Thailand bans smoking on its beaches
Thailand has banned smoking and the littering of cigarettes butts and packets across 24 beaches in 15 provinces, including several in major tourist destinations such as Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi, in an effort to protect its coastal environment.
“Starting today [February 1], smoking and cigarette-butt littering are prohibited on beach areas,” said Bannarak Sermthong, a director from the country’s department of marine and coastal resources (DMCR) .
“Anyone who wants to smoke must do so in designated smoking areas, not on the beaches,” he added.
Those who fail to comply will be subject to a fine of 100,000 baht (￡2,241) and a maximum jail sentence of one year, or both. But lawbreakers will be given warnings during the initial stages of implementing the ban, according to Mr Bannarak. It has yet to be confirmed how long the grace period will be before violators are slapped with a fine or jail time.
Fifty designated smoking areas will be put in place across the 5.5 kilometre stretch of the popular Cha-am beach in the Phetchaburi province of western Thailand, with more smoking zones to be added in the future, Sripetch Inpanthang, vice mayor of the Cha-am municipal, told the Bangkok Post.
The ban, initially run on a trial basis from last November, is expected to be rolled out across more beaches, including Chao Samran beach, according to Phetchaburi deputy governor Natthawut Petpromsorn.
Beaches in Thailand where smoking is banned
Patong Beach, Phuket
Bo Phut Beach, Koh Samui
Phra Ae Beach, Krabi
Khlong Dao Beach, Krabi
Khok Wang Beach, Krabi
Wasukree Beach, Pattani
Hua Hin Beach, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Khao Takiab Beach, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Ban Cheun Beach, Trat
Laem Sade Beach, Chanthaburi
Saeng Chan Beach, Rayong
Bang Kaen Beach, Chon Buri
Tham Pang Beach, Chon Buri
Sai Kaeo Beach, Chon Buri
Dong Tan Beach, Chon Buri
Cha-am Beach, Phetchaburi
Hat Said Res Beach, Champhon
Chalok Ban Kao Beach, Ko Phangan, Surat Thani
Plai Sai Beach, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Chalatat Beach, Songkhla
Ko Kai Nok Beach, Phang-nga
Ko Kai Nai Beach, Phang-nga
Khao Lak Beach, Phang-nga
Hat Samran Beach, Trang
The introduction of the ban follows an inspection of local beaches by Thailand’s marine and coastal resources research and development centre, including in the resort towns of Hua Hin and Khao Takiab in the western province of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The survey reported more than 100,000 cigarette butts were found on Cha-am beach alone, while a report from the DMRC last year revealed that 101,058 cigarette butts were found on a single 2.5-kilometre stretch on Patong, accounting for 30 per cent of the waste found on the beach, according to Jatuporn Buruspat, the director general of the DMRC.
Smoking restrictions by country
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Smoking laws around the world
Thailand is home to 357 beaches and receives more than a million visits from British nationals every year. The country is projected to welcome a record 37.55 million tourists this year. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to some parts of the country, including to the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla on the Thailand-Malaysia border.
How big is the environmental impact of cigarette butts on beaches?
“Cigarette butts are a major source of pollution, both on land and in our oceans, and more than five trillion cigarette filters are produced every year,” Deborah Arnott, chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), told Telegraph Travel in October.
“One cigarette butt in a litre of water can make it toxic enough to kill fish. For these and other reasons, the Thai authorities determined that banning smoking on those beaches was necessary.”
Zoe Abbott, the Wales Coast award coordinator from Keep Britain Tidy, the charity behind the Blue Flag beach awards scheme, which highlights beaches meeting the highest environmental standards, added: “The small size of cigarette ends makes them time consuming and costly to clean – on beaches, this can involve mechanical sieving and deep cleaning of the sand. They can take up to 15 years to break down and contain toxins which leach into the environment. Voluntary smoking bans in areas that struggle with smoking related litter may be appropriate.”
So far, two beaches in Britain have introduced smoking bans – Caswell Bay in Swansea and Little Haven in Pembrokeshire, which became the UK’s first smoke-free beach in 2016. Back in 2015, Brighton Council also considered introducing a smoking ban on its beaches and parks.
Thailand's 17 best beaches
Not everyone supported the idea. “Winter or summer, the beach is the free-thinking city's heart and soul. Stubbing out smoking on Brighton beach doesn't so much go against the grain as strike a hammer blow to the city's libertarian values,” Telegraph Travel’s Teresa Machan, a longtime Brighton resident, said at the time of the announcement.
“When it comes to the invasion of space give me a beach-smoking neighbour over a leary out-of-town stag pack or raucous hen party any day. How about banning lager louts on busy family beaches before 6pm? Or alcohol-fuelled "away" fans altogether?” she added.