No more smoking in public in Thailand

Smokers heading outside the front of buildings in Thailand for a quick cigarette will soon be a thing of the past. New laws have been enacted that will shortly come into force.

New regulations have been issued by the Department of Public Health which will force smokers to stay well away from public buildings and public areas. The ban will include people smoking outside café and restaurants.

There will be a five metre perimeter exclusion zone from the entrances or exist of all public buildings.

This includes condos, rental buildings, pubs, hotels, religious buildings, karaoke establishments, restaurants, laundries, salons, cinemas, parking areas, spas, areas for Thai massage, clinics, hospitals, schools, swimming pools, fitness parks, clinics and ‘other places’, according to Thai Rath. The regulations also specify precisely where internal smoking areas in buildings may be located.

The new regulations will come into force in 90 days of this latest announcement.

Other regulations, coming in within 180 days, refer to permissible wording that can be used on cigarette packets. Language such as “low tar”, “classic”, “women” and “sexy” will not be allowed.

People flouting the new regulations will be fined 5,000 baht.

SOURCE: Thai Rath