Isn't Smoking In Restaurants Illegal?

[fasteddie]

And I'd just like to add, on a personal note, my own disgust towards the idea of turning the best rugby place in Bangkok to a cigarette infested stink-bomb.

Soi 8 Bar, what he he** happened, why did you choose to break up with me...?

Well it's better than being stuck in open air Twickenham not being allowed to smoke while a steady stream of piss heads push past, first for a drink, then to the toilet, then another drink, then another toilet etc.

[Forethat]

And I'd just like to add, on a personal note, my own disgust towards the idea of turning the best rugby place in Bangkok to a cigarette infested stink-bomb.

Soi 8 Bar, what he he** happened, why did you choose to break up with me...?

Well it's better than being stuck in open air Twickenham not being allowed to smoke while a steady stream of piss heads push past, first for a drink, then to the toilet, then another drink, then another toilet etc.

Hmmm...I dont know..... walking past Soi 8 bar when there's a game on feels like walking past an old girlfriends house and watch her being shagged...

[LoZth]

Quote: Smoking is only illegal in enclosed airconditioned restaurants.

I am a smoker but if smoking is not allowed I will abide by the rules and not smoke until I leave.

But I wasn't impressed when this happened.

We went to eat at a cafe in Bang Saen. We sat at a table that was outside the air-con area, outside the garden wall and on the actual public footpath. We ordered and I got my ciggies out and was told, in a sharp manner, no smoke no smoke! I politely pointed out that we were NOT inside, we were NOT even in the garden area but on the public footpath. Still he said no smoke no smoke.

OK, No smoke. we go, bye bye. But before we go, why are those Thai guys at the table there (next to us) allowed to smoke and falangs are not.

He/she(?) came all over pouty for a second or two then with hands on hips said, sharply, OK CAN then flounced away, hmmmmm!

Too late mate,

We left.

[billaaa777]

We did not touch the food, got up and walked out of the restaurant. The manager came after us with the bill as we were getting into the car

telling me "we had to pay the bill..."

...I just shrugged my shoulders. Never went back. Maybe it taught them a lesson. Maybe not. Who cares.

Too bad you were not arrested for skipping out on a bill like you should of been. That surely would of taught you a lesson!

[Chittychangchang]

Smoking a cig after a meal!

The luxury of living in Thailand!

Forget the nanny states of the west.

Thailand rocks.

More relaxing than standing outside puffing away waiting for a fine of the local police.

It's banned for a reason dummy. You want to kill yourself fine. I don't want to have to be polluted with your secondary smoke. Nothing to do about nanny states, but all to do with being thoughtfull and courteous to others.

The smoking Nazi's are out in force today!

Im going to indulge in a nice fat Fidel Castro Havana bad boy after my dinner today.

[petedk]

Easy..., without siding up to all the drivel that posts like this incite. If you enjoyed the food, order "take out" and eat it at home. It's clear the 'ambiance' and social setting wasn't to your liking. You could even hire a motor taxi to go pick it up so you aren't rubbing your eyes while you wait for the to go order. Ask them..., may be they offer the delivery service if you're proximate to Ekamai.

Yes, that is an idea.

We were told that the food was very good and that's why we went there. Yes it was good. We live 5 minutes walk from the place.

[petedk]

Law No smoking where there is A/C and/or food served???? Suggest next time you check when you walk in and leave if they allow smoking, talk with the walk otherwise no one will ( they don't anyway) take any notice. TIT

I have lived in Thailand for 14 years and eat out at least once a week. (I don't mean food courts) and have never in those years seen anyone smoke in an airconditioned restaurant so I never think about checking if people were smoking before sitting down and ordering food!

[somchaimaidai]

I believe The restaurant in question is tuba and if you go to Thonglor police station to complain then you are complaining to subordinates of the owner. Unfortunately TIT.

[petedk]

To get my own back at smokers in restaurants, I replace the toothpick I just used back into its container

Disgusting! Glad I never use open toothpicks.

Personally I prefer to do a really smelly fart but don't always have the gas in me

[petedk]

20,000bht fine for the restaurant.

2,000bht fine for the smoking customer.

Call any policeman, they will be happy to come and collect the fine, on duty or off.

Uhm do you know the reputation of Thong lor police?

Countless cases going on where the rich seem not to get punished.

I can have a break in, lock the intruder in a room, call the police who work just 4 minutes walk away, wait 50 minutes for them to come and convince us not to press charges.

I doubt very much if there will be a fine for the restaurant or the 15 or so customers who were smoking.

On the good side I can buy alcohol from the local supermarkets 24 hours a day.

Edited May 12, 2013 by petedk

[petedk]

I believe The restaurant in question is tuba and if you go to Thonglor police station to complain then you are complaining to subordinates of the owner. Unfortunately TIT.

haha I don't want a libel case so I will say I can't remember the name.

So Tuba is owned by a top cop?

[somchaimaidai]

I believe The restaurant in question is tuba and if you go to Thonglor police station to complain then you are complaining to subordinates of the owner. Unfortunately TIT.

haha I don't want a libel case so I will say I can't remember the name.

