"Foreigners against smoking ban" video hits the internet as authorities scurry to explain

[Kadilo]

Ridiculously OTT punishment but all this talk of tourists boycotting etc because they can't have a fag on the beach. Really? I don't buy it. 

 

[realenglish1]

42 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

If it is that bad for you, surely governments would print a warning on the pack.

Every government I know of prints the hazzards of smoking on the pack Have you every seen  a pack of Thai cigarettes Very graphic warning

[sammieuk1]

Its not really about the smoking ban and the lunacy of the punishment as a non smoker looking in I see it in conjunction with other recent draconian measures as a slide towards authoritarian meddling  not feeling quite so comfortable as I once did here and hope I am totally wrong.

[aguy30]

The smoking ban is a GREAT idea. What about the rights of non smokers?

 

I don't have any sympathy for the rude trolls smoking cigarettes and worse yet, cigars, who are typically inconsiderate of everyone. Even worse now as the beach chairs are closer than even and no escape from them. No problem, let them take their disgusting habit to specials locations and better yet make them wear a plastic bag over their heads while smoking! The good side is that smokers usually die younger than non smokers.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Many, many countries have much stricter laws regarding the disgusting habit of smoking in public places. Many also have strict rules about drinking alcohol in public places. And many of these foreign tourists come from such countries.

 

Little sympathy for those who expect to come to another country and do as they please even though it would be against the law in their home country.

 

 

Yehhh, playing Bridge too............The nerve of these holiday folk...

 

[Peterw42]

22 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

Every government I know of prints the hazzards of smoking on the pack Have you every seen  a pack of Thai cigarettes Very graphic warning

Yes, sorry a poor attempt at a joke.

[dinsdale]

39 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Many, many countries have much stricter laws regarding the disgusting habit of smoking in public places. Many also have strict rules about drinking alcohol in public places. And many of these foreign tourists come from such countries.

 

Little sympathy for those who expect to come to another country and do as they please even though it would be against the law in their home country.

 

Absolutely correct. I can name many countries that will fine you US$3000 or put you in jail for a year or both for smoking in a non-smoking area. Mmm! No maybe I can't.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

yes I cannot stand cigarette smoke !

What about vaping?

It's illegal in Thailand and if caught anywhere could be fined or sent to prison for up to 10 years if convicted. Also includes vaping supplies and e-cigarettes themselves.

So no alternatives to a cigarette smoker.

[Graemej100]

I have to say I support the ban. I've seen first hand, as one of those stupid farangs who helps clean beaches, how many cigarette butts that are left on the beach at the end of the day. On the small beach I go to at the bottom of Pratumnak Soi 6 there are literally hundreds on some days. Please do not even suggest that they do not harm the environment. That would be stupid. The nicotine in the last inch of a cigarette is potent. The butts just go into the sand and the paper breaks down but what it leaves behind must be frightening. If you doubt me just get a small kitchen sieve and sieve any block of sand, especially at the bottom and to the right and left of the steps down to the beach. I am always shocked by the number of butts left on top of the sand. I'd hate to think what is underneath. This might be one of the few environmentally responsible things a Thai Govt. has ever done!

[samsensam]

2 hours ago, realenglish1 said:

I gave up smoking more that 18 years ago Thank god I did or I am sure I would be in the grave by now

 

If you are so warred  about smoking then just quite The benefits are Huge

 

1. Never get fined on the beach

2. Lungs will improve  dramatically

3. Food and smell him be heightened

4. More girls will find you more attractive

5. your cloths will smell better

6. Increased possible income from not buying  cigarettes

7. Longer life

 

I can go on and on You can add more to this list but I think you get the idea

 

absolutely. there are zero downsides to quitting smoking.

 

well done thailand for helping encourage people to stop.

