Philip Morris fumes at Thailand cigarette pack rules

[chooka]

If it is dangerous, it should be forbidden like other illegal drugs. Health departements are finaced through tax income of the tobacco industry, consumers and producers. Advertising companies, distributors, salesmen living on this. I want to see the government to abdicate these incomes but for sure not in the coming centuries. they tell you it is dangerous to wash their hands and keep the money coming!

Agreed, tobacco and alcohol should be strictly illegal with anyone found possessing it or selling it subject to long, long prison sentences and/or the death penalty.

and sugar, deep fried foods, knives, guns, bargirls and motor vehicles. They can all kill you.

Edited June 26, 2013 by chooka

[SOTIRIOS]

.'everyone knows it's dangerous........simple....make it illegal.....

..but I guess the 'health industry' would object...........( I wonder how many tobacco companies have invested in hospitals...)

[pcliff069]

Yea and they took the Australian Government to court on the same issue and lost. Then again they couldn't pay off the legal system in Aust so they might just have a chance in Thailand.

The under developed world is the last stronghold of these killers and they will fight moves like this by whatever means - fair or foul -

and the fact that they do this shows that moves like this do have an adverse effect on sales

Good luck to the Thailand government -- and to all the legal people who will make a bomb out of this (last bit is tongue in cheek by the way)

[o2eZy]

should take the way australia is going and that is ban smoking in public

have started to ban smoking from some malls here and is banned in the area of 20 mtrs from where food is served

a few years ago when I was in Hau Hin at a resort while eating this german guy lights up a cigarette and starts puffing away

arrogant <deleted>

[pcliff069]

The good old US of A has a superb record on banning things -- except of course for things that might actually kill you immediately

But slightly off topic

mea culpa

[oldsailor35]

Going to court over a 35% increase in warning on the packaging, when even 100% isn't going to stop anyone from smoking?

How do you know that. Where are the results of your in depth research, or is this just a smokers reply .

[uty6543]

Smoking should be illegal - period.

and alcohol should be illegal

[oldsailor35]

Anyone who has spent any time in Thailand can see just how strong a hold tobacco has on people, particularly young people. This is a dismal and terrifying fact that will result in ever increasing and needless suffering, as well as a great burden on the health system. Tobacco is a toxic and addictive drug marketed by skilled propaganda technicians, designed to trick and delude people into smoking. These corporations specifically target the young. Thailand should implement a ban on advertising, enforce smoking bans, and promote a non-smoking culture.

``Thailand should implement a ban on advertising, enforce smoking bans, and promote a non-smoking culture.``

Thailand does has smoking bans.

It has been my experience that the biggest offenders are farangs.

What are Thais supposed to get out of that picture???

Errrrr! The old question comes to mind "What are YOU smoking mate"

[oldsailor35]

All cig packets should have the chemicals that are inhaled clearly printed on the packet.

[oldsailor35]

Yea and they took the Australian Government to court on the same issue and lost. Then again they couldn't pay off the legal system in Aust so they might just have a chance in Thailand.

With a little help from the man i Dubai, they might win in court

Only 74 posts and you cannot resist bringing him into the debate of cigarette smoking............please write something intelligent or go away.

[oldsailor35]

As a smoker I support the health ministry on the cigarette pack rules.

Just goes to show, not all smokers are fools, just addicted. Good luck.

[Kilgore Trout]

Agreed, tobacco and alcohol should be strictly illegal with anyone found possessing it or selling it subject to long, long prison sentences and/or the death penalty.

I'm "liking" this because I'm giving the benefit of the doubt and asuming it's a joke! It is, isn't it? (you can never tell on TV!)

I understand your concerns and can tell you that tongue is firmly planted in cheek

[oldsailor35]

should take the way australia is going and that is ban smoking in public

have started to ban smoking from some malls here and is banned in the area of 20 mtrs from where food is served

a few years ago when I was in Hau Hin at a resort while eating this german guy lights up a cigarette and starts puffing away

arrogant wanke_r

Smoking is banned in all shopping malls in Queensland and smoking is not allowed within 4 meters of the entrances.

