Thailand has no time for e-cigs and no mercy for tourists who break the country’s vape ban.
Two English holidaymakers were vaping on a bucolic beach in the popular destination when authorities approached to tell them their habit was not just bad for their health and ‘uncool ‘by teenage standards, but illegal.
“‘It was a very stressful experience, especially being in a foreign country and not fully understanding what was happening,” Sara Green told Yahoo Lifestyle.
Green and her partner were taken to a police station and questioned, an experience she describes as “intimidating,” and a setting that “made everything feel much more serious.”
The pair was released after paying a fine of 40,000 Thai Baht, roughly $1,126.
Authorities informed the couple that if they were caught hitting their vapes again, they could face five years of prison time.
In a statement on its website, the Thai embassy maintains,
“While electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are used around the world as a way of helping people quit smoking, travelers coming to Thailand should be aware that these devices are, in fact, illegal in the kingdom.”
The embassy further illustrates the consequences of violating the law.
“Anyone found breaking this law by using an electronic cigarette – or vaping – in Thailand could be arrested and face jail time, or a fine several times the value of the illegal item(s). This applies both to foreigners and Thais.”
The embassy notes that many travelers are unaware that vaping is a crime in Thailand and unknowingly break the law, resulting in on-the-spot fines or arrest.
Government officials urge tourists to cease and desist when it comes to e-cigs and tour companies to underscore the dangers to their clients.
“Travelers coming to Thailand are advised not to bring any electronic cigarettes with them, nor any item or equipment associated with e-cigarettes, such as the liquid used in the device.”
Likewise, travel agents or tour operators selling Thailand as a destination should make sure their clients are aware of the ban in place on electronic cigarettes.”
Having instigated sweeping vaping bans in 2014, Thailand remains one of the world’s harshest climates for vapers. Both the sale and use of heated tobacco products are prohibited by law.
As Green and her partner now know, penalties can include fines or imprisonment.
Some were hopeful that the country’s 2023 election might result in the vape prohibition being overturned, but the governing Pheu Thai Party has amplified its anti-vape efforts through preventative measures and intensive policing.
Thailand is among a growing number of countries that have banned vapes.
Singapore has maintained a full vape ban since 2018, and possession alone is a punishable offense.
Persons caught with a vape face a fine of $1,500, while first-time offenders caught importing the devices face fines of $7,800 and six months in prison.
The full list of roughly 30 countries that have totally banned e-cigarettes includes:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Gambia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Nicaragua, North Korea, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Syria, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
Australia carries some of the strictest anti-vaping laws. The illegal use of vapes can result in a prison sentence of up to two years and/or fines of $32,000.
Other countries have selective bans; for example, in Spain, vaping is banned on several public beaches, and travelers caught violating the ban can be fined up to $2,600.
While smoking rates have fallen to record lows, vaping has become increasingly common, and research suggests that e-cigs are at least as harmful as regular cigarettes.
The American Heart Association has called the rise in young people using vapes a “serious public health threat,” noting that most still have “highly addictive” nicotine, which can be especially harmful for developing brains.
The vapor may also contain the chemical diacetyl, which has been linked to lung disease, as well as nickel, tin, and lead.
