The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) voices concern over Thailand’s Cabinet approval on 28 October 2025 of amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2560 (2017), targeting e-cigarettes. This follows Queen Sirikit’s passing on 24 October 2025, amid a year-long national mourning period. Such timing questions advancing major policy changes without wider input during restraint.
Anti-vaping groups proposed a total ban to the House of Senators, which accepted it with minimal scrutiny before forwarding to Cabinet. Cabinet then tasked the Ministry of Public Health with leading a sub-committee to develop solutions within one month.
Asa Saligupta, President of Ends Cigarette Smoking Thailand and CAPHRA member, highlighted the flaw: “This ignores our existing committee and a prior Cabinet decision favouring balanced regulation. Entrusting the process to those with clear biases risks outcomes that sideline evidence.”
Users have risen from 78,252 in 2021 to over 400,000 in 2024. CAPHRA cautions that vague details on permitted products may steer adults to unregulated disposables.
Saligupta challenged the policy logic: “Every day, 47 Thais die from smoking, yet the government treats vaping—which carries no recorded deaths in Thailand—as the greater threat. This is not science-based policy.” He noted Thailand already has a prior Cabinet-level blueprint favouring controlled legalization. “Rushing through a total ban during national mourning demonstrates either disorganisation or deliberate predatory timing,” Saligupta added.
Thailand’s plan ignores environmental aspects. Refillable devices create substantially less waste than disposables, yet no vaping-specific recycling initiatives are mentioned. General e-waste rules apply, but disposables lack dedicated programmes, worsening regional pollution.
Saligupta proposed alternatives: “We should transition tobacco farmers to growing for safer alternatives like heat-not-burn devices. Revenue from regulated vaping taxes could fund youth protection while ensuring safe products replace black-market alternatives.”
This echoes patterns in Malaysia and Singapore, where FCTC adherence overshadows evidence-based health strategies. Malaysia’s October 2024 Act 852 enforces tight vaping rules without harm reduction, while Singapore’s September 2025 ban imposes harsh penalties. CAPHRA sees these favouring WHO FCTC Article 5.3 at the expense of safer alternatives proven to help smokers quit.
Saligupta concluded: “Asian leaders must choose between defending ideology or lives. Thailand claims 71,000 annual deaths from smoking are acceptable, yet criminalises a tool helping people escape. That is policy failure masquerading as protection.”
CAPHRA advocates tobacco harm reduction in Asia Pacific for adults using smoke-free nicotine products. It champions policies saving lives via regulated alternatives, backed by evidence on falling smoking rates.
CONTACT:
Nancy Loucas,
Executive Coordinator CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates)
Mobile: +64272348643
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://caphraorg.net/
