Thailand, March 12th, 2025 — The House Committee on Governance held a meeting to review strategies for controlling and resolving e-cigarette issues in line with the Thai government’s crackdown policy.
Representatives from the Royal Thai Police (RTP) reported that between February 26th and March 10th, police had handled 955 e-cigarette cases, arresting 991 suspects and seizing 524,546 devices valued at over 52.6 million baht.
Under current law, possession of e-cigarettes is illegal under Section 246 of the Customs Act, which carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment, says the Thai government.
However, the RTP has instructed officers to handle simple possession cases more leniently by allowing suspects to be released on bail without collateral and forwarding the case to customs for resolution. If customs agrees to drop the case, the suspect will not face charges.
Police have also been warned nationwide not to use the crackdown as an excuse for extortion or demanding large amounts of money from regular people and tourists caught vaping, as was allegedly an issue in prior years, but to instead handle the case properly through a local precinct with receipts and paperwork.
The RTP has classified offenders into three groups: importers, sellers, and users. Importers face up to 10 years’ imprisonment under Section 20 of the Commerce Ministry’s 2014 regulation. Sellers can be charged under the Consumer Protection Act, facing up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 600,000 baht. Users face charges under Section 246 of the Customs Act.
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered all provinces to step up enforcement and warned of disciplinary action against officials who fail to act.
In 2024, 286 cases were handled in provincial areas and 34 cases by the Department of Provincial Administration, with 20 more cases already recorded in 2025.
Anutin plans to issue further directives, including referring money-laundering cases to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and coordinating with schools and health agencies to raise awareness among youth about the dangers of e-cigarettes.
A major illegal vaping import bust was made just a few days ago in Laem Chabang as we reported here as efforts intensify to cut off suppliers and sellers nationwide, with the Thai PM calling for an 80 percent reduction in illegal vapes in 90 days.
