Proposed Thai Laws for Vaping in Thailand

Nothing to apologies for Anbessa. Glad you posted this. What I'm trying to figure out is if this supposed "ban on public vaping" is a real concern or if we should only be worried about a specific area of Bangkok where the fine was issued.

 

Keep it low profile for a few months, until the current thunderstorms recide and the seas have clear water again. S'pore aromatherapists strategy.

 

With regards to the poor chap who was stooped by the BIB, was this an isolated incident only? Some of those downtown areas have been known for the BIB trying to extort money from tourists. A little over a year ago, tourists were complaining about being harassed and extorted from the local BIB, that had to do with smoking.

Besides a Facebook link from a Thai attorney, there really isn't anything else. From what I'm reading, people who are vaping inside pubs are asked to go to the smoking areas. Nobody is being arrested, thankfully. I checked 12 online vendors earlier today, all are up and running and have new gear and juices.

There have also been a few instances where tourists arriving into Thailand have had their gear confiscated. While I may not agree with that, that law is on the books. It is illegal to import vaping equipment and juices into Thailand.

According to Maj. Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, "...it is sill legal in areas where smoking is allowed."
Ban on e-cigarettes and hookah pipes approved in Thailand - Samui Times

This was updated in June 10, 2016. It only mentions about importing e-cigs, nothing about using them for personal use.

Thailand Details - Tobacco Control Laws

As others have said, keep a low profile until this blows over. I'm starting to believe these are isolated incidents in certain areas of Bangkok.

 

Can any of our Thai friends here shed some light on this? It's from a police officer regarding e-cigs.



ตามคำเรียกร้องค่ะ!!!! มาว่ากันด้วยเรื่อง #บุหรี่ไฟฟ้า
มีหลายกระแสข่าวเหลือเกินค่ะช่วงนี้ บางข่าวก็แชร์กันผิดๆเกี่ยวกับบุหรี่ไฟฟ้า ทำให้คนอ่านเกิดความสับสนค่ะ...เพราะฉะนั้นวันนี้ หมวดมาสรุปสั้นๆ ให้ดังนี้นะคะ

More at this link:
หมวดคะ

 

They said effectively this :

Because the e-cig does not have tax, please don't import or sell or give any service.
You can be imprisoned for up to 10 years for doing any of the above with a fine of no more than 1m baht

For buying, selling, giving away for free, invite people to use, basically anything but import.
Up to 5 years in prison with a fine of no more than 500,000 baht

 

Thanks Dck87.
Google translate doesn't always work the greatest. At the end of the piece, this was translated:

"so... Vapelife this is illegal. What???
If vapelife... Can do currently smoking a cigarette as normal but don't smoke in some places, officer ministry of public health forbidden. For example, on a plane of some airline if agent service see ‪is‬ a bother to others."

Does this mean vaping is allowed and not illegal in certain areas?

 

I just get back from some travels to find this!! But, with the greatest respect to all, it sounds like no-one has a friggin clue what the real situation is. So I question the wisdom of having a pinned thread above stating categorically that vaping in public is now illegal based on one report of one person. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to state that the current situation is "unclear". Lest, some old fart like myself open up the forum and have a coronary...

 

I'm paraphrasing here but they're saying something similar to this :

'You can smoke a electric cigarette the same as a cigarette. But NO smoking in certain places prohibited by the Ministry of Public Health such as airplanes'

I wouldn't take this as gospel though. It's still immensely risky :/ There are no clear laws on it as such.

 

If only they would allow import and tax them I would be more than happy to pay....

 

The tax would be a great option.

There would be a lot more revenue generated if people opened shops legally here. The amount of people who would choose to Vape, even paying tax, is very high. Unfortunately the laws in place restrict the ability to do it, if not impair it completely

 

Logically yes.
But I dont think that she is here

 

Now I don't understand it anymore...

You can vape where you can smoke a cigarette, but if you get caught by the BIB you can get fined or go to prison?