Thailand receives the 2008 Global Smokefree Partnership Award

Thailand’s efforts to safeguard the interests of non-smoking public from the passive smoke has been recognized at last and the country has received a 2008 Global Smokefree Partnership Award-GSP Extraordinary Award from the Global Smokefree Partnership Steering Group (GSP) for its clear cut policy to protect non-smokers. The award was presented to Thailand at the first Asian Regional Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Conference held in Bangkok October 28 to 31.

The Permanent Secretary for Public Health Prat Boonyawongvirot said that the kingdom was recognized as a country with a strong and clear-cut policy to protect non-smokers as it saw the importance of protecting the non-smoking public from secondhand smoke.

Thailand had adopted the World Health Organisation’s treaty for tobacco control. The country enforced Non-Smokers’ Health Protection Act in 1992 under which it enforced a ban on smoking in air-conditioned areas as galleries, museums, shopping malls, and barbershops. It also covers public phone booths, elevators, bus stops, theaters, and children’s playgrounds. After that the government continued to announce smoke free zones across the country that took effect in February. According to the announcement, pubs, bars, restaurants, and all kinds of markets are smoke-free zones. Those who smoke in designated no-smoking areas will face a fine of up to Bt 2,000, and owners who allow smoking on their premises will face fines of up to 20,000 baht. However, they may arrange smoking corners outdoors that do not disturb other people.

According to the National Statistical Office, the Thai population age over 15 years old in 2007 amounted to some 51 million person, with almost 11 million smokers, 10 million men and only one million women. However, the trend of new smokers declined during the past seven years from 22.5 per cent to 18.5 per cent, all thanks to the Thailand’s non-smoking policy.