Cracking Down on e-Cigarette Smuggling in Thailand: Tightening Penalties

Key Points:

1. The Prime Minister of Thailand has stated that efforts to crackdown on e-cigarette smuggling will continue, with an expansion of the scope of arrests and harsh penalties for illegal shipping companies, in order to ensure strict enforcement of the law.

2. The Prime Minister emphasized the need for collaboration among various departments including the security forces, military, and police to prevent the flow of illegal products into Thailand.

3. The Special Investigation Bureau has reiterated laws regarding e-cigarettes, including strict penalties for importing, selling, purchasing, and possessing e-cigarettes, with the maximum penalty being 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to five times the value of the product.

According to a report from PPTVHD36 on March 19th, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on her social media platform X that she will continue to closely monitor the issue of e-cigarettes.

"I will continue to monitor the issue of e-cigarettes. Yesterday, the police raided an e-cigarette warehouse and arrested the main suspect. Therefore, I will continue to follow up with the Ministry of Finance's Customs Department to expand the scope of arrests, further crack down on other main suspects, as well as shipping companies involved in illegal activities, which must be clearly sanctioned by law if found to be breaking the law."

"I hope to strictly enforce existing legal measures, including strict control of border areas, which requires cooperation from the departments of homeland security, military, police, special investigation bureau (DSI), and department of business development, among others, to gather clues and prevent the influx of new illegal products. These are all proactive measures that the government will continue to advance."

On the 18th, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) reiterated on its social media the laws and penalties related to e-cigarettes.

According to Announcement from the Ministry of Commerce (2014), Importation to Thailand is Prohibited. Violators will be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison or fined five times the price of the goods, or both.

The Product and Service Safety Commission (2024) has also issued an order to "prohibit the sale or provision of goods and services". Violators will be sentenced to a maximum of 3 years in prison, or fined up to 600,000 baht (18,000 USD), or both.

Under the Customs Law (2017), individuals are prohibited from purchasing or possessing certain items. Offenders may face up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to four times the price of the goods, or both. Additionally, importing goods without going through customs procedures is also prohibited. Offenders could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to four times the price of the goods, or both, and have the goods confiscated.