Cigarette smoking on condo balconies and public areas outside shops / restuarants.

[Maplesyrup]

Can BMA and relevant authorities clamp down on smoking within condo premises or public areas? Smokers are putting residents and children at risk in these premises and also avoid possible risk of covid-19 spread. Condo juristic office hands seem tied and they cannot do anything other than put up no-smoking sign boards.

[TobyAndrews]

  On 7/19/2021 at 4:26 AM, Maplesyrup said:

Can BMA and relevant authorities clamp down on smoking within condo premises or public areas? Smokers are putting residents and children at risk in these premises and also avoid possible risk of covid-19 spread. Condo juristic office hands seem tied and they cannot do anything other than put up no-smoking sign boards.

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NO.

[Sparrows]

I’m not a smoker but you can’t tell someone that they can’t engage in a legal activity on their own property. That makes YOU the ****hole, not the smoker. 

But I see this is an old message so probably just covid hysteria.

[Pinetree]

  On 12/12/2023 at 5:05 PM, Sparrows said:

I’m not a smoker but you can’t tell someone that they can’t engage in a legal activity on their own property. That makes YOU the ****hole, not the smoker. 

But I see this is an old message so probably just covid hysteria.

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Hence why I hate condo living.  Like rats in a cage.  Give me a house every time.  I have a big garden, my own pool and my two dogs, no near neighbors.  That's the way to live, not dictated to by a committee. I don't smoke either, but I can if I want to, the smelliest cigars on the market, and upset nobody but the dogs.  

[Sparrows]

  On 12/13/2023 at 3:16 AM, Pinetree said:

Hence why I hate condo living.  Like rats in a cage.  Give me a house every time.  I have a big garden, my own pool and my two dogs, no near neighbors.  That's the way to live, not dictated to by a committee. I don't smoke either, but I can if I want to, the smelliest cigars on the market, and upset nobody but the dogs.  

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I’m in complete agreement. I don’t get why people are all excited searching for a condo. Fair play to them, not my place to tell people what to enjoy but oh well. Like rats in a cage is right, The bit about no near neighbors is exactly right. 

My place is a reasonable size, house and garage at the front, with gardens and a cottage at the back. When I was young, there was also a huge walnut tree near the corner by the cottage.

My grandfather sold half the property in the 1950s and it went through various owners over the years. The trouble began around 40 years ago, when a car dealership became our new neighbours. All good, big smiles, gifts exchanged , all that neighbourly stuff. Come Autumn, though, everything changed.

The walnut tree started to drop its nuts. Hundreds, maybe even thousands. About one-quarter to a third of the canopy and branches of the tree overhung the cars closest to the fence. In the first autumn rain, they were all wrecks the next morning. Much negotiation, increasingly unpleasant. Long story short, the council ordered our 140 year old walnut tree be removed. Gran called them “murderers”.

Ten years later, a very different dispute. My gran was occupying the cottage then and started keeping cats. Quite a few. She had 11 of them in the end. Very clean and well cared for, bells, collars and toys etc. The problem was their favorite place to take a dump was on the astroturf outside the entrance of the car dealer. They were furious of course. Much to and fro, but long stong short, the council came and removed 10 of Gran’s 11 cats (couldn’t catch the other one).

The thing I learned was, be nice to your neighbours, but live as far away from them as possible.

[Sparrows]

Apologies Pinetree, that last post got away on me

[Marc26]

  On 12/12/2023 at 5:05 PM, Sparrows said:

I’m not a smoker but you can’t tell someone that they can’t engage in a legal activity on their own property. That makes YOU the ****hole, not the smoker. 

But I see this is an old message so probably just covid hysteria.

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But a building actually can, well in most places 

There are rules and bylaws when you live in a condo 

And the strata/condo board can make and enforce those rules 

Hence why some don't like living in a condo 

Although to the original question 

I'd be surprised if they would outlae smoking in a condo in Thailand 

[Sparrows]

  On 12/13/2023 at 3:48 PM, Marc26 said:

But a building actually can, well in most places 

There are rules and bylaws when you live in a condo 

And the strata/condo board can make and enforce those rules 

Hence why some don't like living in a condo 

Although to the original question 

I'd be surprised if they would outlae smoking in a condo in Thailand 

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Fully agree. Interesting point you make about the strata boards. They can make and enforce that rule but would never do it. There’s no incentive as they would see it. Selling or leasing to only non-smokers would be seen as limiting the market pool, not improving the quality of the offering - but I may be wrong.

I think there’ll need to be regulatory changes for it to happen. Could be a while.

[Marc26]

  On 12/15/2023 at 3:40 PM, Sparrows said:

Fully agree. Interesting point you make about the strata boards. They can make and enforce that rule but would never do it. There’s no incentive as they would see it. Selling or leasing to only non-smokers would be seen as limiting the market pool, not improving the quality of the offering - but I may be wrong.

