Smokers beware! Crackdown means lighting up in public could get you a 5,000 baht fine

[webfact]

Smokers beware! Crackdown means lighting up in public could get you a 5,000 baht fine

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Thailand's authorities have continued their crackdown on smokers in the belief that the habit causes a risk of the spread of coronavirus. 

 

As the pandemic eases Daily News reported that a nationwide crackdown on smokers and sellers of illegal cigarettes is underway. 

 

Health officials and police yesterday raided shops in a flea market in Ramintra, Bangkok. Shops face fines of 50,000 baht for advertising and 20,000 baht for selling bootleg cigarettes. 

 

Seven members of the public were caught brazenly puffing away. 

 

All admitted wrongdoing and were fined - the fine is up to 5,000 baht. Daily News did not say what they actually paid. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Regulations enacted in 2017 are being employed to stop people smoking in public places. 

 

Last week passengers waiting for buses at Mo Chit 2 were fined. 

 

Health authorities have said that Covid-19 can spread far and wide on the smoke and besides smokers will not be wearing the obligatory masks. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

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[petermik]

About blaady time.....one crackdown I do agree with....

[xxeo]

What does that mean? Smoking is illegal in Thailand in all public areas, on the street etc.?

[Dumbastheycome]

1 minute ago, xxeo said:

What does that mean? Smoking is illegal in Thailand in all public areas, on the street etc.?

Basically....Yes.

[Phil McCaverty]

6 minutes ago, xxeo said:

What does that mean? Smoking is illegal in Thailand in all public areas, on the street etc.?

Not to my knowledge. Complete BS reporting. If its already banned outside, why the need to ban smoking on beaches?

[smedly]

may I suggest people do a search for Dr John Campbell on youtube, he did a report last day or so on air quality in cities etc - it is quite shocking 

 

smoking is nothing compared to Thailands air pollution and its associated severe heath implications

 

a must read/listen

[smedly]

18 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Basically....Yes.

basically no

 

they are looking for more ways to gouge money from dirty farangs

[Pilotman]

good, about time too. 

[Pilotman]

23 minutes ago, xxeo said:

What does that mean? Smoking is illegal in Thailand in all public areas, on the street etc.?

yes; good 

[Dumbastheycome]

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

basically no

 

they are looking for more ways to gouge money from dirty farangs

It is  news to me that only dirty farangs smoke !

So no fortune to be made there because I think it fairly safe to say the majority of  farang are not dirty.

[sammieuk1]

Another crack pot crack down from the cracked up authorities were Thai academics involved in this thinking ???? 

[BobbyL]

Impossible to enforce consistently. I am guessing this will become another farcical law with some people being fined and the majority not. 

[JonnyF]

Wow. Thailand is becoming unrecognizable to the fun, laid back place I first visited in 98.

 

What a shame it's heading towards becoming a police state.

 

I say this as a non smoker. 

[ezzra]

9 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

yes; good 

 

10 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

good, about time too. 

You didn't made your self clear enough, are you sure now?...

[Phil McCaverty]

Just now, sammieuk1 said:

Thai academics

Sorry, oxymorons not allowed.

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

 

You didn't made your self clear enough, are you sure now?...

sorry, I did try to disguise my feelings on the subject, I clearly failed. Perhaps no one else noticed. 

[spidermike007]

Total BS. No science whatsoever. Second hand air? Total nonsense. The unfounded hysteria continues, from an administration so devoid of talent, it boggles the mind. I am not fond of tobacco. Personally, it has taken out countless people that I loved, and really miss. And I find the smell of smoke to be foul.

 

But, at the same time, I am not fond of big brother, and over reaching laws. If a person cannot smoke outside, where can they smoke? Is it reasonable to tell someone they can only smoke in their homes? 

[toofarnorth]

I did read the smokee has to take the mask off to smoke which is the problem.  If this is true then they have to ban eating and drinking next.

[bangsaenguy]

If the virus can travel on smoke, I assume all the old buses will be paying a fine as well.

And how about flatulence? Surely the virus can take a ride on gas if it can on smoke.

[Phil McCaverty]

4 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

I did read the smokee has to take the mask off to smoke which is the problem.  If this is true then they have to ban eating and drinking next.

How do they manage with BJs?

[smedly]

21 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

It is  news to me that only dirty farangs smoke !

So no fortune to be made there because I think it fairly safe to say the majority of  farang are not dirty.

you're not getting it - dumbastheycome 

 

Thais generally don't get fined for stuff like this simply because they have no money to pay, in the current climate how many Thais do think got hit with fines for breaking lockdown/curfew rules ???????

 

They might be able to pay the odd helmet fine of 400baht but you think they would be fined 5k/10k/50k/100k baht - these fines are targeted at one group of people and they are not Thai

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, bangsaenguy said:

If the virus can travel on smoke, I assume all the old buses will be paying a fine as well.

And how about flatulence? Surely the virus can take a ride on gas if it can on smoke.

Reminds me of an old Jasper Carrott sketch:

Smoker: Do you mind it I smoke?

Carrott: Do you mind if I fart?

 

[Dumbastheycome]

5 minutes ago, smedly said:

you're not getting it - dumbastheycome 

 

Thais generally don't get fined for stuff like this simply because they have no money to pay, in the current climate how many Thais do think got hit with fines for breaking lockdown/curfew rules ???????

 

They might be able to pay the odd helmet fine of 400baht but you think they would be fined 5k/10k/50k/100k baht - these fines are targeted at one group of people and they are not Thai

Breaking  curfew rules  or smoking ....people have been arrested. The majority of those e.g in Phuket have  been prosecuted already for curfew violations. No doubt "fines" or other applied would be relative  to pro rata circumstance.

Farang who regularly object to Thai disregard for law and get snapped for same need sympathy?

So what am I not getting ?

[fruitman]

So will they also crackdown on the polluted air in Thai cities? It's about time they start doing something!

[ChipButty]

Out of all the different nationalities we deal with, the Chinese are the worst them guys just dont get it,

[Jane Dough]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

basically no

 

they are looking for more ways to gouge money from dirty farangs

At least there is one good thing I saw recently......the price of a kilo of potatoes in Lotus was just 29 baht. 

 

Should help with the enormous chip you and others delight in wearing on your shoulders.

 

Rooster

[utalkin2me]

There could not be better news. I really do not even care if the connection is factual or not. 

[utalkin2me]

25 minutes ago, fruitman said:

So will they also crackdown on the polluted air in Thai cities? It's about time they start doing something!

Will they help feed Lithuanian babies?

 

I don't know and I do not care, that is not related. What I do care about is hopefully less smokers will be blowing their nasty smoke near others. 

[holy cow cm]

Now they are really pushing it way too far to say all smoking in public is against the law. As I understand the rules do not state it that way. Out in public in certain areas such as entry and exit ways etc and many out in public areas and venues like parks and markets etc. But out of the ways places no. open air bars should be fine as well. This government needs to go! 

[ChipButty]

9 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Now they are really pushing it way too far to say all smoking in public is against the law. As I understand the rules do not state it that way. Out in public in certain areas such as entry and exit ways etc and many out in public areas and venues like parks and markets etc. But out of the ways places no. open air bars should be fine as well. This government needs to go! 

The way I understand it, is a public building is none smoking you have to move more than 5 meters away to smoke thats the rule where our condo is