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Bangkok Declares Public Parks Smoke-free Zones


george

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Bangkok declares public parks smoke-free zones

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin today ordered the capital’s officials to enforce a strict ban smoking in public parks across the city.

Speaking in response to His Majesty the King’s words of concern over the dangers of smoking to the nation’s youths, Mr. Apirak said that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) would launch a poster campaign against smoking in parks throughout the capital.

Visitors to parks will also be subjected to loudspeaker announcements publicizing the ban, while the BMA will organize an exhibition on the danger of tobacco smoke.

Smoking is also banned in public places such as restaurants, schools, government offices and hospitals, with violators facing fines of Bt2,000.

--TNA 2004-12-09

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Bangkok declares public parks smoke-free zones 

BANGKOK: --  Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin today ordered the capital’s officials to enforce a strict ban smoking in public parks across the city.

Speaking in response to His Majesty the King’s words of concern over the dangers of smoking to the nation’s youths

Well done and very good news.

One could say an "enlightened"decision. :o

anyone gonna object?

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Perhaps I am displaying a profound degree of ignorance. But why does smoking in a park need to be banned? Surely in a confined space it could be (quite correctly) argued that there is a danger from second hand smoke. I am a non smoker, and this seems to me to be fashionable politically correct persecution.

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Typically Thai, really. Ban smoking in the open air and replace it with noise pollution from loudspeakers telling you not to smoke! Wonderful.

And I thought I saw the most tupid thing in the world the other day I was in the liquor departmetn tried to but a bottle of scotch, no I had to buy it between 11:00 am and 2:oo P.M. or 5:oo P.M. to midnight. Now that is bound to cut the booze consumption in this country.

But, this I have to admit even beats that one

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And if you think buying booze between certain hours only is kind of daft then I heard an even better one today.

I am told by my wife's sister, who took her driving test today, that a new law has just come into effect that requires 'bikers' to collapse/fold away the rear foot rests if they are not carrying a passenger. I am told that this law has just been implemented in Bangkok and the provinces will follow. If you are stopped, you are not carrying a pillion passenger and your rear foot rests are down, you will be fined.

Clearly, it's nearly time for the policeman's ball and more money is required to finance it!

P.S. Can anyone collaborate this story?

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It will be just a matter of time before the thai tobacco lobby puts enough into the Govs re-election campaign that the bad will be lifted or ignored. And who do you think will be getting fined for smoking in the park certainly not thai's as the boys in brown know they can't afford 2000 baht

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Bangkok declares public parks smoke-free zones

Visitors to parks will also be subjected to loudspeaker announcements publicizing the ban

Great. Let's go for as nice stroll in Lumpinee, get away fro the noise of the traffic....

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As a rabid anti-smoker, if they would just issue me a hunting permit I'd be glad to enforce this ban.  Will it be inforced?  5555555!  :o

Oh, I wish I were a rabid anti smoker, then I could join up with drbones and we could walk around with assault rifles and kill lots of smokers, Hey drbones, how many points for a pregnant woman smoking??

maybe we could start a lottery??, have a smoke and some dumbshit american will shoot you, only 20 baht a ticket. hey next week we have a special, two hebes for the price of one, then we are moving on to women in comfortable shoes.......... oh excuse me I think I just came!!.

Freddie

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The park next to the Emporium, Sukhumvit Road - Ben Jasiri Park - has been "non-smoking" for years, and there have been signs up clearly saying that smoking is prohibited. I used to go there regularly for fresh air - not easy to come by at ground level in Bangkok - but occasionally I would see some inconsiderate b*******s walking around, smoking.

As an ex-smoker and non-smoker I don't give a toss what people do to themselves, but when it affects the air that I breathe AND is against the law then I hope the park smokers get arrested and have to cough up 2,000 baht. They're probably already coughing up every morning - but that's just their lungs.

And to all the smokers who are about to flame me - go ahead. You are the ones in the minority - the world is changing.

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Could have been dreaming, but didn't I notice a thread on this forum recently saying that the govt were considering banning smoking in private homes?

If there were children around, I can see some logic. Otherwise.. otherwise. Well, if I don't laugh, I'll cry.

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As an ex-smoker and non-smoker I don't give a toss what people do to themselves, but when it affects the air that I breathe...

We all affect each other and the air that we breathe, by driving cars, by using fuel to cook our food and heat our homes, etc.

This notion that we are each enitled to a pristine environment totally unaffected by those around us is based on the incorrect assumption that we each own the universe. The public space - as opposed to the private space - is precisely the place where the highest level of tolerance is required.

There clearly has to be a consideration that balances the magnitude of the harm of an individual's action against the freedom of that individual to act. Harm, not mere preference would seem to be the more important criteria. And even in the presence of harm, no one is entitled to co-opt the public space in a way that guarantees a completely harm-less environment (again, consider driving our cars, heating our homes, cooking our food, etc). It's the magnitude of the harm that must be considered against the freedom of the individual.

Since a confined area amplifies the harm to non-smokers (to a level that strikes me as sufficiently intrusive to warrant control), a ban on smoking in public confined areas seems quite reasonable, despite the impact it has on me as a smoker. But in an outdoor environment, the harm is dramatically reduced and the affect seems to fall to the level in which a complainant would be expressing a mere preference.

Do we want to live in a world in which regulations are geared towards accommodating the preferences of the least tolerant?

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When I in a public park (if I venture into one) am I not breathing/inhaling the foul and polluted BKK air. You think cutting out cigarette smoking is going to make much of an impact?

What a silly proposal and a crazy notion to boot !!!

I thought that the new governor was smarter than yet. I guess I thought wrong !!!

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