I think there’ll need to be regulatory changes for it to happen. Could be a while.

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Well they certainly do in North America 

I live in a smoke free building where you aren't even allowed to smoke on the balconies 

And I don’t think they worry about limiting their pool here

Way more non-smokers than smokers

But again, don't see them doing so in Thailand 

At least not for the forseeable future 

[Sparrows]

  On 12/15/2023 at 6:45 PM, Marc26 said:

Well they certainly do in North America 

I live in a smoke free building where you aren't even allowed to smoke on the balconies 

And I don’t think they worry about limiting their pool here

Way more non-smokers than smokers

But again, don't see them doing so in Thailand 

At least not for the forseeable future 

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My cousin married an American, went to his wedding, met his friends, not one smoker among them. Cigars but do they count? No cigs anyway

If a condo is smoke free in the states, I assume it would be a selling point or even a dealbreaker.

I agree, we’re way off it being a factor here.

[Marc26]

  On 12/19/2023 at 2:27 PM, Sparrows said:

My cousin married an American, went to his wedding, met his friends, not one smoker among them. Cigars but do they count? No cigs anyway

If a condo is smoke free in the states, I assume it would be a selling point or even a dealbreaker.

I agree, we’re way off it being a factor here.

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I'm 51yrs old, from the US

I don't have any friends that smoke, not in my entire life 

My one friend keeps a pack at the bar and smokes a few maybe one night per week

That's it

The only city in North America that I notice people smoking a lot is NYC

[QECE]

When did smoking/non-smoking become political?

[Marc26]

  On 12/19/2023 at 3:40 PM, QECE said:

When did smoking/non-smoking become political?

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How is it political??

Some people want to smoke 

Others hate it and are offended by it because it intrudes on them 

That's not political 

That's people not wanting the health effects thrust on them and don't want a nasty habit intruding on them

And smokers want to smoke

Zero political about any of that 

[Sparrows]

  On 12/19/2023 at 3:07 PM, Marc26 said:

I'm 51yrs old, from the US

I don't have any friends that smoke, not in my entire life 

My one friend keeps a pack at the bar and smokes a few maybe one night per week

That's it

The only city in North America that I notice people smoking a lot is NYC

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Similar here (UK) none in my family or social circle smoke. My granddad smoked a pipe and my gran smoked cigarettes, but that’s it.

It seems a lot of expats in Thailand smoke, compared to back home, not sure why. Certainly in the bars, many have a drink and light one up, goes hand in hand.

I’m not an aggressive anti-smoker, by all means smoke away i tell people, just as long as i’m not downwind of you.

I must say though , if i were to inspect a condo for purchase in Thailand and the fella next door was sucking a fag on the balocony, I wouldn’t consider buying.

[Marc26]

  On 12/20/2023 at 10:11 PM, Sparrows said:

Similar here (UK) none in my family or social circle smoke. My granddad smoked a pipe and my gran smoked cigarettes, but that’s it.

It seems a lot of expats in Thailand smoke, compared to back home, not sure why. Certainly in the bars, many have a drink and light one up, goes hand in hand.

I’m not an aggressive anti-smoker, by all means smoke away i tell people, just as long as i’m not downwind of you.

I must say though , if i were to inspect a condo for purchase in Thailand and the fella next door was sucking a fag on the balocony, I wouldn’t consider buying.

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I am very anti-smokers

I think they are rudest people in the world 

But we've had that discussion on here before 

And Thailand is a big issue for me

So many Europeans smoke and they don't care if someone is eating 

They will just light up

But they are allowed so I wouldn’t say anything to them 

But I hate it with a passion 

[Sparrows]

  On 12/20/2023 at 11:45 PM, Marc26 said:

I am very anti-smokers

I think they are rudest people in the world 

But we've had that discussion on here before 

And Thailand is a big issue for me

So many Europeans smoke and they don't care if someone is eating 

They will just light up

But they are allowed so I wouldn’t say anything to them 

But I hate it with a passion 

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I can tolerate it, except in restaurants. I think it’s very rude and arrogant to light one up when people are eating nearby. Don’t mind so much outdoors or in other places.

It is the Europeans more often than the Brits with these manners, don’t want to point any fingers but especially one particular European country that starts with F.

[Marc26]

  On 12/22/2023 at 3:07 PM, Sparrows said:

I can tolerate it, except in restaurants. I think it’s very rude and arrogant to light one up when people are eating nearby. Don’t mind so much outdoors or in other places.

It is the Europeans more often than the Brits with these manners, don’t want to point any fingers but especially one particular European country that starts with F.