[watcharacters]

Yea and they took the Australian Government to court on the same issue and lost. Then again they couldn't pay off the legal system in Aust so they might just have a chance in Thailand.

With a little help from the man i Dubai, they might win in court

.

Please explain what you mean by the help from the man in Dubai.

thanks.

[oldsailor35]

Smoking should be illegal - period.

and alcohol should be illegal

YEH! stop all this wine drinking in churches !

[hellodolly]

I can't quite believe that a tobacco company has the sheer gaul to sue a Health Ministry!

IMO, at this stage in the game they should be using their billions to diversify into something that doesn't kill people, something good like renewable energy, or something!

Is Phillip Morris run by robots? Shame on them!

I believe tobacco is just a small part of the Phillip Morris family. It is how ever a very profitable one. I see where they are the producers of Marlboro.

A while back they had a poll of the most influential man in the 1900s both real and fictional.

The Marlboro man one.

I see very little public smoking here in Thailand. Back home where it is just about illegal to smoke in your own home I see many smokers out side their place of business. I believe they have to be 15 or 20 feet from a door way.

The funny part about it in British Columbia is it is the Workers Compensation who has really put the pressure on about smoking. Also the insurance industries takes smoking into account.

[oldsailor35]

Yea and they took the Australian Government to court on the same issue and lost. Then again they couldn't pay off the legal system in Aust so they might just have a chance in Thailand.

With a little help from the man i Dubai, they might win in court

.

Please explain what you mean by the help from the man in Dubai.

thanks.

i doubt if he knows.......just thinks he's being funny .

[belg]

21st century

people should be informed and know better

people smoking should be banned from free healthcare

same as the 300+ pounders that go eat mcdonals everyday

[chooka]

21st century

people should be informed and know better

people smoking should be banned from free healthcare

same as the 300+ pounders that go eat mcdonals everyday

who gives free healthcare? Australia certainly doesn't

[tragickingdom]

No problem, this cancer producer will be slept around by the kingdom's judges because there is consensus. Keep up the good work Thailand.

[Halion]

Here we go again and so bloody predictable.

Do not ever recall in my entire life any smoker writing anything on the joys and benifits of smoking and it does not require much intellect to infer or determine that the long term effects of smoking will have a detrimental effect of the health of the individual, however, when ever such issues come up there is such a ground swell of righteous indignation from the Sainted non smoking puritain fraternity. Perhaps it is because this is so well documented that they feel that it is a fashionable bandwagon within their intelect.to which they can exhibit their concerns.

These same people do not expound so passionately or knowledgeably on other issues such as gun violence, dangerous driving, toxic industrial and vehicle emmisions, prostitution, child pornography, Aids and other rampant STD's, envoronmental and building safety standards, social welfare , rampant drug abuse, an inept and manipulated police force and the mindless corruption which forms the backbone of everyday life in this country. All important, but smoking is an easier target and give one the moral high ground.

I find some of your arguments facile such as protecting the young from becoming a smoker. This is not your, nor the goverments or tabacco companies mandate , it is the responsibility of the parents and we all know where that takes us.

Price them out of the market.! Fine, why do we not do the same with alcohol which in many ways and very well documented, has a far greater negative social fingerprint than tabacco.

The Government should ban smoking,! simply dumb. The same argument applies to alcohol , will never happen as dictated by the socio economics of the problem.

The negative cost impact of smoking on care Health.! Really, compared to gun violence ,dangerous driving, prostitution and STD's and drug abuse.

I think ther are a lot more tangible and salient problems to concern yourselves with than the evils of smoking, however they equire slightly more effort in order to ecome an aficionado.