[shackleton]

Seems a lot of smokers getting worked up about the law being introduced in February 2018

there is designated smoking areas provided use them

 can't see Thais abiding to the rules wait to be proved wrong

would have thought the majority of tourists family's with kids would approve 

of the non smoking rule on the beach area 

 

[Briggsy]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

I am wondering what will happen if they ever try to take someone to court for smoking on the beach

I am sure this law will be enforced in a similar way the anti-littering law with the 2000 Baht fine that was introduced around 1999 was enforced :-

 

Cops trailing smoking foreigners on Silom and then pouncing with trilingual (Japanese, English, Thai) explanatory flyers when the foreigners flicks the butt. Foreigner taken to police booth where an unreceipted cash transaction ended the affair.

[RichardinHuaHin]

I think the fine and jail time is asinine compared to a 500 baht fine and "I'm sorry" for killing someone on the  roadways if you can get that.

[pattayadon]

Unfortunately, It is only until a smoker quits smoking that he/she realizes what a nasty habit it is!!!!  Seen this many times!

[ThaiFelix]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

What exactly are the reasons? Clean up the beaches. Ridiculous. I agree that people butting out in the sand and not disposing of the butt properly is not good. But (no pun intended) you could light up next to a bin with every intention of putting the butt in the bin and go to jail. This is insanity on a grand scale.

What bins???

[scottiejohn]

Can anyone name a single benefit for anyone to start smoking or allow or impose secondary smoking on anyone. 

 

Those who have this horrible addiction should be given compulsorily medical treatment and all cigarettes and all the vapour etc imitations banned from public sale and only sold under medical/mental health prescription. 

 

Bring in cigarette prohibition worldwide with fags etc only provided under medical care.  The world health organisations would save Trillions of $$$$s and many parents and kids would live longer. It would not be the same as booze prohibition as who would want to hang out in a smoke filled fag centre.  Just try looking and smelling at the people who have just used the airport ones!  Ugh.

 

 

 

[stravers]

1) Thais will never be charged.  

2) Foreigners are encouraged to pay a lesser bribe when caught. Both sides leave happy. See jet ski scam.

[HHTel]

4 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Smoke all you like, but not on beaches, restaurants, public transport or hotel swimming pools and especially near children. Go back to where you came from if you don't like it and try it in your country. Thailand is their country, you are guests, behave like one, and it's about time they stuck to their guns on something at least, and yes I cannot stand cigarette smoke !

 

Another "We are guests in this country".  We are not guests by any stretch of the imagination.  We are not invited and for us to live here, we have to jump through many many hoops.  We can be kicked out of the country on a whim.  Look up the word 'guest'.  Would you treat your guests the way the foreign population are treated by the authorities here.

I like Thailand and I love living here but guests we are not!

[geoffrobbo]

So 100,000 baht fine and one year in jail for smoking on the beach. A significantly more severe punishment than Red Bull Boy has had for killing a policeman.

 

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

The only thing wrong with this is it will never be applied to Thais, who we have enough smoking already. L&M some of the foulest smelling cig odour in the world.

I don’t want foreign smokers coming here they should smoke on a beach in their own country or go elsewhere.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jingthing]

As far as impact on tourism, yeah, there's always a new group of "suckers" coming here no matter what. But fines and jail such as this so way out of proportion to the crime will be heard about internationally and whatever reputation Thailand has as a fun loving carefree beach holiday kind of place will certainly be diminished. Mai bpen rai ... Schmai schmbpen schmrai. 

[melonf]

Just to put the concerns about the number of cigarette butts littering the beach into perspective. This is from the WorldAtlas. Thailand is one of the top countries pouring plastic into the oceans that ends up being such an eyesore on Pattaya's beaches.
 

Nearly 513 million tons of plastics wind up in the oceans every year out of which 80% is from just 20 countries in the World. While China, India and America are in the list of contributors to this havoc, other countries like Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa contribute their own share in a considerable manner.

[StevieAus]

11 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Can anyone name a single benefit for anyone to start smoking or allow or impose secondary smoking on anyone. 

