smoke free thailand

Update March 2004: more news from Robert Starkey (www.smokefreerevolution.org):
In November 2002, Thailand passed a smokefree law that banned smoking inside all air-conditioned buildings. In a country with one of the lowest smoking rates in Asia, 23% of the population and only 2.4% of women, the law was embraced with enthusiasm. ...most of the problems with enforcement have been with European tourists coming from countries where public smoking is still embraced as a right instead of a form of pollution. The normally soft spoken Thai's have been empowered by the smokefree law, so many business owners have taken it upon themselves to control smoking in places that are not air-conditioned, therefore not required by law to prohibit smoking. If a customer in a restaurant requests smokefree dining at an outdoor venue, it is not uncommon for the management to ban smoking for the entire evening. Thailand is a perfect example of how the tobacco smoking culture has forced their habits upon an unwilling majority of the population. It is also an example of how a little education and a lot of backing from the government can turn things around very quickly.

Attached is a photo taken in a small shop in my village of Maenam. In the next three months I am distributing hundreds of posters in German to educate German tourists about the smokefree law and Thai customs.

Update January 2003: Starting 2003, smoking has been banned in just about every indoor public place, including air-conditioned restaurants. There are meaningful fines. Nightclubs and bars are exempt. Other newly smokefree places: public buses, malls, train stations, government buildings, museums, pre-schools, airports, libraries, elevators (!), indoor stadiums, banks, and offices unless they're private. And a note from Robert Starkey, proprietor of the ETS Story Project, who's on the road:
I just wanted to let you know I'm in Thailand and the new law here is working very well. I arrived just two weeks after the law was implemented and I've been here two months. The only violations I've witnessed personally have been by European tourists. The down side is that so many restaurants here are outside and the law only applies to air-conditioned buildings. But now there is a choice. It was a pleasure to go through the Bangkok airport without being assaulted by cigarette smoke. All the restaurants in the airport (without bars) are now smokefree. The Thais welcome the new law, and as always, if one really wants to be smokefree, hang out with the women! Thailand has one of the lowest female smoking rates in the world.

There is much more detailed information about legislation & social impacts at Action on Smoking and Health Foundation of Thailand (http://www.ashthailand.or.th), to whom SmokeFree is indebted for this information. Thanks also to S&P restaurants for a detailed list of their smokefree branches.

BANGKOK

Baan Khanitha Restaurant
49 Soi Ruam Rudee 2 Ploenjit Road     (66-2) 253-4638
(Off Sukhumvit Road, business district)
Has a no-smoking section. Popular with both tourists and Thai people (but expensive by Thai standards). Got great reviews for both cooking and ambience.

Smile House Restaurant
Phayathai Rd. (near Asia Hotel), Ratchatewi     (66-2) 216 1180
Thai and international food
daily 7am-9pm

Shinawat II (S&P chain)
Tower 1291/1, Phaholythin Road     270-0111-2
Sukiyaki and Chinese food

Siam Square (S&P chain)
Soi 11, Rama 1 Road     251-7211
Sukiyaki and Chinese food

Thai Room
Patpong Two Road
An oasis for non-smokers in the Patpong entertainment area, where all bars, pubs, discos and other restaurants cater to smokers. Good Thai food, quiet, uncrowded. Open long hours.
Thanks Alan Lewis!

Took Lae Dee
87 Sukhumvit Soi 5 (Foodland supermarket)     66 2 254 2367
Food bar (also beer and wine). Smoking banned because it's technically in the Foodland supermarket. Popular and convenient, gets crowded.
24 hours a day.

CHIANG MAI

Chesters Grill
40 branches throughout the country.
Thai food, fried chicken and a salad bar
daily 10am - 9pm

MK Restaurants
74 branches in Thailand.
Sukiyaki and Chinese food
daily 10am-9pm
Note: their branches are listed on their web site, in Thai.

S&P Restaurants
Bakery style restaurant which also sells Thai and Chinese food.
Note: many, but not all of their branches, are smokefree. See above listings, kindly supplied by S&P. 10am - 9pm