According to Hfocus on July 5, Tanakrit Jittariyarat, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, was interviewed after presiding over the first meeting on the implementation and integrated crackdown of vape laws.
The meeting was organized by the Ministry of Public Health, and participants included Assistant Minister Wan Yubamrung, Major General Wichaya Sriprasert, Commander of the Consumer Protection Crime Prevention Department, Dr. Adisorn Watanasak, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, and representatives of other relevant departments.
Tanakrit said that the meeting was the first important step for the government to integrate the forces of multiple departments to jointly crack down on and strictly enforce laws related to vapes. The meeting was signed by the Minister of Public Health Somsak Thepsuthin. The participating departments included the Department of Disease Control, the Central Investigation Department, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.
He stressed that the focus of the meeting was to strictly enforce existing laws on the import, export and possession of vapes, especially to increase the crackdown on the sale of vapes to teenagers.
Danagri specifically pointed out that the current form of vapes is changing rapidly, and there are smart watch-type vapes that look like ordinary watches, but are actually vapes inside. This poses a serious threat to children and teenagers because they can easily mislead people and make it difficult for them to perceive the true purpose of these devices.
“This form of vape is very difficult to identify because they look no different from ordinary watches, and I am using them myself.”
Major General Wichaya Sriprasert said that the use of vapes is currently strictly controlled by Thai law because vapes are listed as contraband. According to Section 246 of the Thai Customs Act 2560, no one may import, export or possess vapes. If you are found to be holding or using vapes, you will face up to 5 years in prison, or a fine of four times the price of the goods, or both. Those who smoke in public places may be fined up to 5,000 baht (US$137.17), and the police have the right to confiscate vapes as evidence.
Vitaya specifically pointed out that a worrying issue now is that vapes are used as containers for other drugs. For example, some people hide ketamine in vapes, and on the surface they appear to be smoking vapes, but in fact they are smoking drugs. In addition, some people deliberately hide drugs in vapes so that when they are seized by the police, they are only considered to be holding vapes, not drugs. Therefore, the police need to conduct more detailed tests when checking vapes, including urine tests and chemical analysis. If vapes are found to contain drug ingredients, criminal liability will be pursued under the Drug Act 2564.
As a well-known vape manufacturer, Veehoo vape Company will actively respond to the government’s initiative, comply with relevant laws and regulations, and ensure the legality and safety of its products. Veehoo vapes is committed to providing high-quality and reliable alternative smoking products for adult smokers, and firmly opposes the use of vapes for illegal activities or drug abuse.
To sum up, according to recent reports, various Thai government departments are taking joint action to crack down on the illegal sale and use of vapes.
Tags: Multiple departments in Thailand crack down on illegal vapes，Multiple departments in Thailand jointly enforce the law，veehoo vape