-cigarettes, which is causing confusion in law enforcement,” Maris Karanyawat, representing the End Cigarette Smoke Thailand group, said in a press statement yesterday.

 

He said the network wanted the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Foreign Trade to quickly find appropriate regulations that could replace the ban on e-cigarettes.

 

Thailand in 2014 banned the import, sale and servicing of e-cigarettes, with violators facing punishment based on notifications from the Commerce Ministry as well as orders from the Consumer Protection Board.

 

A working panel led by the ministry late last year assigned the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Centre (TRC) to conduct a study of legal hurdles affecting implementation of the ban. 

 

“We are concerned that the TRC may not be a suitable agency to conduct the study because they would be prejudiced, and that could lead to results that are neither comprehensive nor fair,” Maris said. 

 

He said he had earlier submitted a letter to the ministry urging that a more neutral agency be assigned to study the pros and cons of e-cigarettes.

 

“If no action is taken, we will submit the letter to Prime Minister Prayut,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365113

 

thenation_logo.jpg

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-04
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, waynerooney said:

Why ban E Cigarettes and not real ones? Oh yes they collect 60 billion in taxes on cigarettes 90% of the cost

Think they are still fixing that Tax thing for E-cigs.

i'm sure they will get there in the end.

Carry on Thailand.

 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a friend who smoked the E cig. a lot...He died about 9 months ago. Can't help thinking about him when I read these stories ...and how he would have felt about it all 

  Well...my dear friend,...hope you are resting in peace now...these concerns are no longer yours.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco

Already taxed.

E-cigs.To be taxed.

Maritijuana(Shes a lovely bit of brass, nevertheless)To be taxed.

Ah well, as election time approaches,please hand me my bong,the issue of tax has become very Thaksin on my brain.

Edited by phitsanulokjohn
Add text
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

There is no confusion.

 

You break the law, you either become a victim of extortion or you open yourself up to the Thai legal system and good luck with that. 

 

It's pretty simple how it works. 

Yes that's true Father, and on occasion one pays the bribe (even if innocent) and also faces the Thai legal system at a later date when the extortionists have moved elsewhere. Happened to a friend of mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

There is no confusion.

 

You break the law, you either become a victim of extortion or you open yourself up to the Thai legal system and good luck with that. 

 

It's pretty simple how it works. 

Been there and done that. 

Can cost a lot of money to convince others of your innocence. 

Once you have gone through it,  its like a get out of jail card for future use.

 

And you become a part of the whole corrupt system. ????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Just deny the whole affair ever happened, but later claim the tourist had been given the e-cigarette by a dead friend.

Police bribery? It was a misunderstanding of course. Non of the police had any experience of speaking French, making communication difficult.

as far as I remember, there was mention of a Francophone volunteer in earlier posts. but don't remember Patts or Phuket.

For good order let me elaborate this remark is NOT to knock Tourist Police Volunteers, I was helped not too long ago, by an audibly American volunteer who happened to be around, to get someone from the lock-up before a long weekend, with just fifteen minutes to arrange the Bail documents. 
The guy was doing his job, the way he perceived it to be, Protect and Serve, no facilitation expected.
Respect !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.










×
×
  • Create New...