Key points:

• Thailand’s Cabinet has endorsed five strategic measures aimed at preventing youth e-cigarette use.
• Initiatives include educational campaigns, stricter law enforcement and policy guidelines.
• The measures respond to rising concerns over youth vaping and aim to reinforce existing bans on e-cigarette sales and promotion.

On May 20, 2025, Thailand’s Cabinet approved a set of five measures proposed by the National Health Commission, according to government spokeswoman Sasikarn Watthanachan.

The approved measures are as follows:

1. Educational Initiatives in Schools: Schools will be designated as e-cigarette-free zones. Educational programs will be implemented to inform students about the health risks associated with vaping, complemented by activities designed to raise awareness.
2. Public Awareness Campaigns: Nationwide campaigns will be launched to educate the public, especially youth, about the dangers of e-cigarette use.
3. Enhanced Monitoring and Law Enforcement: New legal measures will be introduced to regulate media content, preventing the promotion of e-cigarettes. Guidelines will be issued to producers of television programs and films to avoid depicting e-cigarette use. Authorities will conduct surveys on the availability of e-cigarettes at least every two years to monitor compliance.
4. Development of Partner Networks: Collaborations with logistics businesses will be established to prevent the illegal transportation and online sale of e-cigarettes. Local administrations will be tasked with launching campaigns to protect youth use.
5. Policy Affirmation and International Alignment: Government agencies are required to adhere to policies based on the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Thailand’s Children Protection Act BE 2546.

The Education Ministry has previously implemented strict measures, including banning e-cigarettes in all schools and government offices.

The FCTC sets out rules and recommendations for governments to follow in order to reduce smoking and other tobacco-related harm. This includes banning tobacco advertising, creating smoke-free public spaces, requiring warning labels on packaging, increasing tobacco taxes, and cracking down on illicit trade.

For those in the nicotine industry, the FCTC is important because it influences how national governments regulate not just cigarettes, but also novel nicotine products like e-cigarettes and pouches. While the treaty was originally designed around traditional tobacco, many countries now interpret its guidelines as covering all nicotine delivery systems.