Smoking in enclosed Pattaya area restaurants

[Jingthing]

The title says it.

I started this to discuss this issue. 

Is there a law against it? 

What are your experiences with it?

How do you feel about it, whether you are a smoker or not?

 

My usual experience with it is that there isn't much smoking in totally enclosed restaurants, especially those without really good ventilation systems.

 

For more "open air" places it's a mixed bag. Some places are partly covered and partly open and people often tend to still smoke in the uncovered tables. 

 

That can be bad if you dislike smoke with your meal but at least the place is open to the outdoors.

 

Tonight I had one of the worst experiences I've had with smoking in an enclosed restaurant in my entire life.

 

It was a shophouse type place, no doors or windows open, no noticeable ventilation. 

 

I walked in and there was a large table and one person was smoking. I was annoyed but still decided to eat there. 

 

In the middle of the meal, the entire table lit up, and within minutes I was coughing and gagging (I have asthma).

They noticed and didn't care. 

 

I realize some people put on shows of being bothered by smoke but I really could barely breathe. I scarfed down the meal quickly and got out of there ASAP. 

 

It's a place with good food and there has been smokiness before, so I know they have no rules about smoking, but I didn't realize  how bad it could get.

 

My throat is still burning hours later.

 

There is no point complaining to the place. They don't speak English and there are cultural differences with their crowd. 

I would probably go again but only if they're empty and the place doesn't reek of smoke when I walk in. 

 

Is what they're allowing even legal in Pattaya? 

[Ruffian Dick]

I would drop into one or two of the tourist review websites like TripAdvisor and write a scathing review. Expect them to begin to lose their tourist clientele, little by little.

 

The name of the place so present company may avoid it?

 

But I'm new here and already I know that rules are made to be broken in LOS.

[Jingthing]

They are not on any social media.

I can't name and shame them here.

It's against forum policy. 

But to be fair, I know the place and already knew they allow smoking.

So I made the choice to go in there knowing that and probably will again.

But certainly not nearly as often after tonight's experience. 

The nationality that they mostly serve are very often restaurant smokers. Say no more. 

From their POV, it would hurt their business much more to ban smoking than to cater to people like me that really can't stand it. 

 

Anyway, does anyone know if what they are allowing there is even LEGAL? 

Edited September 1, 2017 by Jingthing

[pegman]

I found this for what it's worth. 

 

"Pursuant to the Non-Smokers Health Protection Act 1992, the Ministry of Public Health has issued numerous notices increasingly prohibiting or restricting public smoking. The most recent notice - Ministry of Public Health Notice No. 19 of 2010 - prohibits smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces, and public transport and some outdoor places, with the exception of international airports, which have designated smoking areas, and non-air conditioned facilities serving food and/or drinks, which are smoke free only in the areas where food and/or drinks are served."

 

http://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/country/thailand/summary

 

[thinkingman]

How can u smoke with the pix on the packs?  I feel sorry for the addicts as I was once one.

[Jingthing]

It's one thing being a smoker, it's another thing forcing other people to smoke.

 

But you need to be aware of large cultural differences. The group that bothered me (and the restaurant owners) come from a culture that sees behavior that many westerners would consider as very inconsiderate as totally normal.  

Edited September 2, 2017 by Jingthing

[KittenKong]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Is there a law against it? 

What are your experiences with it?

How do you feel about it, whether you are a smoker or not?

 

As mentioned, Thai law prohibits smoking inside public air-conditioned areas and also anywhere where food and drinks are served.

 

I know of only one air-con restaurant in which the law is (or was) regularly ignored: Jamesons. I went once, sampled the smoke and have never returned.

 

I know of many non-air-con bars that allow smoking but I very rarely go to bars, so not much of an issue. At one little noodle stall I go to the lady owner gives anyone lighting up a piece of her mind, which is good. If I am in an open-air venue and someone is smoking I just try and get myself upwind of them.

 

Should it be entirely banned in all public places? Yes.

[dotpoom]

There's so few actual smokers in Thailand I never come accross situations where I'm affected by it.

[Jingthing]

In this case, it wasn't a Thai restaurant and almost all of their customers aren't Thai. 

The menu isn't in English OR Thai. 

So I get it, it's "their" space. Take it or leave it. 

Cough cough!

