A British tourist has spoken out after being fined £1,000 for vaping in Thailand, warning that unsuspecting tourists can be given up to ten years in prison for the offence.
When travelling throughout the world, checking for the customs and laws of all the places you are going is a vital part of preparing, and if you don’t you can end up out of pocket or even in jail.
In the UAE, for instance, Brits have been arrested for filming rockets landing in Dubai, whilst in Venice, it is illegal for anyone to feed pigeons.
Thailand’s laws around vaping are very strict: it is fully banned in all places and extends to any form of smoking or e-cigarettes.
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Sara Green, 43, from Essex, was on a trip to Thailand recently when she was fined £1,000 for being caught out vaping.
Sara was on Kamala Beach in Phuket with her family, which included her partner and three teenagers.
The 43-year-old stated that she had seen numerous people vaping on the beach, with some even selling vapes, which made her think that there was no issue.
'We were completely shocked and panicked'
Explaining the incident, she exclusively told LADbible: “We were just sitting, relaxing in the sun and vaping when suddenly police came up behind us and said ‘give me those now’ and told us we had to go with them.
"We were completely shocked and panicked.”
She explained that they were taken to a small police station just behind the beach where her partner was taken inside, telling Sara and her kids to wait outside.
An officer told her that ‘we would both be going to court in the morning’, stating that this ‘really scared her’.
Sara continued: “After another 20 minutes, my partner came out and said we needed to go to a cash point as they wanted payment.
“The police told us we had to pay 40,000 Thai Baht each (just under £1,000).
“My partner could only withdraw £1,000, but luckily they accepted that and let us go. They warned us that if it happened again, they wouldn’t be able to help us.”
'I definitely think more people need to be aware'
The mother claimed that local police placed some of the blame at the feet of the locals on the beach, saying they ‘should have warned tourists’.
Sara added: “It was a really scary experience, especially with our kids there, and something we had no idea about. I definitely think more people need to be aware of this.
“There were no signs at all where we were and we weren’t warned beforehand by any travel companies, which is why it came as such a shock.
“We had brought the vapes with us rather than buying them there. When we flew from Bangkok to Phuket, we did notice signs at the airport during check-in saying vapes should only be in hand luggage and not in checked bags, which made the situation even more confusing.”
The Essex local added that they were asked ‘a lot of personal questions about our jobs and even how much money we earn, which felt quite intrusive’.
Thailand's strict laws on smoking and vaping
Foreign Office guidance on Thailand warns: “It’s illegal to smoke in public with a fine of up to 5,000 Thai baht.
"It is illegal to possess or use any vape, e-cigarette, pod, e-liquid, or heat-not-burn device in Thailand. Offences can lead to confiscation, heavy fines (typically 5,000–30,000 Thai bhat), detention, and court proceedings.
"You may be required to remain in Thailand until the case has been finalised. There are no exceptions for tourists or for personal use.”
Additional reporting by Lucia Botfield.
Michael Slavin