News Forum - Phuket officials seize baraku from restaurant

[Thaiger]

There’s been another bust on a venue in Phuket. Officials in Phuket’s Thalang district seized baraku, also known as shisha, from a restaurant near a hotel in the town of Sakhu. The seizure followed anonymous complaints via social media. Thalang Distric Chief Bancha Tanuin said officials inspected a Sakhu hotel on Thursday. They found two …

The story Phuket officials seize baraku from restaurant as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[MrStretch]

I still don't understand why hookah is illegal.

For all the cigarette smokers there are in this country, the government has a schizophrenic approach to sisha and vaping/e-cigs.

I've never figured out why.  Anyone?

[ExpatPattaya]

29 minutes ago, MrStretch said:

I still don't understand why hookah is illegal.

For all the cigarette smokers there are in this country, the government has a schizophrenic approach to sisha and vaping/e-cigs.

I've never figured out why.  Anyone?

I googled hookah smoking....this is what I got: 

"Hookah sessions are typically around an hour in length, which is an estimated 200-puffs per session. Hookah users would consume the equivalent of about 100 cigarettes from one of these sessions."

That is a lot of smoke!!!

 

[HolyCowCm]

Just wait until electronic hookahs are made. The jail sentence or penalty must be doubled.

[Guest1]

7 hours ago, MrStretch said:

I still don't understand why hookah is illegal.

For all the cigarette smokers there are in this country, the government has a schizophrenic approach to sisha and vaping/e-cigs.

I've never figured out why.  Anyone?

Is THIS about the hookah? Or in general about restaurant, indoors, smooking?

[MrStretch]

5 hours ago, Guest1 said:

Is THIS about the hookah? Or in general about restaurant, indoors, smooking?

My question is about the hookah.  I've never lived in a country that has this attitude towards shisha, though have lived in several countries where it is an integral part of their culture.

[Ramanathan.P]

"Officials in Phuket’s Thalang district seized baraku, also known as shisha, from a restaurant near a hotel in the town of Sakhu. The seizure followed anonymous complaints via social media." 

Dear restaurant owners, please take note that it is not posted in social media. As long as you do it confined to your walls, it is ok. Hope the restaurant owners get that underplaying message clearly. 

[flogga]

5 hours ago, MrStretch said:

My question is about the hookah.  I've never lived in a country that has this attitude towards shisha, though have lived in several countries where it is an integral part of their culture.

It's called the Thai Tobacco monopoly.  If you smoke, they want you to buy their product. 

[Manu]

12 minutes ago, flogga said:

It's called the Thai Tobacco monopoly.  If you smoke, they want you to buy their product. 

You forgot the government... from 25% to 40% tax on each pack...

19 hours ago, MrStretch said:

I still don't understand why hookah is illegal.

For all the cigarette smokers there are in this country, the government has a schizophrenic approach to sisha and vaping/e-cigs.

I've never figured out why.  Anyone?

The governement and the Thai Tobacco monopoly cashing out hand in hand, that's why.

[Guest1]

12 hours ago, MrStretch said:

My question is about the hookah.  I've never lived in a country that has this attitude towards shisha, though have lived in several countries where it is an integral part of their culture.

Yes, your question. But mine is because of "no smoking allowed in food serving venues"

So, is it the hookah (alone), or was it because of smoking (a hookah) in a non smoking area by law?

[RNikoley]

So funny.

I won't mention where because I like the shop, but there is a place in Thailand where the vape shop is no more than 30 meters from the main police station for the district. A very well-stocked vape shop. Anything you could want.

No signage, frosted glass windows for the storefront. Basically, you have to have been told by someone it's there. Then you see people coming out with something in a bag.

This isn't to hide it from the police, of course; they surely know it's there. This is to avoid putting a spotlight on the police and embarrassing them.

Like I always say, violating most laws in Thailand isn't usually a problem. Flaunting it is, and embarrassing the authorities by flaunting it is the problem, and then the law will be enforced against you, payoff or not.

So when you see someone get busted and wonder why it didn't happen a long time ago, it's not because they missed making the payoff. It's because they weren't careful enough, keeping it from plain sight.

In the case of hookah, that's essentially social smoking, so being in the wide open is baked into the cake on that score.