Smoking ban in aircon bars and Gogos

[mardhi]

Effective sometime in February, the law is being changed to ban smoking INSIDE aircon bars and gogo's. Not clear at this stage what impact thats going to make, but sure seems like its going to make a big change in the modus operandi of various bars and gogo's. Equally could mean that open beer bars benefit from such a ban, and any inside places are penalised as a result.

Cheers
mardhi

[stogie bear]

BANGKOK (AFP) - Thailand will ban smokers from lighting up in bars, restaurants and open-air markets across the kingdom in a bid to curb smoking, the public health ministry said Friday.

The ban will take effect on February 11 and smokers violating the regulation will be fined 2,000 baht (60 dollars) with night club and restaurant owners facing a 20,000 baht fine, a health ministry official said.

Thailand already bans smoking at public places such as government buildings, train stations and hospitals.

Hathai Chitanondh, who heads the anti-smoking NGO National Health Foundation, said he would lobby the government to expand the smoking ban to public beaches.

"Thailand is a leading country in this region to aggressively fight against smoking. We have reduced the number of smokers to around 9.4 million" of the 65 million population, Hathai told AFP.

In addition to banning smoking in Bangkok's bars and nightclubs, the new regulation will also prevent people from lighting up in the popular Chatuchak market, the city's biggest outdoor market and a major tourist draw, he said.

Although Thailand was long a holdout for smokers, Pavornwan Koonmongkon, president of the 70,000-member Thai Restaurant Association, said she believed the ban would face little resistance.

"Smokers usually cooperate and respect no-smoking rules. This shouldn't cause any problems. I think it's a sign of the success of the government's campaign to raise public awareness about smoking," she said.

 In November 2002, Thailand passed a smokefree law that banned smoking inside all air-conditioned buildings. It's already illegal to smoke in bars that serve food. That's not enforced so why would this be?

But if it is I'll be one happy camper...

The only thing is if it goes the way of the UK it'll sometimes actually be worse with these stinkers congregating at the entrances puffing away in your face!

[mardhi]

The ban in restaurants is actually enforced - thats why the Sportsman in soi 13 in Pattaya has had to go smoke free - its actually got a restaurant licence, not a pub/entertainment licence - they got raided and were told to not allow smoking inside a restaurant. Rosie O'gradies is a good example of somewhere that has both licences - the pub allows smoking, the restaurant does not, and the open air terrace that serves food, does allow smoking. Not sure how it would affect somewhere like Shennanigans which seems to have a pub licence, but makes no effort to segregate smokers from diners. However with the latest changes its a moot point as smoking in any airconditioned venue will be outlawed - the key will be in how its policed. Biggest issue will probably be for Gogo's and indoor bars - they will move to be smoke free.

Cheers
Mardhi

[stogie bear]

Funny you should mention The Sportsmans on Soi 13. It was this place I had in mind when I posted my rant! The place would stink when I was trying to have my breakfast so after a couple of tries I just stopped going.

I have a sneaky feeling that this rule will be very well enforced because it sounds like a goldmine for the cops.

[katoeylover]

If France and Cambodia can enforce a ban, then it is likely Thailand will have no problem!

[stogie bear]

Thailand has a lower percentage of smokers than most Asian countries. Funnily enough it seems to me (and this is just a general observation) that it is the very poor and the very rich who smoke!

[jadeite]

(mardhi @ Jan. 13 2008,13:39) Equally could mean that open beer bars benefit from such a ban, and any inside places are penalised as a result.    

It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out, but don't jump to conclusions. It could very well end up being a penalty for the outdoor beer bars rather than the other way around. Studies found in some geographies that banned smoking in bars, business went up. The reason is people who avoided bars due to the smoke started going and smokers accepted stepping outside.

Kind of like the parking meter analogy in a way. Shop owners were the ones who protested installing them the most. Only after they experienced the kind of extra foot traffic they generated, they quickly shushed up and became their biggest supporters.

[Tomcat]

I was in a restaurant on Suk about a week or so ago with some BMs . ... the guy in front of us tried to light up and was told to go outside as it was not allowed .

[Guest]

(Tomcat @ Jan. 13 2008,21:35) I was in a restaurant on Suk about a week or so ago with some BMs .  ... the guy in front of us tried to light up and was told to go outside as it was not allowed .

About time

[katoeylover]

Thoughtful smokers dont light up in restaurants anyway.....

[Guest]

Yes, i try not to smoke among friends that i know doesn´t like it.
Being a smoker and hopefully an ex-smoker soon, i can´t wait to that day hysterically calling for smoking ban. Ex-smokers are the most militant for banning smoking.

One night in Cascades a guy lit up a pipe (tobacco only) right next to me, that was a bit much actually.

[daveduke007]

Thoughtful smokers dont light up in restaurants anyway.....  



I have eaten in the Sportman's bar many times but would never dream of "lighting up" if other people were dining close by and would wait until they had "Finished" eating.
Its just "common courtesy" in my book

With what mardhi has posted, I personally think Rosie O'Grady's have the right idea and it should keep "both" parties happy

[stogie bear]

I agree. If the restaurant is roomy, well aired and the smokers are seperated then it should work well. The Sportsman was too small for that though and the smoke just floated everywhere.

In the UK it really did make me feel sick. The smelly clothes etc are a consideration of course and I didn't like that aspect of it, but I really avoided bars because they made me feel ill after a few minutes.

Yeah - I'm a bit more sensitive to it than I used to be. I'm not militant about it, though. If it's there I'll walk away from them and not create a fuss. In the end I'm not a great customer so who cares what I think.

[Tomcat]

Electronic Cigarettes?

Yes i thought i was going mad last night. Was talking to a lovely Jenny Aniston lookalike in a London Club when her friend pulled out an electronic cigarette. This has been devleoped to get around the law .

Basically when you drag it seems a Piezo electric device lights a capsule inside the lookalike metal tube and give you the smoke . technically its not a cigarette and so these are being allowed

I think the Arabs are bringing them from Dubai.

carry on smoking so it seems.......

[stogie bear]

That's fine with me. So long as it's smokeless and doesn't smell.