Smoking rooms, and smokers, being kicked out of Thai airports

Ah yes, just finished that 11 hour flight from Europe and can’t wait to dash into the smoking room for a quick cigarette. In Thailand that’s no longer going to be possible.

The AoT (Airports of Thailand) are scrapping the anachronistic smoking zones at all their airports, effective immediately.

Smokers won’t be able to smoke in the ‘Smoking Rooms’ at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Had Yai and Chiang Rai airports.

New laws that came into effect last Sunday which would allow the rooms at airports to continue operating but Wing Commander Sutheewat Suwanwat, the AoT chief says that public health is more important.

The dismantling of the old smoking Rooms started yesterday. Smoking is now banned in a five metres radius around the entrances and exits of most public buildings.

But smokers, fear not, you will be likely to find a place to smoke at airports. Facilities are now being arranged outside terminals away from the public.

Offenders caught smoking in an airport will be fined 5,000 baht.

Of course there was a time when you could actually smoke in planes. But that’s been phased out over the past 40 years. Initially, to pacify the non-smokers, airlines designated smoking and non-smoking zones in the plane but the stupidity of that soon gave way to the way it is today – no smoking in planes. You’ll even get reminded of it during the safety announcements which tells us not to light up in the toilets as there are smoke detectors.

So all that’s left for smokers is a mad dash for the exit door and, hopefully, a smoking zone somewhere outside. Let’s hope three Chinese charter flights don’t land before your plane otherwise you’re going to be waiting awhile.

SOURCE: Sanook