Thai Authorities Authorize Teachers to Confiscate E-Cigarettes in Schools

According to a report from CTN News on June 17th, the Thai Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Commerce have joined forces to authorize all teachers in the country to confiscate e-cigarettes and e-liquids in classrooms. This measure grants national teachers, education staff, and school leaders the power to confiscate any e-cigarettes and e-liquids found in schools that violate Article 17 of the Customs Act (1979).

Minister of Education Thee Pawangkanan has stated that children are still bringing e-cigarettes to school, and he believes that the act of smoking e-cigarettes is harmful to their health, intelligence, and emotional development.

Despite close cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the police in prevention and monitoring efforts, such as conducting surprise inspections of e-cigarette shops near schools, the issue still cannot be effectively resolved. Teachers are unable to confiscate e-cigarettes from students or parents, so they need to seek assistance from the police.

Therefore, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Commerce have now authorized teachers, educational personnel, and school principals nationwide to confiscate e-cigarettes found in schools that violate Article 17 of the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China (1979).

Parwankanan stated that this measure is a proactive suppression action against the e-cigarette problem within the school, and will not increase the workload of teachers who are already taking care to protect children. Prior to this, Bangkok Mayor Chadchart Sittipunt had given clear instructions to declare all schools operated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as e-cigarette free zones. He authorized the schools to inspect students' belongings, confiscate e-cigarettes, and have professionals educate them on the health risks and safety precautions associated with smoking products.

Despite the growing global trend of using e-cigarettes, Thailand firmly opposes this behavior. The government has banned the import, sale, and possession of e-cigarettes and e-liquids, with violators facing severe penalties. Many tourists are unaware of this law, and if caught, they could face hefty fines or even imprisonment.

Critics argue that this regulation is overly harsh and not in line with the more flexible approaches taken by other countries.