Thailand is stepping up its war on vaping, warning of harsher legal action under the Customs Act as the government tries to curb a rise in e-cigarette use—especially among young people. The offence now carries a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine that can reach four times the value of the smuggled items plus import duties.

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Though e-cigarettes remain illegal in Thailand, they continue to be sold openly—even near schools. That ease of access is feeding a surge in teenage vaping, which has become a growing public health concern. Recent cases of teens being hospitalised with lung damage have pushed the issue back into the spotlight, the Bangkok Post reported.

Vaping is illegal in Thailand That's why ppl have the right to judge The problem isn't just smoking, but because it's illegal ka

— บุญเล้งหวาน ˚ 𖥔 ݁˖ (@bunleng_wan) April 23, 2025

At Ramathibodi Hospital, a study found that diseases linked to vaping—like COPD, stroke, heart attack, and asthma—cost the hospital around 306 million baht in medical treatment last year alone, according to Public Health Ministry official Mr Anukul.

He also cited troubling data showing the percentage of vape users aged 15–29 more than doubled in just five years, from 5.8% in 2019 to 12.2% in 2024.

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In response, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered a serious crackdown, focusing on online vape sales. And the strategy seems to be working: Mr Anukul said that in the two months since enforcement ramped up, both sales and the number of users have dropped by over 80%.

-Thailand News (TN)