Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Tourists beware: You can be fined and deported for vaping in Thailand
This could put you in jail in Thailand. GETTYIMAGESBANK
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Activists in Thailand called on their government early this month to come up with appropriate solutions to regulate e-cigarettes to protect the country's image among foreign tourists.
The move came after local police detained and demanded bribes from a
for possessing an e-cigarette.
The popular tourist destination has very strict laws against vaping. People can be fined and even jailed for possessing vaporizers such as e-cigarettes and e-baraku.
Unaware of the ban, which came into force in 2014, the tourist was caught holding an e-cigarette in January. She claimed that after refusing to pay bribes, she was detained in a cell, where she shared “a hard, dirty floor with 60 other people for four days” and fined 827 baht ($26).
She also claimed the ordeal cost her about 8,000 euros in legal fees and travel expenses and ruined her holiday with her boyfriend.
A survey last year ranked Thailand as the worst country in the world for e-cigarette users.