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
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.