Smoking Fine

Post by **NuggetTNQ** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:22 am

My mate is in BKK right now and got hit with a 2000 baht fine for throwing his ciggie butt on the ground just near Soi Nana.

BIB got him, took him to the station, handed him a piece of paper in english stating "Please keep Thailand clean" and tried to get him to pay a 10,000 baht fine. They settled on the 2000 baht

He also told me all the bars etc in Cowboy and Nana are now Smoke Free. Must be hurting business like it is here in Australia????

Post by **lomuamart** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:07 am

From what I can find out, the law changed on February 17th. Smoking is banned in any air-conditioned premises (bar or restaurant. The ban in restaurants has been in force for quite a few years now). It's also illegal to light up in certain open-air venues, like markets.
Fine is 2,000 Baht for the transgressor and 20,000 for the venue owner.
As far as stubbing a ciggie out on the ground is concerned, I'm always careful when in BKK and just don't bother to light up if I'm walking around. Again, there have been signs up for years warning smokers to get rid of their dog ends correctly or be fined.
I recall one time waiting for a train up north at Hualampong and going outside for a fag. Once it was finished, I had to think about where to put the but. A plastic dustbin seemed the safest bet until I noticed it was full of paper and dry leaves. I got rid of it somehow and don't think I managed to start a fire. I didn't bother having a second cigarette!

Post by **STEVE G** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:18 am

He also told me all the bars etc in Cowboy and Nana are now Smoke Free. Must be hurting business like it is here in Australia????

At least they have an advantage in that some customers are there for reasons other than a smoking!

Post by **crazy88** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:51 am

Anyone know what the fine is for throwing carrier bags full of plastic food and drink containers out of train windows ? The amount of times I have seen it happen I can only assume its the norm .

Crazy 88

Post by **Wanderlust** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:32 pm

As far as i know, norm has got nothing to do with it! He's a very respectable member of this forum...

Post by **richard** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:46 pm

I remember getting done on my first day in Thailand many years ago

Walking down Sukhumvit from the emporium after stroll from my hotel in soi 22

Dropped my butt in the gutter. Got rounded up by 2 very young policemen with butt in hand as evidence. Marched me to a small temporary hut near the emporium and proceeded to get me to sign forms and asked for 2000 Baht

I said I had left my money in the hotel as I was only out taking the air (fumes) in.

They said 'well how much have you got then?'

Rummaged around in my pockets hoping to find a small denomination note and pulled out 2 100's. Knowing I'd got 5000 . That will do they said.

May have been a scam but left a lasting impression about disposing of rubbish and butts on me

Worst scenario is when you are in a tuk tuk or on a bike and flick your butt into a road drain hole. Sods law is that is will sit on top of the grate for all to see

Post by **Wanderlust** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:09 pm

I know this may be a radical suggestion (and not aimed at anyone in particular) but why do smokers not dispose of their litter responsibly, without the need for fines or complaints about being fined? The problem of pollution from cigarette butts is huge - the world annually discards about 4.3 trillion cigarette butts. By some estimates, 30% of all cigarettes smoked end up as litter, and although small in themselves, can create over 500,000 tonnes of pollution per year. Traditional butts are made of synthetic polymer cellulose acetate and never degrade, only breaking apart after roughly 12 years. Yet within an hour of contact with water, cigarette butts can begin leaching chemicals such as cadmium, lead and arsenic into the marine environment. And that's not counting for the fact they also end up in in the intestines of fish, whales, birds and other marine animals. Toddlers are also prone to picking up these small interesting objects and sticking them in their mouths, and I haven't even mentioned the fire hazard that still hot or lit butts are. And flicking your butt out of a car window or bike while moving is totally irresponsible and should be heavily fined.

Post by **niggle** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:46 pm

I agree. I am a smoker but always save my butts to put in a dustbin, I pick up buts from the beach to dispose of. Dont chuck them in the street and you wont get fined - simple

Post by **crazy88** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:21 pm

How dare you start on misguided, chronic nicotine addicts wanderlust .

Perhaps we should all convert to smoking crack ? No butts and does not seem to be doing Amy Winehouses career any harm .

You will be picking on innocent children next !!!

It takes one full cup of crude oil to make the plastic for each "disposable" nappy.

1.3 million trees a year are felled for NZ babies in disposable nappies.
Disposable nappies use 3.5 times more energy, 8 times more non-renewable raw materials, 90 times more renewable materials than reusable nappies.

It takes as much energy to produce one disposable nappy as it does to wash a cloth nappy 200 times.

One baby in disposables will produce 2 tonnes of solid waste!

Disposable nappies take up to 500 years to decompose in landfill sites and can harbour up to 100 different types of virus, including live polio virus from vaccines.

Joking aside I totally agree with your point on flicking butts out of vehicles and concur on the environmental impact of cig butts .

Post by **crazy88** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:28 pm

And also that penalties for any kind of avoidable littering should be imposed .The planet belongs to us all and to all who will follow .

Crazy88

Ooops seem to be having a green and philosophical moment .

Post by **margaretcarnes** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:52 am

Yes Wanderlust - the butts don't degrade, and I think thats one of the main reasons for the littering ban in Bangkok. I've heard of people getting away with it when disposing of hand rolled cigs without tips.
The local councils in the UK dished out thousands of little tins for the purpose when the smoking ban came in here last year, but by the time I went for mine they had run out (much like Tesco ran out of Bags for Life!)
But as far as a smoking ban in Nana Plaza is concerned, it could be a life saver. The place is another Kings Cross waiting to happen.

Post by **Takiap** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:53 pm

Had the fine myself as well a few years back. Stuck my ground and with much smiling, paid 500 baht. The wife and I were on a peddle boat in Lumpini park and while she was eating nuts, she was feeding some to the fish. We were called to the side and told to get of the little boat and follow them to the office. I asked what for and they said that they had seen my wife throwing stuff in the water and that we had to pay a fine. I replied that they had not seen me throw anything into the water to which they agreed. I then said that the lady with me was not my wife at all, turned around and got back onto the little peddle boat with three or four shocked faces staring at me. When they asked my wife who I was, she said I was a friend visiting from abroad. In the end she paid 200 baht.

By the way, her uncle is also one of the officers somewhere in Bangkok and he has told us that they get to keep a certain amount of the fines. True or not I don't know but what I do know is that is is quite wealthy considering the job he has. Its all genuine designer clothes, a nice house, expensive jewellery and in a few months time, a one year trip to the USA - go figure.

Post by **Tookta** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:26 am

I was the one who droped my but on the ground in BNk and it will be the last time i do that again not just in Thailand any where. 2000 was going to be a good night out for some one.
Now it was a good night out for the police.

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:15 am

Harsh Dude, with a capital 'D'

Post by **bonnielass** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:27 pm

I wasn't very sure about the smoking laws in Hua Hin. Couple of weeks ago, in a restaurant opposite the Hilton, I left my friends at the table to go and have a smoke outside. The waiter brought an ashtray and told me it was OK to smoke inside, it was an open fronted restaurant, but I was sitting next to a big no smoking sign. I guess if the cops had showed up, I would have got done.