91 replies to this topic

[porkchop]

Left BKK 2 day's ago and you could still smoke inside all the bars/gogo's in Nana plaza,
One point, a taxi driver stopped me whilst walking passed Paragon smoking a cigarette and said you cannot walk and smoke you have to stop or i would be fined 2000, i checked with the tourist information and they confirmed this but i don't think all police are inforcing it as they saw me several times around Suk

Smoking in public is no problem. But you will be fined for littering, when you throwing your cigarette on the street.

Yes i'm aware of that, thats always been the case, but according to the tourist information this law now applies, her words were you have to stop/sit

[Phil Lander]

Does anybody know exactly what is happening with the smoking laws here?
Some resturants seemed to enforce the law to the point of making people go outside to smoke but other places have put signs up but also put out ashtrays for smokers to use . :?
I left a few places that allow smoking as they cannot be bothered to let any Ventilation into the premises. (Stringfellows)
Other places made an effort to reduce the effects of smoking so was'nt really a problem.

We have had anti-smoking laws enforced at home for some time now , so I am not used to having my best jeans reek of smoke when I put them on the next time I go out .

[matchman]

Smile, sorry Phil the law is that smoking is banned in all bars. The only exception is when the bar has an open side and then you may smoke in that area. (Although its still meant to be two side open buildings I believe.)

Having said that the bars quickly realized that many drinkers also smoke and that they were only going to the bars that had open sides and had started avoiding closed in bars/gogo's and revenues dropped . Unlike other countries where the only option was to go outside in Thailand smokers had the choice and they voted with their legs. (Thais being realists wanted the business back.)

I very rarely now go in LaBamba because its no smoking. I told quite a few places when they started the ban that they had lost my business (Being a smoker.) and were there is an open air bar I go there.

Too be honest every study I have read says that smokers tend to also drink and so they also tend to spend more. (Yes there are plenty of non-smokers who spend but the majority of smokers who spend is far higher.) Just go in Ezy and see how many punters actually smoke and how much they drink I'm willing to bet at the end of a night the smokers in Ezy have spent more than the non-smokers. (Karl how do you find it?)

I remember a cruise line running a smoke free cruise and it died a death as the non-smokers simply didnt spend as much on the cruise and they couldnt make a profit.

Every country I know of that exended a ban did so against the majority wish. (Got to love democracy in action.) So I'm a happy camper that many places in Thailand are now letting me smoke again.

I do understand some people object because of the smell and the fact it gets into their clothes, but there are quite a few things I object to that other people do that affect me directly such is life and I try and balance there enjoyment against my discomfort. (Yes I am a considerate smoker and will ask and if around ardent none smokers who have a problem I will go elsewhere to smoke. And your 100% right on the ventilation half of the conflict simply wouldnt exist if the damm places would put proper ventilation in place. (I see no reason why places cannot simply add more extractors and places smokers in one area to lessen the effect on others.)

Oh and I'm sure I'll get hammered about second hand smokers but lets also ban drinking because some people get drunk go out and drive and then kill innocent people! (There's a slight chance of second hand smoke killing someone as there is a slight chance of some one running me over drunk, and of course those damm bloody cars/buses/planes who put nasty chemicals in the air that can kill me ..lets ban the lot of um I say )

[donnykey]

Wonderful post Peter...........puff puff puff puff

[Phil Lander]

It just so happened that quite a few people started going to pubs here when the smoking ban came in . :?

I am asthmatic and have seen what smoking has done to the health of my father and brother so really have no sympathy for smokers .

For the sake of business I would hope that bars would do something about this issue . I'd rather go to a beer bar where there is a chance to get some fresh air than a closed in Gogo.

La Bamba does allow smoking , as does Ezy but there is sufficient room or air flow for this not to be a problem .
Stringfellows missed out on two shorttimes from me as I chose to move on so I could breath . Not sure I will go back , same as some Gogos that I would otherwise like to spend money in.

Smoking bothered me worse on this trip than it did in January or previous trips . I just think they have made the situation worse by being so indecisive about it.

I guess I would be within my rights to ask a smoker to put their cigarette out when they move next to me.

[dixon cox]

I guess I would be within my rights to ask a smoker to put their cigarette out when they move next to me.

"Excuse me, you smell, can you go away?"
No harm in asking, unless the guy's been drinking too much then he might not be so friendly.

