Smoke signal: Suvarnabhumi sparks smoking rooms outrage
Smoking row ignites as the Airports of Thailand (AoT) makes a shocking bid to reintroduce smoking rooms at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, pushing against the global trend towards smoke-free terminals. As the world gears up for 100% smoke-free airports, Thailand’s move has stirred up a storm of controversy.
Associate Professor Dr Naowarat Charoenkha from the Thai Health Promotion Institute, part of the National Health Foundation, dropped a bombshell.
Dr Naowarat revealed that insiders from the National Tobacco Product Control Board (TPB) are deeply worried about the AoT’s submission to the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), set for tomorrow, Friday, February 7.
“The prospect of reversing the smoking ban, enforced in all Thai airports for the past seven years, is alarming.
“Changing the law to permit smoking rooms again could jeopardise Thailand’s standing on the global stage. It’s widely known that cigarette smoke harms not just smokers, but everyone in the vicinity.”
A dismal study from 2013 revealed that airports in Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, and Phuket were inundated with dangerously high levels of PM2.5 particulate matter. The research showed staggering levels of pollution, putting both passengers and airport staff at risk.
Meanwhile, countries like China have shown leadership, with Beijing and other major airports banning smoking rooms. By 2017, nearly half of the world’s busiest airports were smoke-free, a trend set to continue, said Dr Naowarat.
“But Thailand is veering off course.”
The tobacco control advocate harked back to when smoking bans began on flights due to concerns over flight crews’ health.
“The US led the charge in 1990, initially banning smoking on flights under two hours. By 1996, Air Canada and others had followed suit, leading to a complete ban across the skies.”
In 1992, Thai Airways was commended by the WHO for its smoking ban on domestic flights, a trailblazing move leading to a ban on smoking areas in Thai airports by 2018, aligning with WHO’s Tobacco Control Convention.
Dr Naowarat made an impassioned plea to the TPB, urging them to prioritise passenger health over reinstating smoking rooms.
“Our airports have proudly been documented as 100% smoke-free, let’s not dim that achievement.”
Will Thailand’s airports stay smoke-free havens or puff their way back to the past? Only time will tell.
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