 

Those who have this horrible addiction should be given compulsorily medical treatment and all cigarettes and all the vapour etc imitations banned from public sale and only sold under medical/mental health prescription. 

 

Bring in cigarette prohibition worldwide with fags etc only provided under medical care.  The world health organisations would save Trillions of $$$$s and many parents and kids would live longer. It would not be the same as booze prohibition as who would want to hang out in a smoke filled fag centre.  Just try looking and smelling at the people who have just used the airport ones!  Ugh.

 

 

 

Whilst as a non smoker I agree with most of your post, realistically prohibition will never be introduced by any government for the simple reason that they do not want to lose the massive revenue collected from cigarette sales.

Typical government hypocrisy.

[geoffrobbo]

I don't smoke and don't really like the smell of smoke, but I think banning it on the beach, an open space, is ridiculous. Will it keep the beaches clean - no. Because all the sewage and rubbish left by Thais and floating up from the sea will still be there long after all the tourists have left and the government takes its head out of its collective butt to wonder what happened.

[cookieqw]

2 hours ago, nisakiman said:

Good heavens, no! That's far too sensible!

 

No, rather than address the problem of butts on the beach in a way that will suit everyone, better to alienate and persecute smokers, as usual. It's the currently fashionable, PC thing these days. It used to be blacks, Jews and homosexuals that it was acceptable to hate, but they've been rehabilitated now, and so another minority group had to be found to persecute relentlessly. And smokers are an easy target.

 

It's funny how things change. Back in the 1950s UK, it was common to see signs in the windows of B&B places with "No blacks, no Irish". People today look in horror at the bigotry displayed by those signs, and yet find it quite acceptable for there to be equally bigoted signs saying "No smokers". It's all about being 'on message' in these narrow-minded, Politically Correct times.

 

It's an unfortunate aspect of human nature that the herd always like to have someone to bully, and currently the victims are smokers, since they have become a minority group and they've been effectively excluded from the liberal PC narrative. They are also easy to identify and target, making them a perfect victim for the self-righteous bullies who so love to tell people what they can and cannot do.

Ha ha sitting next to a black or Irish is not hazardish to your health, a smoker is!! 

[Mark mark]

Why don't they go back to their own countries, and Smoke there ??? Smokers DO, "Suck" after all ! ???

[Jonmarleesco]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The message was clear that alienating visitors at a time when there are few may not be a good thing.

Well, there was never a problem with alienating non-smokers in the past, before the authorities decided a clamp-down was in order in air conditioned pubs and restaurants - and it worked. I'm sure smokers should be able to manage a couple of hours without a fag between their teeth.

[Cancerian]

Wouldn't be to bad if they didnt throw there butts everywhere it's rare to see someone on the beach dispose of of there of there butts properly. 99% just throw them on the beach

[Piccadilly Circus]

This is the answer for all you smokers.

 

 

[smedly]

53 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I am wondering what will happen if they ever try to take someone to court for smoking on the beach

41 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I am sure this law will be enforced in a similar way the anti-littering law with the 2000 Baht fine that was introduced around 1999 was enforced :-

 

Cops trailing smoking foreigners on Silom and then pouncing with trilingual (Japanese, English, Thai) explanatory flyers when the foreigners flicks the butt. Foreigner taken to police booth where an unreceipted cash transaction ended the affair.

you conveniently left out the critical part of my post and therefore completely lost the point so I will make it again so that you fully understand. The law being used to apply punishment is an environmental law which concerns damage to the environment under marine protection which carries a 100,000baht fine and or one year in jail, if a person smoking on the beach is using an ashtray and properly disposing of the said cigarette butt - I am not sure that any court would have grounds to convict

 

My original post.........................................

I am wondering what will happen if they ever try to take someone to court for smoking on the beach and the court asks what offence was being committed against the environment since the person was using an ashtray and disposing of the waste correctly

....