So Tuba is owned by a top cop?

I cannot remember his name also

[visionchaser45]

There are two intolerance's in operation here. The smokers who don't follow the laws and the non-smokers who want their rights be omnipresent. They want every bar and every restaurant to be smoke-free. I don't understand why there can't be warning signs outside the door saying, "Beware, no smoking allowed" and enforce the rule. And restaurants/bars with warning signs, "Smoking is allowed". If non-smokers find a restaurant with Italian food they love, but smoking is allowed...they eat and stop whining or go to another restaurant that serves good Italian food without the smoking. If smokers love the food at the non-smoking restaurant, good...enjoy the food and respect the no smoking rule. Why do smokers want to spread the gospel of smoking to all restaurants and why do non-smokers want to evangelize the restaurants and bars and make them ALL smoke-free?

The owner of the establishment should be the only one allowed to set the policies for his/her business, NOT some facist nanny state. The market will determine what the policy will be because, if he/she loses too many customers, he/she may be counted on to adjust his/her policy accordingly. It is a property rights and personal liberty issue.

[MarkCyr]

To the OP -- I have haven't had many restaurants do that in Bangkok, although I know it happens a lot. If the owner is farang and a smoker, he (she) probably does it assuming that a bribe can be paid (if it has not already been paid).

But fear not. The ministry of health is soon going to be taking the job of enforcement away from the police. They know that the current rules are not being enforced and so they are giving the job to the pros. (Source: A foreign buddy who works in the department).

Not sure why restaurants even fight the non-smoking thing. I mean, in a mostly non-smoking country, a smoker will not avoid a great restaurant or a bar if they can't smoke. They aren't there to smoke. It's just their addiction. But non-smokers definitely avoid places like that.

[MarkCyr]

non smoking was going to revolutionise everything ,,,,instead dozens of hotels resto clubs went broke ..4 little clubs i used to frequent in sydney all closed now just get better ventilation systems <deleted>

Clubs close down all the time, mate. But it's got nothing to do with non-smoking bans. There are no statistically significant effects to the income of bars and restaurants before vs after a ban comes into effect. There's loads of data on this.

http://www.tcsg.org/sfelp/economic.htm

[Chittychangchang]

non smoking was going to revolutionise everything ,,,,instead dozens of hotels resto clubs went broke ..4 little clubs i used to frequent in sydney all closed now just get better ventilation systems <deleted>

Clubs close down all the time, mate. But it's got nothing to do with non-smoking bans. There are no statistically significant effects to the income of bars and restaurants before vs after a ban comes into effect. There's loads of data on this.

http://www.tcsg.org/sfelp/economic.htm

Hogwash! There are no statistics? Drive around the U.K 1 year after the ban and 50% of the pubs/bars where boarded up closed. All the social drinking/smokers stayed at home or moved to Thailand.

[khh]

There is hardly anywhere left in the World where you can properly enjoy a cigarette in public. And here's a wee Italian resturant who not only has some sympathy but good food too. But some xxxxxxxx always has too complain.

there is hardly anywhere left in the world where you can properly enjoy a s**t in public but not many are complaining

[khh]

non smoking was going to revolutionise everything ,,,,instead dozens of hotels resto clubs went broke ..4 little clubs i used to frequent in sydney all closed now just get better ventilation systems <deleted>

Clubs close down all the time, mate. But it's got nothing to do with non-smoking bans. There are no statistically significant effects to the income of bars and restaurants before vs after a ban comes into effect. There's loads of data on this.

http://www.tcsg.org/sfelp/economic.htm

Hogwash! There are no statistics? Drive around the U.K 1 year after the ban and 50% of the pubs/bars where boarded up closed. All the social drinking/smokers stayed at home or moved to Thailand.

no matter who has the right numbers... think about the bigger picture! many things are "bad for business" or bad for something in the beginning, but in the long run almost everyone agrees they were good, even necessary.

banning slavery was definitely "bad" for many businesses in the usa. should it be legalized again?

[Forethat]

non smoking was going to revolutionise everything ,,,,instead dozens of hotels resto clubs went broke ..4 little clubs i used to frequent in sydney all closed now just get better ventilation systems <deleted>

hang on now, you think smoking bans are introduced to increase revenue for "hotels resto clubs"?

[sting123]

I think the OP faced one of the two kind of mental ditacture that exist for that case :

1) Or the person does not smake, and expect everyone to do the same

2) Or the person is a smoker and does not care if others are contaminated.

Both behaviors simply denote a lack of politeness, alas trait so common today.

Being an heavy smoker myself, bakc in youth when I was in the military I always booked a place in the train that was for smoker. While I was going from Paris to MArseilles, I often got problems in the middle of the trip , with people complaining I was smoking (the compartment was a smoker one, I did pay a premium for it!). Once even, a couple of old people used to stop the train (used the alarm signal), the wife claiming I was killing the husband. Even with the controller intervention they refused to move to a non smoker place(compartment I do repeat, so no pollution).

