12.25 Million THB worth of electronic cigarettes and equipment were seized in Mukdahan Province on the 13th of this month (August 2019). Electronic Cigarettes commonly known as vapes are products that are prohibited to import into the Nation. This includes electronic cigarettes, electronic cigarette equipment, and e-cigarette juice.
Kritsada Thongtammachat from the Mukdahan Province Customs Department reported that there has been a seize of products that are prohibited in Thailand. They received information from related officials of a plan to smuggle in a big lot of electronic cigarettes into Thailand, including equipment and other related items.
The E-cigs were planned to be smuggled in secretly mixed together with legal products that were being imported into the country through customs on the same day. The Customs Department and the Mukdahan Customs Department inspected the imports of an import company named Suvarnabhumi (Thailand).
A total of 197 boxes were found containing electronic cigarettes and related items. There were individual e-cigs, e-cigs that come in full sets with modification equipment, e-cig juices containing nicotine, and more. Together there were a total of 21,533 pieces of prohibited products hidden in 6 large wooden crates. The crates were mixed in with other wooden crates of goods waiting to be imported into the country.
Many Thai citizens want to look for an alternative method to quit smoking and to also have some fun. Because the items are illegal to sell and use in Thailand, the electronic cigarette market in Thailand is very large where most sales are via online and sent through the mail to the customers. Hopefully, e-cigs can become legal in Thailand if the government can see the possibility of taxing the products and regulating the use including age restrictions like traditional cigarettes.
Kritsada states that the officials are always looking out for illegal goods being imported into the country. This is to bring fairness in terms of tax and to protect society and the environment.
