Over THB80 million worth of electronic cigarettes and accessories were confiscated during weekend police raids, according to Thai cyber police.
Two people were accused of importing illicit goods and charged with violating the Consumer Protection Act and the Export-Import Act, Maj. Gen. Pairoj Sukruaythanachote said, after officers raided a Bangkok condo in the Ratchathewi area and a warehouse in the western metro outskirts.
That’s a lot of vapes, given that the devices typically sell for only a few hundred baht.
The police warned that anyone possessing such devices faces up to five years in prison as well as a fine of up to four times the value of the device under a 2015 ban.
But while importing vapes remains forbidden under import regulations, prosecution for possession is unlikely to stand up in court, given that the relevant sections of the Consumer Protection Act were repealed in 2019.
Until the order banning vapes has been reissued under the amended law passed that year, the ban will be without the force of law.
No, vaping and vapes are not illegal in Thailand. Here’s why.
After years of lax enforcement, law enforcement has been making a show of cracking down after being embarrassed by a Taiwanese actress and Chinese travelers who were extorted by bribes for possessing e-cigarettes.
The devices and cartridges to refill them are easily found via online marketplaces as well sold on the streets of the capital.
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