Thailand: Smoking ban comes into force at 24 beaches
The Thai Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has begun enforcing a ban on smoking at 24 beaches in a bid to reduce the amount of cigarette waste.
Bangkok (NNT/VNA) – The Thai Department of Marine and CoastalResources has begun enforcing a ban on smoking at 24 beaches in a bid to reducethe amount of cigarette waste.
An order has been issued by the Department ofMarine and Coastal Resources to prohibit smokers from entering 24 beaches in 15provinces, effective from February 1. As a result, anyone found smoking onthose beaches will be subject to a prison term up to one year or a fine up to100,000 THB or both. Nonetheless, smoking areas have been set up outside thebeaches, with proper bins provided for cigarette butts.
According to a survey conducted on the popular Patong Beachin Phuket by the Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Centerfor the Andaman Sea, as many as 130,000 cigarette butts were found on the beachover a distance of 2.5 km. This led to an estimate that there are over 100million cigarette butts on all beaches in Thailand.
Cigarette butts are a serious threat to the environment asthey are not biodegradable. They can cause blockage of waterways and releasetoxic chemicals into the water, affecting the marine ecosystem.-VNA
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Illustrative image (Source: Internet) 
