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 Almost all public places in Thailand were declared non-smoking zones this month. Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla called on law enforcement agencies to strictly fine disobeying entertainment venues up to 20,000 baht each, while a stray smoker could see 2,000 baht go up in smoke. Personal offices and designated snooker halls are still legally safe for a quick fag, but what if you don’t play snooker?
Thailand already has some of the world’s toughest anti-smoking laws. Recent restrictions on the tobacco industry have included bans on cigarette advertising, displays at points of sale and mandatory images that show the grotesque effects of tobacco on health.
On 27 December 2006, Dr Mongkol called a press conference, saying that smoking claimed 52,000 lives every year in Thailand by causing cancer and heart disease and the government was tired footing the 50 billion baht medical bill.
 criminal at large
Thailand has long been known for its unique tolerance, so how did it come down to this? Well, public smoking bans are nothing new. The world’s first ban happened in 1590 under Pope Urban VII. He threatened to excommunicate anyone who "took tobacco in the porchway of or inside a church, whether it be by chewing it, smoking it with a pipe or sniffing it in powdered form through the nose". The unpopular ban lasted nearly as long as his reign as Pope, which was 13 days.
By the end of the twentieth century, research studies on the health risks of second hand tobacco smoke had been made public and the tobacco industry fought back with "courtesy awareness" campaigns. Fearing revenue losses, the industry created a media and legislative program that focused on tolerance. In 1998, the US state of California enacted a complete smoking ban, including bars. New York followed, and paved the way for entire states or countries to follow suit. Bhutan, often thought of as the country that time forgot, was surprisingly ahead of the curve. It remains the only country in the world to have banned both tobacco smoking and the sale of tobacco.
 Thailand may now be on the front lines in the war on smoking, but in 2006 even Switzerland took on the nicotine terror. In March, voters overwhelmingly approved a ban on smoking in all public spaces in one region of the country. Similar laws have also passed in Japan, where lawmakers admit that the success of public bans will depend on getting the word out and strict enforcement by the police.
Thailand’s new ban forbids smoking on public transport, at bus stops, in elevators, public phone booths, libraries, theatres, children's playgrounds, drugstores, meeting rooms, massage parlours, spas, schools, universities, air-conditioned areas in art exhibition halls, galleries, museums, shopping malls, indoor stadiums, barbershops, internet cafes, karaoke booths and the lobbies of hotels resorts, condominiums, apartments and restaurants. However, entertainment areas – including snooker halls – have been left exempt.
Siam Square, in the heart of Bangkok’s shopping district, was today scattered with smokers blissfully unaware of their new criminal status. When told of the changes, a puffing Thai shopkeeper in his early-twenties asserted: "a cigarette is not good for anyone, but it should be up to you when you want to quit. Besides, when it comes to enforcing the law, the police are just human too and many of them are smokers.”One sceptical smoker pointed out that the penalty system is open for abuse. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the law is used to target tourists and farang for money,” he said. “Lots of farang I know have told me the police tried to fine them 2,000 baht for dropping cigarette butts.” A businessman from Singapore, the celebrated home of legal restrictions, was lighting up outside a coffee shop when we informed him of Thailand’s new ban. “They shouldn't ban open-air smoking. Smoking is part of people's life. It's a free country. They should ban it just in restaurants and bars. We're not polluting the air, so what's the point,” he asked.
 Apart from reducing second hand smoke, perhaps the new restrictions will relieve some of the peer pressure that initially makes people take up smoking and discourage existing smokers by making their habit increasingly difficult, time consuming and less socially acceptable? Subconsciously or otherwise, smokers use cigarettes to punctuate their day, immediately following a meal, a stressful moment or a minor success. By making the act of public smoking ever more pre-meditated, perhaps it will lose some of its romance and the smoker will eventually come to regard it as a chore? Hmmm?
The businessman was not convinced. “People will still smoke,” he stressed. “I'm a social smoker. It's better to increase the tax, like in Singapore. But actually, people will still buy cigarettes. There's no best solution. It's like asking people to stop driving.”
For many non-smokers, ‘eau de cigarettes’ is reason enough to extend smoking restrictions. A clean-breathing Thai college girl gushed, “I think zoning is good because I don't like the smell - I'm allergic to it - but if smokers have designated areas, that's okay with me.”
 The younger Thai smokers hanging out in Siam said they would be happy to go along with the public ban, despite first hearing about it's introduction from us. Most said they would continue to smoke, but would be happy to abide by the new rules once they understood how and where to do so.
A clear education campaign about the new smoking ban appears overdue. In the meantime, please watch out for the police and thank you for not smoking...
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