Hi

Just wondering what the current laws on smoking in restaurants are in Chiang Mai.

Arranged to meet some friends tonight in a place in town, but when we got there, it was so smoky none of us wanted to stay.

SO we moved on to a highly recommended French restaurant.

All was going well till a party of 3 came and sat at the table next to us and lit up. We were in the outer area, but still under cover as the place was full. Our very polite request to them to stop almost ended up in a fight! (And we had women and children present)

I remember OLDE BELL Pedr making changes to accommodate the new laws...

just wondered what they were.

David

* Talk to the restaurant manager to solve it.

* If he doesn't, call the police.

Easy.

i smoke so you would think id be all for smoking in bars and so on but im all for the ban

the old bell changed there policy when the new alcohol advertising laws came out and its better for it if you want to smoke go outside then no body is bothered by it

but the problem you faced was you were in a restaurant but the outside section you can smoke in areas like that if you are not closed in

then you can smoke if it has aircon or is closed in then you cant

simple

All was going well till a party of 3 came and sat at the table next to us and lit up. We were in the outer area, but still under cover as the place was full. Our very polite request to them to stop almost ended up in a fight! (And we had women and children present)

1) There is no recommended French restaurant in Chiangmai. If anyone does, you should make sure he has ever eaten in a good French restaurant ("French" as in "France")

2) If you are at the outside of a restaurant, in a garden or so you will have to live with it that someone lights up a cigarrette. I am not sure about the legal situation, but in the inside you are usually safer. If there is something I don't like, I simply apologize, pay and go.

3) Don't even give an indication why you go. Don't call the police. Don't worry about explaining your situation, feelings, legal situation etc. no matter what it's like. Thailand is about harmony at a high price. Critique is not welcome and is nothing people have learned to live with. Apologize, pay and go.

3) Don't even give an indication why you go. Don't call the police. Don't worry about explaining your situation, feelings, legal situation etc. no matter what it's like. Thailand is about harmony at a high price. Critique is not welcome and is nothing people have learned to live with. Apologize, pay and go.

And don't forget to bow low and scrape and wai and walk backwards smiling inanely and apologetically indicating extreme submission.

Was that puke-worthy or what! ^^

Despite the ban, aren't restaurants permitted to have smoking areas? Still, worth calling the manager over to settle it as they'd potentially be up for a 20k baht fine if not permitted. Anyhow, you had the typical reaction from a smoker. Was in Gecko's a while back and three tables around us puffing away, zero thought for anyone else. Have those addicted to nicotine lost part of their brain?

Despite the ban, aren't restaurants permitted to have smoking areas? Still, worth calling the manager over to settle it as they'd potentially be up for a 20k baht fine if not permitted. Anyhow, you had the typical reaction from a smoker. Was in Gecko's a while back and three tables around us puffing away, zero thought for anyone else. Have those addicted to nicotine lost part of their brain?

Yes, they have.

I've seen the pictures. They're printed on cigarette packs in Thailand, helpfully.

You are in Asia and smokers are considered people with a desire to indulge their habit, thus you can expect this seemly insurmountable problem to hit you in the arse. Many places make allowance for the smokers/ non smokers in given areas. It seems that the smoking areas may be somewhat larger than some would prefer.

The astute owners that I am familiar with take into the cash flow, clientele, local laws, etc when they set these sections out. Just some thoughts to consider prior to calling the police or other extreme measures.

1) There is no recommended French restaurant in Chiangmai. If anyone does, you should make sure he has ever eaten in a good French restaurant ("French" as in "France")

La Fourchette is not bad for the price.

iv heard Markos is not bad but i dont like french food all source and no substance so cant comet first hand

And don't forget to bow low and scrape and wai and walk backwards smiling inanely and apologetically indicating extreme submission.

ROFL. Yep, that's the way to go. No, seriously, I hate it myself and am having a hard time here to shut up when everything inside of me tells not to. But you get yourself in nothing but trouble. I wish I could tell a different story.

Now, I forgot to ask the OP: the smoking gentlemen, were they Thai? At what time of night did this happen? Was alcohol involved?

And don't forget to bow low and scrape and wai and walk backwards smiling inanely and apologetically indicating extreme submission.

ROFL. Yep, that's the way to go. No, seriously, I hate it myself and am having a hard time here to shut up when everything inside of me tells not to. But you get yourself in nothing but trouble. I wish I could tell a different story.

Now, I forgot to ask the OP: the smoking gentlemen, were they Thai? At what time of night did this happen? Was alcohol involved?

Hi, they were not Thai..... French!

Time about 8.30-9.00pm I'd only had one beer.

I don't know what their consumption had been!

David