Bangkok Governor "Chadchart" Strengthen Public Smoking Ban, Establish Health Protection Unit

On October 7, 2025, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced plans to strengthen the enforcement of Thailand’s public smoking ban. The move follows discussions with Professor Prakit Vathesatogkit, a senior expert on the National Tobacco Products Control Committee, and Dr. Chayanun Sittiboot, Director of the Tobacco Control Division under the Department of Disease Control (DDC). Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to issue a new municipal ordinance to establish a dedicated agency and enforcement officers, modeled after the system used in Iloilo City, the Philippines, to improve public health protection and promote Bangkok as a “Healthy City.”

Chadchart emphasized that the BMA is committed to creating a health-friendly environment, especially in public spaces such as parks, bus stops, markets, and pedestrian areas where smoking remains widespread. He noted that Bangkok recently received the “Healthy City” award from the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Regional Office (WHO SEARO) in October 2024, with one of the key indicators being the reduction of smoke-related pollution in urban areas.

Professor Prakit added that tobacco smoke is one of the most dangerous indoor and outdoor pollutants, prompting many countries to enact strict public smoking bans to protect non-smokers’ rights. Cities like Hong Kong and Iloilo have established specialized agencies and officers solely responsible for enforcing smoking bans. Although Thailand has had a public smoking law since 1992, enforcement remains inconsistent, particularly in Bangkok, which has numerous public areas and over 1.2 million smokers, not including the 32.4 million tourists who visited in 2024, of whom around 20% were smokers.

During the latest meeting, the committee agreed for the BMA to invite representatives from Iloilo City to share insights on drafting local ordinances and setting up enforcement units. The proposed plan includes recruiting around 20 officers dedicated to monitoring public areas and ensuring compliance with tobacco control laws. Professor Prakit noted that Iloilo, with a population of about 500,000, has achieved remarkable success in reducing smoking rates. He also recalled a 2009 study visit by Bangkok officials to Davao City, then led by Rodrigo Duterte, who later became President of the Philippines, to learn about effective tobacco control practices.

Professor Prakit also cited Article 8 of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which states that secondhand smoke is a carcinogen and that “there is no safe level of exposure.” He stressed that protecting people from secondhand smoke is a fundamental human right that member states must uphold, ensuring smoke-free environments in public places, workplaces, vehicles, and other areas without exceptions.

“I deeply appreciate Governor Chadchart’s commitment to protecting Bangkok residents from the dangers of secondhand smoke,” Professor Prakit said. “I hope this initiative will become a model for other provinces to follow, leading to smoke-free and vape-free environments nationwide.”

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