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Same here 

I hate it with a passion and I really dislike smokers

But if it's outside, I don't have any right to complain to them

And even though I think they are as rude as fxuk to smoke after they finished their meal while others are srill eating 

If the restaurant allows it, I don't have a right to complain 

I find Phuket, for whatever reason, to be the worst for it

Maybe the age of the expats and tourists is older there....

[Pinetree]

  On 12/22/2023 at 5:13 PM, Marc26 said:

Same here 

I hate it with a passion and I really dislike smokers

But if it's outside, I don't have any right to complain to them

And even though I think they are as rude as fxuk to smoke after they finished their meal while others are srill eating 

If the restaurant allows it, I don't have a right to complain 

I find Phuket, for whatever reason, to be the worst for it

Maybe the age of the expats and tourists is older there....

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I, on the other hand, am a militant anti smoker.  It's up to an individual whether they smoke or not, but just as I won't put up with drinkers who are drunk, I don't put up with people smoking near me. They have no right to impose their anti social, dangerous to health habit on to me and mine. Yes this has landed me in a few arguments, but in each case, I have been backed up by others, who felt the same, but were keeping quiet, until I spoke up.   

[Marc26]

  On 12/23/2023 at 9:57 AM, Pinetree said:

I, on the other hand, am a militant anti smoker.  It's up to an individual whether they smoke or not, but just as I won't put up with drinkers who are drunk, I don't put up with people smoking near me. They have no right to impose their anti social, dangerous to health habit on to me and mine. Yes this has landed me in a few arguments, but in each case, I have been backed up by others, who felt the same, but were keeping quiet, until I spoke up.   

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As much as I despise it and think they are rude c*nts for smoking after they eat while others are still eating 

If the restaurant allows it, I just feel it's on me to decide to eat there or not

The time I do speak up is when people smoke right outside a doorway

I always tell them to move

[Sparrows]

  On 12/23/2023 at 4:03 PM, Marc26 said:

The time I do speak up is when people smoke right outside a doorway

I always tell them to move

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  On 12/23/2023 at 9:57 AM, Pinetree said:

Yes this has landed me in a few arguments, but in each case, I have been backed up by others

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I think the ignorance and bad manners bother me even more than the smoke itself if I’m honest. It’s just disrespectful and arrogant. What some smokers muddle up is that when something is “not prohibited”, it does’t make it a “right”. 

But of course not all smokers are like this. I remember one thing that happened during one of my first trips to Bangkok. I used to frequent a curry house in one of the sois near Nana Bts. Poky place, just 7 or 8 tables crammed in together with open front. Good curry. I was there one night and this happened:

Two fellas were just about finished, got up and were heading out. The waiter asked where they were going, they said outside to smoke. The waiter said no, you can smoke here and indicated the ashtray on their table. The two chaps (who later turned out to be from Guyana) again refused and one said “nobody else is smoking here, we don’t want to bother them”. A bit of a standoff now, the waiter thought they were going to do a runner? By now, most of the restaurant is listening in. Finally they go outside, with the waiter a bit too obvious in keeping an eye on them.

Anyhow, they came back in and the whole restaurant gave them a round of applause. An Italian couple went to their table and insisted on buying them a drink. Smoking manners was then the topic of conversation at every table.

[Marc26]

  On 12/26/2023 at 11:35 PM, Sparrows said:

I think the ignorance and bad manners bother me even more than the smoke itself if I’m honest. It’s just disrespectful and arrogant. What some smokers muddle up is that when something is “not prohibited”, it does’t make it a “right”. 

But of course not all smokers are like this. I remember one thing that happened during one of my first trips to Bangkok. I used to frequent a curry house in one of the sois near Nana Bts. Poky place, just 7 or 8 tables crammed in together with open front. Good curry. I was there one night and this happened:

Two fellas were just about finished, got up and were heading out. The waiter asked where they were going, they said outside to smoke. The waiter said no, you can smoke here and indicated the ashtray on their table. The two chaps (who later turned out to be from Guyana) again refused and one said “nobody else is smoking here, we don’t want to bother them”. A bit of a standoff now, the waiter thought they were going to do a runner? By now, most of the restaurant is listening in. Finally they go outside, with the waiter a bit too obvious in keeping an eye on them.

Anyhow, they came back in and the whole restaurant gave them a round of applause. An Italian couple went to their table and insisted on buying them a drink. Smoking manners was then the topic of conversation at every table.

