smokingban1 Lyrics

February 11, 2008
No smoking here
A no-smoking sign inside a restaurant in Pattaya on Saturday. From today the ban also applies in areas of outdoor restaurants. Smoking in bars, restaurants and even open-air markets is now punishable by a 2,000 baht fine. Owners of venues which allow smoking face a fine of 20,000 baht. AFP

This story has pretty much all you would expect from a story about a smoking ban. It begins by explaining what the ban covers. Then it visits business owners affected by the new ban. You can guess what they think about it. Then it moves to health advocates. It is not hard to anticipate what they have to say. Then there are comments from customers and finally the story considers the issue of enforcement. Thailand is not Singapore and there are doubts about how strictly the ban will be enforced.

What do you think? Thailand already had a smoking ban for many public places. Has that ban worked well? How does the new ban differ? Do you think it is a good idea or are officials going too far this time?

ban - an official statement ordering people not to do, sell or use something
venues - places were public events or meetings take place สถานที่ชุมนุม พบปะสังสรรค์
advocates - people who strongly and public support something ผู้สนับสนุนความคิด
anticipate - to guess that something will happen คาดการณ์
issue - a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
enforcement - the process of making sure that something happens, especially that people obey a law or rule การบังคับใช้กฎหมาย
strictly - completely อย่างเข้มงวด

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Strict smoking bans in force
All bars, pubs, discos, clubs - and markets

SURASAK GLAHAN AND AFP

Pub ashtrays full of cigarette b___s are a thing of the past from today. All nightclubs, pubs and discos are now smoke free. PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

A total ban on smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the country takes effect today, to the delight of non-smokers and the chagrin of smokers.

The ban covers all air-conditioned bars, pubs, discos and clubs.

In addition, the owners of outdoor restaurants and markets are required to designate smoking and non-smoking zones.

''They will have to cross the street to smoke over there,'' said Than Leebamrung, the 36-year-old owner of the Sapha Kafe (Coffee Council) bar, when asked what arrangements he had made to help his customers.

Other bars and clubs may simply ask customers to smoke outside in the doorways, but Mr Than was not sure if the same could be applied to his bar, which is in the Din Daeng area.

This is because it is situated in a commercial building, where smoking is not allowed.

Like Mr Than, most bar owners see the law as impinging on people's civil liberties.

''People going to these entertainment places find it acceptable to be exposed to cigarette smoke. I have never received any complaints from non-smokers,'' he said.

The owner of a bar on Khao San road, who asked not to be named, frowned on the ban, saying it would certainly affect his business.

''Lawmakers should instead allow operators to set up both smoking and non-smoking areas to be fair,'' he said.

The law previously exempted nightclubs and bars from a smoking ban which was introduced in 2002.

The original ban covered indoor public places, including air-conditioned restaurants.

The ban's extension is being hailed by health advocates who say it is another milestone for tobacco control.

''By banning smoking in pubs and nightclubs, Thailand has once again shown its leadership in tobacco control in the international community, following the examples of Ireland, Uruguay, the UK, France and others,'' said Bungon Ritthiphakdee, director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance.

''Hopefully, in the near future, all open-air restaurants in Thailand will be 100% smoke free,'' she added.

chagrin - a feeling of being very annoyed, disappointed or embarrassed ความคับแค้นใจ
designate - chosen for a particular purpose กำหนด
applied to - covered by a particular law, process, method, etc. นำกฎหมายมาใช้
situated - located ตั้งอยู่ที่
impinging - having an effect on something, especially in a bad or harmful way ล่วงละเมิด
civil liberties - the basic rights that all citizens have to do or say what they want, as long as they do not break the law or affect other people's rights สิทธิเสรีภาพของพลเมือง
exposed - openly affected by and not protected from ได้รับ ในที่นี้หมายถึง สูดควันบุหรี่
frowned on - didn't approve of (frown means to move your eyebrows down and closer together because you are annoyed, worried or thinking hard) ไม่เห็นด้วย
exempted - not having to follow a rule or obligation or make a payment ยกเว้น
extension - an increase in the power of effect of something ขยายขอบเขตออกไป
hailed - said publicly how good something is; praised โห่ร้องสนับสนุน
milestone - an event or achievement that marks an important stage in a process เหตุการณ์สำคัญ (ที่ควรบันทึกไว้)
alliance - a group of people, organisations, or countries who have united to work together to achieve something สหพันธ์

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