On the other hand, usual politenes (at least the one I leasrned), is to NOT light a ciggy before everyone have reach the cheese (or the last dish for Thailand) and to loudly ask for permissions. In a restaurant, it would mean you would simply step outside, because usually people do not finish (or start) all at the same time!

Usual politeness also would push One to ask such a question BEFORE to sit in restaurant, is it a smoker place? I can not bear smoke, do you have accomodation for non-smoker?

Saddly, and I do feel for the OP because eating in the smog is a poor experience (even for an heavy smoker such as me), politeness is as rare as 25 years old maiden serving beer in Nana plaza! Fact it is not about the legality of the thing but more on how we do behave / interact with other in a civilised maneer (or not).

[Kananga]

Smoking a cig after a meal!

The luxury of living in Thailand!

Forget the nanny states of the west.

Thailand rocks.

More relaxing than standing outside puffing away waiting for a fine of the local police.

Would that be the 2000 baht fine after you drop the cigarette end as there are no public bins to dispose of the ends?

[pmarlin]

There is hardly anywhere left in the World where you can properly enjoy a cigarette in public. And here's a wee Italian resturant who not only has some sympathy but good food too. But some xxxxxxxx always has too complain.

Another one of the "persecuted" complaining about his loss of rights. What almost every cigarette smoker fails to realize is that for every smoker

"enjoying" a smoke, there are a lot more people downwind being put off or made sick.

Come on now, I think you're either exaggerating or hugely over-sensetive...

No he is saying like it is. voice of experience.

[Commander Tamson]

There is hardly anywhere left in the World where you can properly enjoy a cigarette in public. And here's a wee Italian resturant who not only has some sympathy but good food too. But some xxxxxxxx always has too complain.

there is hardly anywhere left in the world where you can properly enjoy a s**t in public but not many are complaining

What a really funny guy you are! A professional comedian maybe?

[Commander Tamson]

To get my own back at smokers in restaurants, I replace the toothpick I just used back into its container

A candidate for a Darwin Award

[Buckaroo]

To get my own back at smokers in restaurants, I replace the toothpick I just used back into its container

A candidate for a Darwin Award

To qualify for consideration as a candidate in the Darwin awards I need to withdraw myself from the human gene pool, this I have not done, unless I am typing away from beyond the grave. Smoking is one way of doing it though, do you smoke? If so I could nominate you as a candidate if you so wish.

[itchybum]

Just go somewhere else, if it is all open air, then it is a smokers haven.

Not sure why they would go there though other than to look cool, doubt they can taste any of the food, certainly cannot smell it.

[petedk]

I think the OP faced one of the two kind of mental ditacture that exist for that case :

1) Or the person does not smake, and expect everyone to do the same

2) Or the person is a smoker and does not care if others are contaminated.

Both behaviors simply denote a lack of politeness, alas trait so common today.

Being an heavy smoker myself, bakc in youth when I was in the military I always booked a place in the train that was for smoker. While I was going from Paris to MArseilles, I often got problems in the middle of the trip , with people complaining I was smoking (the compartment was a smoker one, I did pay a premium for it!). Once even, a couple of old people used to stop the train (used the alarm signal), the wife claiming I was killing the husband. Even with the controller intervention they refused to move to a non smoker place(compartment I do repeat, so no pollution).

On the other hand, usual politenes (at least the one I leasrned), is to NOT light a ciggy before everyone have reach the cheese (or the last dish for Thailand) and to loudly ask for permissions. In a restaurant, it would mean you would simply step outside, because usually people do not finish (or start) all at the same time!

Usual politeness also would push One to ask such a question BEFORE to sit in restaurant, is it a smoker place? I can not bear smoke, do you have accomodation for non-smoker?

Saddly, and I do feel for the OP because eating in the smog is a poor experience (even for an heavy smoker such as me), politeness is as rare as 25 years old maiden serving beer in Nana plaza! Fact it is not about the legality of the thing but more on how we do behave / interact with other in a civilised maneer (or not).

I don't smoke and neither does my girl friend and I actually don't mind if my friends smoke. I am not an anti smoker but I do like to eat good food in non polluted air. It reminded me of the old pubs in England 20 years ago.

At that particular restaurant it wasn't just one or two who were smoking but most of the guests. Yes, I politely asked if they had an area which was smoke free but was told that smoking was allowed over the whole restaurant.

I realised by his tone and the fact that so many people were smoking that there was no point in mentioning that it was illegal.

We were just disappointed at having stinging eyes and sore noses and coming out with clothes that stank of smoke.

I don't suppose they care one little bit as there are plenty of customers. We will never go back and if anyone asks about the place we will tell them as it is and let them make their own decision.

[muythai2013]

your eyes were stinging,your clothes smell.

come on, next you will tell us the experience gave you cancer.

This is Asia, enjoy it.

[metisdead]

Off topic trolling posts have been removed.

[FDog]

your eyes were stinging,your clothes smell.

come on, next you will tell us the experience gave you cancer.

This is Asia, enjoy it.

I tend to wash my clothes after I wear them whether they smell of smoke or not.