I'm sure people have no problem with others who drink to excess and become a nuisance to everyone in the vicinity, return home and punch their Mrs or drive and cause an accident, hopefully not taking a life in the process.

People who sneeze or cough in a public place without covering their mouths bother me. I move away or exhale with force in a pyschological attempt to blow the germs away. Either that or blow smoke in their direction.

Same as matchman I am also a considerate smoker and will make strong effort not to impose on the air space of non-smokers with my habit. But anti-smoking whingers can be tedious.

If someone farts alot or fails to wash and therefor smells of BO I will consider moving.

[dixon cox]

Back home in Farangland whingers are expected, the fucking place is heaving with them, it's par for the course.

Some veggie sneering at your leather shoes or grimacing as you order a steak, bloody. Or a bra burner cringing as she sees you look at some birds arse or moaning as you hold the door open.

Makes me laugh when I'm walking down the street smoking and someone walking in the opposite direction coughs as they pass me... As if my smoke has impaired their lungs in a nano-second... The drama :o

In Thailand however, it's very much a like-it-or-lump-it and a live-and-let-live-society.

It's only the farang who bitches about smoking as they clutch their beer tightly whilst stepping over a beggar who's clothes are worth less than the beer mat stuck to the bottom of his bottle.

[waltz]

I thought the ban on smoking in public air-conditioned areas was in place over a year ago...

Hm... Am I the idiot here? What is going on?

[matchman]

Hey Waltz, the initial ban was about a year ago but the bars were told it wouldnt be enforced for the first few months. (Basically becuase when they implementated it they were not very clear with the bars and there was lots of confusion so they classed it as a soft launch )

Then the real ban came into place and most places implementated it, but as mentioned many tourist/punters said screw it and stopped going into the bars that didnt allow it and instead went to the open air bars.

Which of course damaged the business in the closed bars, as said unlike other countries where your only option was a closed bar Thailand being so warm has just as many open air bars.

So being realists and needing the business the closed bars started to let people smoke again by giving them often an empty bottle to drop the butts in and over time many have simply switched back to ashtrays

Some bars still ban all smoking as do some gogo's but they are the minority, which means it is possible to go in places that are nonsmoking. Laugh as with many things in LOS its pretty disorganized.

I suspect its only a matter of time before they try again, based on the problems in the country now it might be sometime..

[Phil Lander]

I guess I would be within my rights to ask a smoker to put their cigarette out when they move next to me.

"Excuse me, you smell, can you go away?"
No harm in asking, unless the guy's been drinking too much then he might not be so friendly.

I'm sure people have no problem with others who drink to excess and become a nuisance to everyone in the vicinity, return home and punch their Mrs or drive and cause an accident, hopefully not taking a life in the process.

People who sneeze or cough in a public place without covering their mouths bother me. I move away or exhale with force in a pyschological attempt to blow the germs away. Either that or blow smoke in their direction.

Same as matchman I am also a considerate smoker and will make strong effort not to impose on the air space of non-smokers with my habit. But anti-smoking whingers can be tedious.

If someone farts alot or fails to wash and therefor smells of BO I will consider moving.

Touchy , touchy , touchy can you pay for my drycleaning then?

I was in a Gogo in Walking street happily sitting by the stage when the people next to me moved off . Then a wanker came out of his seat on the side , lent over the stage and played with two girls pussies . He put his smoke next to me so the girls did'nt get any on them but it bothered me so I blew it back at him . He must have noticed as he put the smoke in his other hand . He then decided to smoke right in the girls faces and then put his smoke back next to me . I was tossing up whether to pour beer over his smoke or to stub it out with my bottle . Then a lady started to smile and wave at me so I just grabbed my bin and beer and went and sat next to her away from the smokers .

Every time I either to start to eat or just before my food arrives some inconsiderate wanker decides to light up next to me .

I sat watching Elvis when a middle aged couple sat in the seats right in front of myself and date . They sat there chainsmoking not thinking about the effect it had on other people . I learnt to inhale when the fan blew fresh air at me.

Etc , etc.

I am seriously thinking of going somewhere civillised next holiday

To quote from the chinese ," may you (smokers) live in interesting times".

[Crackerjax]

Smoking was allowed in KC3, not allowed in Guess Bar when last in Bangkok. Suspect permitting it may be more important for a Gogo's business as you don't want punters having to get up and go outside for a smoke - they might not come back! Whereas at a lounge the vibe is more laid-back and conducive to people popping out for a smoke and a chat with fellow monger before diving back into the action!