Thai Concern Over Smoking

Last week, the government warned about the dangers of secondhand smoke: “A recent report by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has raised a grave concern in Thailand, where over 9,000 deaths annually are attributed to secondhand smoke, exceeding the figures reported in the United States.

“The NESDC’s review, covering the social conditions of the first quarter of 2024, also brought attention to the health issues exacerbated by alcohol and cigarette consumption, among other social challenges.

“The report also revealed major increases in illnesses linked to epidemiological surveillance, including a sharp rise in influenza and dengue fever cases. While cigarette usage saw a slight decline, the persistent problem of secondhand smoke has led to calls for stricter enforcement of public smoking bans and the creation of designated smoking areas to protect the public

“Health experts are acutely concerned about the impact of e-cigarettes, debunking myths among parents who believe them to be harmless. Experts warn that the dangers of nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes can severely affect cognitive functions and development in children, potentially leading them to traditional smoking and even illegal drug use later in life.

“The situation also calls for robust public health strategies to lower smoking rates and safeguard young and vulnerable populations from the detrimental effects of nicotine addiction.”

Without doubting the seriousness of smoking-related deaths and illness in Thailand, the statement questions the Thai approach to tobacco harm reduction. 

In 2022, rather than promoting vaping, the government and officials promoted its tobacco industry and attacked ecigs.

ThaiHealth’s Dr Surachet Satitniramai said: “E-cigarettes will have a widespread effect on tobacco farmers in the country. As the materials of e-cigarettes don’t consist of tobacco but chemicals, farmers will suffer income loss. It also affects public health and the government’s plan in steering the economy for agricultural groups.”

Health Minister Charnvirakul received support from the United Nations, which stated: “The United Nations expresses full support for Thailand’s ban of electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes, and urges the Government to take strong measures, as appropriate to the national context, to protect the people in Thailand, especially youth from the harms of tobacco use.”

In turn, the disjointed approach has bred corruption. In 2023, using the fact that vapes are banned in Thailand, police officers attempted to extort bribes from visitors to Pattaya. One Chinese tourist was liberated from £750 of his own money after Sergeant-Major Noppakrit Pornwatthanakit saw him vaping. For a mere thirty thousand baht, the Sergeant-Major said the tourist could escape going to prison – although he began by asking for twice that amount. 

Then, this year, Vice Governor Thongkham told Chief Administrative Officer Suwit Suriyawong, who told Muang Phuket District Chief Worasit Putjeeb, who told Kathu District Chief Theeraphong Chuaychu, who told Phuket Provincial Defense Chief Akara Suwatthikul to crack down on illegal vape sales taking place from a legal cannabis store – because it was their responsibility “to prevent and suppress the sale of Illegal electronic cigarettes at these two shops”.

All for 482 vapes and 74 bottles of eliquid that would have helped smokers to quit and ex-smokers to remain tobacco-free. The question has to be asked: does Thailand really care about smoking and secondhand smoking related deaths?

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Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV

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Dave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.