According to the Thai Cyber Police, the authorities seized electronic cigarettes and related accessories worth over 80 million Thai baht (approximately 15.9 million yuan) over the weekend during a raid.
According to Army Major General Pairoj Sukruaythanachote, two individuals have been charged with importing illegal electronic cigarettes, and are being accused of violating the Consumer Protection Act and the Import and Export Act. Prior to this, police conducted a raid on an apartment complex in the Ratchathewi area of Bangkok and a warehouse in the western suburbs of the city.
Considering that electronic cigarettes usually sell for only a few hundred baht, this is already a lot of electronic cigarettes.
The police have issued a warning that anyone found in possession of such equipment will face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine up to four times the value of the device, in accordance with a ban implemented in 2015.
However, despite the import regulations still prohibiting the import of electronic cigarettes, it is unlikely that charges against those possessing electronic cigarettes would hold up in court due to the relevant provisions in the Consumer Protection Law being annulled in 2019.
Until the ban on electronic cigarettes is reissued based on the revised law passed at the time, the ban will have no legal effect.
Charging devices and pods are readily available in online marketplaces and can also be found for sale on the streets of the capital.
Reference materials/sources:
Police confiscate 80 million baht worth of imported vaping devices during raids in Bangkok.
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