[bra]

I have annual world wide travel insurance, which covers me for some pre existing medical conditions for extra premium cost. By mistake I once ticked that I was a smoker (I never have been) on the renewal form and all cover was declined until I sorted it out. Insurance companies make money by not providing cover for near certainties like illness and death caused by smoking. Smokers should take note and I support actions such as that taken by the Thai Health Department.

I am writing this in an out door eating and drinking area of a pub in Australia, where smoking is banned as it is in all similar areas in Australia. Pity the same does not apply in luxury resorts in Thailand where mainly European tourists cant control themselves (they are addicted after all) and continue to smoke.

[techboy]

Yea and they took the Australian Government to court on the same issue and lost. Then again they couldn't pay off the legal system in Aust so they might just have a chance in Thailand.

Did not take long before someone jumped in with some offhanded speculation of corruption- That will happen in the future Good grief! I do believe that the reasoning behind some posts is seriously rivaled by the neural response of a biology class frog leg twitch experiment.

Edited June 26, 2013 by techboy

[DGIE]

The government will make a billboard showing a big scissor cutting the giant

cigarette

[Fullstop]

Given the negative impact this policy will have on our trademarks

Err...I think that's the whole idea "Mr Morris".

Anyway ... it won't stop the hardened addicts from puffing away, so don't worry. Unless (SHOCK HORROR!) you want NEW young addicts!

[culicine]

Nothing will deter smokers from smoking like a stiff price rise, hit

them where it hurts, their pocket, and see that many will find smoking

is unhealthy to their budget...

If these people had a budget at all..

The problem back home is that smokers are generally the poor and uneducated people.

So rights activists complain that such measures target unfairly that given population...

Nothing will deter smokers from smoking like a stiff price rise, hit

them where it hurts, their pocket, and see that many will find smoking

is unhealthy to their budget...

If these people had a budget at all..

The problem back home is that smokers are generally the poor and uneducated people.

So rights activists complain that such measures target unfairly that given population...

It's the same here. Mostly the poor and lower educated smoke, and mostly men. They have much less ability to pay for their medical treatment and thus put a huge strain on the health system. Would like to see as much effort put into reducing the number of accidents on the road - through proper law enforcement.

[techboy]

I cannot understand how Phillip Morris can make a claim that this will have a negative impact on their business. In spite of years of aggressive international anti-smoking publicity and laws, their lousy stock hit new highs just this year. Idiots (including me ) continue to use their product in spite of decades and decades of evidence proof that cigarette smoking kills.

[chooka]

Yea and they took the Australian Government to court on the same issue and lost. Then again they couldn't pay off the legal system in Aust so they might just have a chance in Thailand.

Did not take long before someone jumped in with some offhanded speculation of corruption- That will happen in the future Good grief! I do believe that the reasoning behind some posts is seriously rivaled by the neural response of a biology class frog leg twitch experiment.

Yes you are quite right corruption in Thailand is a myth, started by those who want to bring Thailand (The world leaders) down into a 3rd world status. Hi-So's and large corporations could never possibly get there way by simply throwing a few baht around they would be arrested and severely punished and it has never ever been heard of in Thailand.

My apologies for even thinking this.

[Westaurel]

It's a good thing to hide the maximum the evil brands.

Too bad in Europe where the tobacco lobbies are stronger and can do almost all they want !

Edited June 26, 2013 by Westaurel

[stoli]

Philip Morris is missing what should be their main argument. "Medical Tobacco". "But your honor, since I have started smoking I am more active, I have more energy allowing me to better perform my job, my Glaucoma has gotten better as smoking Marlboro relieves the pain, and you are hurting millions of people by not allowing us easy and inexpensive access to a fine pain reliever such as my Winstons or my Camels."

Remember, in the states now we have changed all of our laws from what worked and made sense, to laws that make us feel good. How else do you think we could get to so much massive debt? Give the poor whatever they need, and don't make them prove they are poor because we don't want to offend them. If it feels good, it must be passed. (Sorry, somewhat off topic).