[Barney R]

i smoke but never in an aircondioned area and if there are ash trays on the table when I enter a restaurant then I will smoke inside an open aired restaurant or generally the restaurant has a designated smoking area outside that being said I am sick and tired of righteous,self important morons telling me oooh you shouldn't smoke ect ect . Came to a head 4 days ago I was sitting on the beachfront by myself not a person in 30 meters when an older American couple came sat about 5 meters away and told me to put that f....g cigarette out it's not good for them .needless to say a full on argument then erupted . There are hundreds even thousands of restaurants in Thailand choose another restaurant stop whining and get on with your life and by the way go complain about the pollution and air quality while your at it maybe you will be happy then .

[DD13]

23 minutes ago, Barney R said:

i smoke but never in an aircondioned area and if there are ash trays on the table when I enter a restaurant then I will smoke inside an open aired restaurant or generally the restaurant has a designated smoking area outside that being said I am sick and tired of righteous,self important morons telling me oooh you shouldn't smoke ect ect . Came to a head 4 days ago I was sitting on the beachfront by myself not a person in 30 meters when an older American couple came sat about 5 meters away and told me to put that f....g cigarette out it's not good for them .needless to say a full on argument then erupted . There are hundreds even thousands of restaurants in Thailand choose another restaurant stop whining and get on with your life and by the way go complain about the pollution and air quality while your at it maybe you will be happy then .

Sick & Tired eh??

 

Every smoker (without exception) deep down knows smoking will kill them 

(a horrible and painful death, by the way).......sadly those people are too weak willed to be able to stop..... NO nobody will convince me differently

 

Do yourself a favour....visit any cancer ward at any hospital....many years ago I watched an uncle dying with cancer, he was literally coughing his lungs up and depositing them in a  reseptical......screaming with pain every time

 

I smoked as a youngster, knew it wasn't doing me any favours, and asked a man how he managed to stop.....this was his advice

 

Always carry a packet of cigs with you....

When the craving arrives....promise yourself you will "light up" in 5 minutes

Do this every time...the cravings will slowly diminish...sure it's not easy, but with self control you will "beat" it

 

I carried a pack with me for 6 months....just in case....but didn't use any

 

And remember.....when someone offers you a cigarette....

 

Reply ......."I don't smoke"......if you say "I've given up"......they will try to force one on you......because they are TOO weak ....to achieve it themselves

 

As for if there's an ashtray on the table.....

 

If there was a GUN would you shoot yourself ?

 

Good luck with stopping.....you can do it

[LALes]

OP made a bad mistake sitting down in a restaurant where people were smoking.  I absolutely refuse to do that anymore.  There are enough places to eat these days where you won't have to deal with that aggravation.  Why put yourself thru that?

[elgenon]

Most go-gos allow smoking. Even bar beers at the famous plaza in BKK. One banned smoking for about a week a couple years ago. Even had signs. Koreans and Japanese smoke. They are a large part of what's left of the clientele. So how can a ban be enforced? 

[JusticeGB]

I was in Bruno's Restaurant. The owner wasn't present and one of the waiters asked me if I would object if the people on the table next to me smoked. I told him it was an indoor and air-conditioned area and that I strongly objected to smoking. They lit up anyway. I had finished my meal and deducted the tip. On the way out I told the table that I had informed the Police oh their illegal smoking.  They put out their cigarettes so my bluff worked. 

[transam]

10 minutes ago, DD13 said:

Sick & Tired eh??

 

Every smoker (without exception) deep down knows smoking will kill them 

(a horrible and painful death, by the way).......sadly those people are too weak willed to be able to stop..... NO nobody will convince me differently

 

Do yourself a favour....visit any cancer ward at any hospital....many years ago I watched an uncle dying with cancer, he was literally coughing his lungs up and depositing them in a  reseptical......screaming with pain every time

 

I smoked as a youngster, knew it wasn't doing me any favours, and asked a man how he managed to stop.....this was his advice

 

Always carry a packet of cigs with you....

When the craving arrives....promise yourself you will "light up" in 5 minutes

Do this every time...the cravings will slowly diminish...sure it's not easy, but with self control you will "beat" it

 

I carried a pack with me for 6 months....just in case....but didn't use any

 

And remember.....when someone offers you a cigarette....

 

Reply ......."I don't smoke"......if you say "I've given up"......they will try to force one on you......because they are TOO weak ....to achieve it themselves

 

As for if there's an ashtray on the table.....

 

If there was a GUN would you shoot yourself ?

 

Good luck with stopping.....you can do it

But I like to smoke, and have a beer, nothing to do with being weak willed in my case chummy...

