News Forum - Chinese tourists wrongly fined 60,000 baht for carrying vapes, says law expert

[Thaiger]

A group of Thai tour guides revealed that a group of Chinese tourists were fined 60,000 baht for carrying vapes in Pattaya. The police also gave a 50% discount and let the tourists pay only 30,000 baht. According to Thai law, Thai police cannot arrest or fine foreigners with vapes. They have to report the …

The story Chinese tourists wrongly fined 60,000 baht for carrying vapes, says law expert as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Grumpish]

A nice little earner for the RTP bites the dust - bet they are praying that this doesn't become well know. 

[Bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

The minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, confirmed to Channel 7 today that Thai police cannot arrest or fine foreign tourists who carry vaporisers even if it is illegal in Thailand.

I'd be interested to hear why vaping is illegal in Thailand, when smoking isn't.
I'm certain the real answer is that the system isn't (yet) set up to tax vaporisers, whereas the government has been making money from taxing cigarettes for decades.
Or am I just too cynical?

[Grumpish]

12 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

I'd be interested to hear why vaping is illegal in Thailand, when smoking isn't.
I'm certain the real answer is that the system isn't (yet) set up to tax vaporisers, whereas the government has been making money from taxing cigarettes for decades.
Or am I just too cynical?

And influential people with vested interests in Thailand's tobacco industry. 

[Rookiescot]

So you can get 10 years in a Thai jail just for using a vape?

 

[Bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

So you can get 10 years in a Thai jail just for using a vape?

But for cigarette smoking - that's no problem.

<For the hard-of-learning: The text above may contain traces of sarcasm>

[PatrickSatoLee]

<Quotes>

According to Section 20 of the Export and Imports of Goods (1979), whoever imports or exports illegal goods shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of five times more expensive than the price of the goods, or both.

</Quotes>

Aw . . . The RTP were being helpful with the tourists, pay RTP THB 30,000 and save the troubles of going to Court, and lessen the workload of the Customs officers. Everybody win :P 

<For the hard-of-learning: The text above may contain multiple traces of sarcasm>

[Bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, PatrickSatoLee said:

<Quotes>

According to Section 20 of the Export and Imports of Goods (1979), whoever imports or exports illegal goods shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of five times more expensive than the price of the goods, or both.

</Quotes>

Aw . . . The RTP were being helpful with the tourists, pay RTP THB 30,000 and save the troubles of going to Court, and lessen the workload of the Customs officers. Everybody win :P 

<For the hard-of-learning: The text above may contain multiple traces of sarcasm>

Hey, I've got Pat. Pending on that footnote! 

[MrNovax]

What a joke, i see Thai's vaping just about everywhere i go.  shops sell vapes, liquids, and all the other miscellaneous stuff that goes with them just about everywhere. 

Of all the laws that are arbitrarily enforced in Thailand, this might be the most arbitrary. 

[Skip]

Once again the RTP is dragging the gutter... I feel like Diogenes with every encounter

[MrStretch]

The idea that police you encounter you can "fine" you is at the heart of this problem. 

It doesn't matter what is legal or illegal.  Allowing the police to charge and convict you and demand a fine for whatever behavior they feel like is why the BiB are perhaps the most corrupt organization in the country.  And that's saying something.

[HiuMak]

And Weed is legal. Perhaps the Chinese should just do weed instead.