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Amazing story 

Unfortunately they are an exception 

Most smokers are ignorant and selfish 

But I've been on an anti-smokers rant on here before so don't feel the need to list the many ways most of them are selfish and inconsiderate 

[Highlandman]

  On 12/15/2023 at 6:45 PM, Marc26 said:

Well they certainly do in North America 

I live in a smoke free building where you aren't even allowed to smoke on the balconies 

And I don’t think they worry about limiting their pool here

Way more non-smokers than smokers

But again, don't see them doing so in Thailand 

At least not for the forseeable future 

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Anti-smoking laws seem to be stricter in Thailand than America, but I agree with you that trying to prevent someone smoking on their own balcony or inside their condo is a bit of a stretch. However, Thais would never smoke inside an elevator or condo lobby, unlike the Chinese.

[Highlandman]

  On 12/26/2023 at 11:35 PM, Sparrows said:

I think the ignorance and bad manners bother me even more than the smoke itself if I’m honest. It’s just disrespectful and arrogant. What some smokers muddle up is that when something is “not prohibited”, it does’t make it a “right”. 

But of course not all smokers are like this. I remember one thing that happened during one of my first trips to Bangkok. I used to frequent a curry house in one of the sois near Nana Bts. Poky place, just 7 or 8 tables crammed in together with open front. Good curry. I was there one night and this happened:

Two fellas were just about finished, got up and were heading out. The waiter asked where they were going, they said outside to smoke. The waiter said no, you can smoke here and indicated the ashtray on their table. The two chaps (who later turned out to be from Guyana) again refused and one said “nobody else is smoking here, we don’t want to bother them”. A bit of a standoff now, the waiter thought they were going to do a runner? By now, most of the restaurant is listening in. Finally they go outside, with the waiter a bit too obvious in keeping an eye on them.

Anyhow, they came back in and the whole restaurant gave them a round of applause. An Italian couple went to their table and insisted on buying them a drink. Smoking manners was then the topic of conversation at every table.

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That was in the days before smoking was banned in nearly all public spaces in Thailand. Nowadays, they'd be forced to go outside for a smoke, except at an open air bar,  outdoor beach restaurant or somewhere like that.

Or of course they could travel to China, where smoking is the norm inside restaurants and most indoor spaces except offices, malls, airports and train stations (although smoking is common on the platforms). 

[Highlandman]

  On 12/23/2023 at 4:03 PM, Marc26 said:

As much as I despise it and think they are rude c*nts for smoking after they eat while others are still eating 

If the restaurant allows it, I just feel it's on me to decide to eat there or not

The time I do speak up is when people smoke right outside a doorway

I always tell them to move

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Except for restaurants with outdoor seating and the like, Thailand is a verifiable paradise for non-smokers as its simply not allowed. The law is about as strict (and strictly complied with) as in California, Australia and Singapore.

By contrast, many of Thailand's neighbors have far looser restrictions (if any). In Vietnam, smoking is still common in many restaurants, that aren't chain restaurants, mall restaurants or otherwise fully enclosed. In China, smoking is essentially the norm in restaurants, except fast food and mall restaurants. Indonesia is a smoker's paradise.

[Highlandman]

  On 12/20/2023 at 11:45 PM, Marc26 said:

I am very anti-smokers

I think they are rudest people in the world 

But we've had that discussion on here before 

And Thailand is a big issue for me

So many Europeans smoke and they don't care if someone is eating 

They will just light up

But they are allowed so I wouldn’t say anything to them 

But I hate it with a passion 

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Agreed.

That being said, I think most European smokers who visit Thailand know where smoking is allowed and where it isn't (with a few exceptions).

Pattaya go go bars, which are halfway open-air: smoking is either permitted or tolerated. Upmarket Bangkok nightclubs: smoking isn't permitted inside, only outdoors in designated areas and this seems to be fairly strictly adhered to these days. 

Restaurants: open air restaurants in Pattaya and Phuket: smoking possibly permitted in outdoor areas, depending on the establishment. 

Mall restaurants, fast food joints, enclosed restaurants with AC and predominately Thai places that may be partly open air: smoking not permitted. 

Since 2007 when smoking was banned indoors, even in nightclubs (exceptions in certain places as mentioned) I have hardly ever had any issues with people smoking around me. Thais simply don't and I haven't noticed tourists doing so either. Perhaps due to not hanging out at touristy places in Pattaya, I don't get to experience the possible degeneracy and rude behavior that goes on there, which may leave me in the dark about whether smoking is an issue in these places. However, in my extensive experience of living and traveling in Thailand, I can honestly say Thais are by and large very disciplined and respectful of anti-smoking ordinances, unlike the Chinese, Indonesians, Russians and Koreans, among others.

Also, perhaps since I don't hang out in touristy areas (I've never even been to Samui for instance) means I am used to seeing what Thais do and how they act, not foreigners. When I do visit touristy neighborhoods, it tends to be in neighboring countries (Pham Ngu Lao in HCMC, pub Street in Siem Reap etc.)

Edited December 27, 2023 by Highlandman