Market and legal data for the vapour sector in Thailand

16th August 2024: Thailand: Paetongtarn Shinawatra has become Thailand’s youngest-ever prime minister. She succeeds Srettha Thavisin after his removal by a constitutional court ruling, press reports. While it’s too early to determine the exact stance of Paetongtarn’s administration, her Pheu Thai Party is expected to focus on tightening regulations around substances like tobacco – including related products such as e-cigarettes – due to public health concerns.
5th August 2024: Thailand: During a discussion at the National Health Commission Office, deputy public health minister Thanakrit Jitareerat called for the creation of a distinct law aimed at banning the use and sale of e-cigarettes, since various agencies independently enforce measures based on different laws, press reports. The deputy minister said: “The measures we have rolled out to date have proved ineffective, so a specific law on the matter must be drafted as soon as possible, describing vaping as a serious threat to society.”
22nd July 2024: Thailand: The Ministry of Health Committee on the Safety of Products and Services issued order 24/2024 on 18th July 2024, to improve regulations by adding definitions of e-cigarette and e-liquid, among others. The order also reinforces the prohibition on the production, sale, and provision of e-cigarettes and their refill liquids. This decision follows the authorities' concerns over harmful chemicals and the health risks associated with these products, including the potential spread of infectious diseases and serious illnesses.
17th July 2024: Thailand: In a meeting held today, health minister Somsak Thepsuthin, together with members of other ministries, approved measures to enhance law enforcement on e-cigarettes, proposing a multi-ministerial task force, press reports. Among the measures are suppressing advertising and sales of e-cigarettes online and inspecting passengers carrying or using e-cigarettes in bus stations and airports.
14th May 2024: Thailand: At a forum on “Protecting Children and Youth from E-Cigarettes” held yesterday (13th May), the National Health Commission Office, government stakeholders and other members of society adopted measures to prevent and control the spread of e-cigarettes, including raising awareness of the dangers and addiction, monitoring and enforcing laws, and confirming policies and measures to prevent and suppress the spread of e-cigarettes.
25th January 2024: Thailand: At a seminar this week on e-cigarettes, the director general of the Department of Disease Control, Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, said e-cigarettes are widely distributed in spite of the e-cig sales ban. A survey across the country of 6,700 teenagers aged 13 to 15 found that vaping increased from 3.3% in 2015 to 8.1% in 2021 and 17.6% in 2022. Internet ads increased from 27% in 2015 to 48% in 2022, according to the authority.
20th December 2023: Thailand: The Department of Disease Control has issued a warning to the public to quit vaping because of its addictiveness and harmful effects on the respiratory system.
31st August 2023: Thailand: Chonnan Srikaew has been announced as Thailand's new minister of Public Health. Yesterday (30th January), he resigned as leader of the country's main political party, the Pheu Thai. According to our policy radar, the Pheu Thai Party has taken a negative stance on novel products and made a public commitment to support the continuation of the vaping products ban. However, yesterday a prominent member stated that the party supported legalisation – although Chonnan's views on the matter are not public. After election-winner the Move Forward Party was not approved by the military, the Pheu Thai Party allied with the military junta parties and assumed leadership of the government. On 22nd August 2023, the Pheu Tai's candidate, Srettha Thavisin, was elected as the country's 30th prime minister.
30th August 2023: Thailand: Teerachai Attanawanich, Thailand’s deputy minister of finance and chairman of the National Tobacco Authority of Thailand, said the country is considering legalising e-cigarettes and imposing a moderate tax on e-cig sales, according to Thai media. He said the current ban on the import and sale of vaping products has generated a black market in which the sale of substandard products poses a risk to consumers, so tax and health authorities are discussing the appropriate regulatory framework to address these issues.
17th March 2023: Thailand: A subcommittee on tobacco control, within the Public Health Committee of the House of Representatives, reportedly made a formal recommendation to the government to adopt the principle of harm reduction, lift the ban on e-cigarettes and regulate them in order to decrease smoking rates.
15th March 2023: Thailand: Following investigations into online advertisements, police seized more than 20,000 e-cigarettes, 80,000 refills and other accessories, worth a total of about THB80m ($2.3m), from two warehouses in Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom, central Thailand, press reports. The importing and selling of vaping products are illegal in Thailand.
27th February 2023: Thailand: Last week, a shop selling e-cigarettes on Phuket island was raided by the police, media reports. The action resulted in the seizure of 90 e-cigarettes, 107 coils, 87 nozzles, and 69 refills. Two vendors were arrested as well as a customer who had just purchased 12 e-cigarettes.

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LATEST ALERTS

E-cigarettes in Thailand

Southeast Asia regulatory round-up, July 2024

World No Tobacco Day 2020: the debate about harm reduction

Thailand, the ‘world’s most anti-vaping country’, looks at legalisation

The top changes that matter in this month’s Policy Radar update, May 2023

Tamarind Intelligence Policy Radar, July

Global regulatory tracker: current regulation of e-cigs, September 2024

Interested in this region? Check our new country subscriptions

International e-cigarette stakeholders database

Sign up to our newsletter

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