[GOLDBUGGY]

Over the years, I have noticed Thailand taking a harder line when it comes to smoking in public places, and smoking in general. Outside of Pattaya and perhpas Bangkok, it is getting more difficult to even find hotels that still allow smoking in there rooms. In Canada and the UK, you can only smoke outside.

 

As a smoker,, I personally would not smoke in a closed public area. But more out of courtesy, and not out of fear of prosecution. Having said that, I think one should also make allowances for that to.

 

I know of a fine restaurant in Bangkok that doesn't allow smoking. But at the same time, and much further down the hall, they have a well ventillated double door smoking room and bar, for the smokers to sneak out while waiting for a meal. Banning smoking totally at airports, in my view is almost criminal. There is no reason why they can't have some well ventilated smoking room, off to the side and away from the main traffic, to enjoy a cigarette. Smokers pay the same prices for airline tickets as non-smokers do.  

 

I respect non-smokers rights, but it is high time they respect smokers right to. Non-smokers don't own every square foot on this Earth and the Sky to. Don't sit near this smoking section in the Bangkok Restaurant I talked about, and then complain about cigarette smoke, when you have 100 other tables to choose from and much farther away. I see this happening all the time.  

[GOLDBUGGY]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They are not on any social media.

I can't name and shame them here.

It's against forum policy. 

But to be fair, I know the place and already knew they allow smoking.

So I made the choice to go in there knowing that and probably will again.

But certainly not nearly as often after tonight's experience. 

The nationality that they mostly serve are very often restaurant smokers. Say no more. 

From their POV, it would hurt their business much more to ban smoking than to cater to people like me that really can't stand it. 

 

Anyway, does anyone know if what they are allowing there is even LEGAL? 

The last time I was in Pattaya it had hundreds of good retaurants, and many with non-smoking. So it begs the question why you would go to the one that allows this, when you can't stand it, and then come here to complain about it? Why sick the Police on him or try to sue somebody, or ruin his business he may have worked hard and long to build?

 

The answer is simple. Just don't go there anymore and find a new restaurant. Leave it at that. You have a choice here. It is not like his business is playing loud music all night next to your condo and you can't sleep.

 

I recall one woman on here ages ago complaining that a guy was smoking outside on his balcony and she could smell the smoke 3 floors up from him. So she was tring to egally force him to sell his condo and move out. What is with you guys? Buy a Bloody air fan. 

[Tony125]

48 minutes ago, transam said:

But I like to smoke, and have a beer, nothing to do with being weak willed in my case chummy...

Yeh sure , don't know how many times I've heard guys say that. I like sex too but I can give it up for awhile say for lent but guys who are addicted can't stop smoking. They say  "I don't have to smoke , I can quit anytime "   try not lighting up for 24hrs or 3 days. You won't be able to and will feel like hell.Most say they like to smoke  but it's more like they don't want to feel the nicotine withdrawal symptoms if they stop such as nervous/angry ect.

[Formaleins]

1 hour ago, JusticeGB said:

I was in Bruno's Restaurant. The owner wasn't present and one of the waiters asked me if I would object if the people on the table next to me smoked. I told him it was an indoor and air-conditioned area and that I strongly objected to smoking. They lit up anyway. I had finished my meal and deducted the tip. On the way out I told the table that I had informed the Police oh their illegal smoking.  They put out their cigarettes so my bluff worked. 

I used to go out with a great girl whose father worked for HM Customs and Excise. Nice bloke but loved power, to the point that if someone was driving badly, he would cut them up and stop them, jump out of the car and display his Customs Badge, then try intimidating them with his power. I lost touch with that girl a long tim back - You aren't from Liverpool are you.....do you have a daughter called......

[likeke]

If you smoke, you are an idiot. And if you smoke in ANY public eating establishment, then you are a f**king idiot. Period.

[transam]

7 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

Yeh sure , don't know how many times I've heard guys say that. I like sex too but I can give it up for awhile say for lent but guys who are addicted can't stop smoking. They say  "I don't have to smoke , I can quit anytime "   try not lighting up for 24hrs or 3 days. You won't be able to and will feel like hell.Most say they like to smoke  but it's more like they don't want to feel the nicotine withdrawal symptoms if they stop such as nervous/angry ect.

I don't think you understand, I don't want to stop smoking at this moment in time, perhaps in the future l may. Next we will have the non drinkers come on and say you cannot live without booze in your veins...What one does in ones life is up to them and not to "preachers" just because they don't like something..

Thank gawd you ain't heard me sing....

 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, likeke said:

If you smoke, you are an idiot. And if you smoke in ANY public eating establishment, then you are a f**king idiot. Period.

