Vaping in Thailand is illegal: police raid in Patong and what tourists risk
On 17 September police swept vape sellers on Bangla Road in Patong and arrested 10 people. E-cigarettes are banned across Thailand - here is what you face for buying, carrying or bringing one in.
Vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand. You cannot import, sell, buy or keep them, and that applies to tourists too. Phuket gave a clear reminder on 17 September: in the evening police raided Patong - Bangla Road, the beachfront and the far end of the street by Jungceylon shopping centre. Ten people were arrested for selling and possessing e-cigarettes.
Vapes had been sold almost openly on Bangla Road for years, and plenty of tourists concluded that if it is on sale, it must be allowed. It is not. A street stall does not make a purchase legal, and this raid went after the suppliers as well as the sellers.
The ban covers everything related to e-cigarettes:
1. Disposable vapes and refillable devices.
2. Cartridges, pods and refill liquids.
3. Hookahs, including electronic ones.
What the law says:
1. Buying and possession - up to 5 years in prison or a fine of four times the value of the goods, or both.
2. Bringing one in checked or carry-on luggage - up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or both. The device is confiscated.
3. Vaping in a public place - a separate fine of up to 5,000 baht.
There is no fixed "vape fine" in the law. The amount depends on the case, and the upper limit is very high. The Thai government warns tourists about the ban on its official portal.
The Patong raid is not a one-off:
Pattaya - on 30 August police raided a mini-mart secretly selling vapes and seized more than 600 devices, cartridges and liquids.
Bangkok - a dedicated national police unit targets e-cigarettes, with raids on warehouses and seller networks.
Phuket - after the Bangla Road raid, officials say they will go after the suppliers.
K-pods laced with etomidate are a separate story. In Pattaya they were seized in August raids together with methamphetamine. That is not vaping any more, it is drugs, with far harsher charges.
Regular cigarettes are legal, but you cannot smoke everywhere. On Patong Beach a cigarette can cost you a fine of up to 100,000 baht or up to a year in prison, and Pattaya fines smoking on beaches and footpaths 5,000 baht.
What to do:
1. Do not bring vapes or liquids to Thailand - not in checked bags, not in your carry-on.
2. Do not buy vapes locally - not on the street, not "under the counter".
3. If police ask for money without a report or receipt, call the Tourist Police on 1155 - free, 24/7, English spoken.
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