Bet you drive an electric car and not a diesel....

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

Banning smoking totally at airports, in my view is almost criminal. There is no reason why they can't have some well ventilated smoking room, off to the side and away from the main traffic, to enjoy a cigarette. Smokers pay the same prices for airline tickets as non-smokers do.

 

Should they also have rooms for crack-heads? And people who dont wash and smell bad? And what about people who are drunk and shouting? Or those with screaming kids? Or those who talk loudly on phones for hours on end? Or fatties who occupy a seat and a half just by sitting down?

 

I pay for my ticket and I expect not to be inconvenienced by other travellers in any way. I certainly do nothing at all that could possibly inconvenience them. Close your eyes and you wouldn't even know I'm there.

 

[GOLDBUGGY]

10 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

Should they also have rooms for crack-heads? And people who dont wash and smell bad? And what about people who are drunk and shouting? Or those with screaming kids? Or those who talk loudly on phones for hours on end? Or fatties who occupy a seat and a half just by sitting down?

 

I pay for my ticket and I expect not to be inconvenienced by other travellers in any way. I certainly do nothing at all that could possibly inconvenience them. Close your eyes and you wouldn't even know I'm there.

 

Well I closed my eye but that didn't work. You are still here. 

 

Did it ever occur to you that when at an airport and you see a sign which says "Smoking Room" that perhaps you should go another way? At Bangkok International for example the Smoking Rooms are all downstairs and most of the flight gates are upstairs. 

 

So after you have your Orange Juice at the Business Class Lounge, take the steps up, or the elevator and you will miss them totally. But then if you don't smoke you wouldn't know where these rooms are anyway. 

 

Comparing a Crack Head to a Smoker is is just plain foolishness, But I do wish they did have a room for all those drunks and screaming kids.  

[stanleycoin]

1 hour ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

 

 But I do wish they did have a room for all those drunks and screaming kids.  

Nah

You need an internal Airlock on the aircraft

So at 30,000 feet we can put the kids and there parents in it.

and push the red button.

So its a nice flight for the rest of us.

Job Done  

 

[Billy Bloggs]

38 minutes ago, transam said:

I don't think you understand, I don't want to stop smoking at this moment in time, perhaps in the future l may. Next we will have the non drinkers come on and say you cannot live without booze in your veins...What one does in ones life is up to them and not to "preachers" just because they don't like something..

Thank gawd you ain't heard me sing....

 

Yeah its up to them, its also up to them to not pass on the by product of their passion to others.

[transam]

Just now, Billy Bloggs said:

Yeah its up to them, its also up to them to not pass on the by product of their passion to others.

So true, I am not guilty of that, but I am guilty of driving a diesel ride where I am passing on stuff to others..

[Jingthing]

OP made a bad mistake sitting down in a restaurant where people were smoking.  I absolutely refuse to do that anymore.  There are enough places to eat these days where you won't have to deal with that aggravation.  Why put yourself thru that?

I like the food there. They have dishes not available anywhere else in town. Which is why I will even go back but only if it looks like a less smokey time.

 

 

To add I have no intention of calling the police on them. I was curious about the law though.

 

[MyFriend You]

I don't care if they do, as long as they don't care that I don't, and it doesn't effect me...............plenty of other places for me to go.   but - it is illegal to smoke in public places - I have seen Asian and Eastern Europeans smoke in restaraunts and use their plates as ashtrays..........a Russian man was told by our pool security he couldn't smoke by the pool, signs in english, chinese, russian, korean & thai.  He got all up in the guards' face yelling in russian but the guard stood his ground pointed at the sign, at the kids swimming, then at his cellphone and said "Police"   The guy left - next morning the swimming pool had dozens & dozens of cigarette butts floating on it.  That area is too dark at night for CCTV to pick up who it was, but we know are sure he did it.    We will vote for new lighting at next meeting.

 

So Barney N, sometimes smokers think they are 'Holier than Thou' as well.

[gigman]

So... You don't  choke with smoke  from the bikes and cars on the street??? 

But one smoker sitting somewhere did the harm? 

Is the restaurant  was 2 square  meter? 

I'm  no smoker, have asthma and  COPD... But I have no problem if people smoke around me until it is at least 20 to 1 it doesn't  bother  me. 

Cars created pollution  are making me dizzy but definitely  not one smoker in the room. 

It can be unpleasant  smell but not reaction you experienced. 

Burning  throat ..???

What kind of food was it.... 

To much chilli.... maybe. 

This days hysteria  is most common reason for many allergies.