This is one topic where “everyone does it” is bad advice. The rules below were checked against the Customs Act and official government warnings on 17 October 2026.
What is banned
| Item | Import | Sale | Possession and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapes, e-cigarettes, pods | banned since 2014 | banned | illegal |
| E-liquids and cartridges | banned | banned | illegal |
| IQOS, glo and other heat-not-burn devices | banned | banned | illegal |
| Electronic shisha (baraku) | banned | banned | illegal |
| Regular cigarettes | within the duty-free allowance | legal | only where smoking is allowed |
Sources: TAT on the 2014 ban; UK Foreign Office advice of 12 October 2026 (possessing or using any vape, e-cigarette, pod, e-liquid or heat-not-burn device is illegal, with no exceptions for tourists or personal use). Duty-free allowances for regular cigarettes are in our guide to Thai customs rules.
What the law says
A 2014 Ministry of Commerce order put e-cigarettes on the list of goods banned from import. Any vape in Thailand has therefore entered the country outside customs, and the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017) applies:
- Bringing goods in without customs clearance (s. 242): up to 10 years in prison, a fine of four times the duty-inclusive value, or both; the goods are forfeited. This is the main section for a vape carried in luggage and not shown
- Importing through clearance while evading a ban or restriction (s. 244): up to 10 years, a fine of up to THB 500,000, or both; the court may forfeit the goods
- Buying, keeping or helping to hide such goods (s. 246): up to 5 years, the fine of the related section (four times the duty-inclusive value for s. 242, up to THB 500,000 for s. 244), or both
- Seizure (ss. 166-167): customs officers, police and administrative officials can seize banned goods even when the case ends with a fine
Those are maximums. The law does not say what people actually pay.
What happens in practice
The UK Foreign Office, as of October 2026, says offences usually lead to confiscation and fines, typically THB 5,000-30,000, with detention and court proceedings possible; you may be required to stay in Thailand until the case is finalised.
From Phuket expat chats (not official data): vapes are found in airport luggage screening and during street checks, and such stories became more common in 2025. Figures of THB 30,000-40,000 “settlements” quoted in chats could not be verified against any document.
A separate risk is people posing as police who demand cash for a vape with no paperwork. How to tell a real check from a shakedown is covered in our guide to scams in Thailand. The Tourist Police hotline is 1155.
Why people think it used to be allowed
The import ban has been in force since 2014. TAT warned visitors about it in 2017 and 2019, and the Government Public Relations Department wrote about fines for importers in May 2024. Vapes were sold openly at kiosks and night markets for years, so many visitors assumed they were legal. They were not; the rule has not changed, and according to media reports and expat chats enforcement has been stricter since 2025.
If you smoke
- Do not pack a vape or IQOS. Leave it at home or bin it before departure, including on transit.
- Do not buy one locally. The buyer is liable under section 246 of the Customs Act.
- Smoke regular cigarettes only where allowed. No smoking in enclosed public places, on transport, inside airport terminals (fine up to THB 5,000) or on many beaches, including Patong (up to THB 100,000 or 1 year).
- Nicotine patches and gum are sold in pharmacies. How to find one and ask for what you need is in our guide to pharmacies in Thailand.
FAQ
Can I bring IQOS to Thailand?
No. The UK Foreign Office's Thailand advice, current in October 2026, lists heat-not-burn devices alongside vapes: possessing or using them is illegal, with no exception for tourists. Leave the heated tobacco sticks at home too, since they only invite questions at the airport.
I vaped openly in Thailand in 2024. Has the law changed?
No, it was illegal then too. The import ban dates from 2014, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand warned visitors about it in 2017 and 2019. Open sales at kiosks never made vaping legal; according to media reports and expat chats, enforcement has tightened since 2025.
Do they check for vapes at the airport?
Customs can inspect luggage and must seize banned goods under sections 166-167 of the Customs Act; people in Phuket expat chats report vapes being found at airport screening. Police can seize them too, so the risk does not end at arrivals. If you have a vape with you, bin it before flying in.
What is the fine for vaping in Thailand?
The Customs Act sets the ceilings: up to 10 years or a fine of four times the duty-inclusive value for bringing goods past customs without clearance (s. 242), or up to THB 500,000 for importing through clearance while evading a ban (s. 244); for buying or keeping such goods, up to 5 years and the fine of whichever section the goods are tied to (s. 246). In practice the UK Foreign Office says tourists usually face confiscation and a fine of THB 5,000-30,000, but detention and court proceedings are possible, and you may have to stay in Thailand until the case is closed.
Can I buy a vape in Phuket if shops sell them?
Selling e-cigarettes is also illegal: in 2024 Thailand's Government Public Relations Department reported a case where sellers faced fines of up to THB 2 million. A vape bought in Thailand is still smuggled goods, and the buyer is liable under section 246. Switching to ordinary cigarettes for the trip, smoked only where allowed, is the legal option.
Where can I smoke regular cigarettes?
Smoking is banned in enclosed public places, on public transport, and inside airport terminals, where the fine is up to THB 5,000 (TAT, citing a 2018 Ministry of Public Health notice). Since 1 February 2018 smoking has also been banned on 24 tourist beaches in 15 provinces, including Patong, with penalties of up to THB 100,000 or up to 1 year in prison (Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, as reported by Khaosod English and TTG Asia). At AOT airports, including Phuket, smoking is only allowed in designated areas outside the terminal.
Can you smoke a hookah in Thailand?
No. Hookahs (baraku) and e-hookahs have been banned from import since 2014, and in 2024 the Committee on Safety of Products and Services banned their manufacture for sale, sale and hookah services. You may still see shisha bars in tourist areas, but they break the law.
Sources
- Tobacco Control Laws. Thailand: Decree No. 24/2024 banning manufacture for sale, sale and services of hookahs (08.07.2024)
- TTG Asia. Smoking, littering ban on Thailand tourist beaches kicks in (2 February 2018), media
- Khaosod English. Smoking ban to hit 24 Thai beaches (25 January 2018), media
- Thai Customs Department. Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017), unofficial translation, ss. 166, 242, 244, 246
- TAT Newsroom. Electronic cigarettes are illegal in Thailand (2017-09-22)
- TAT Newsroom. TAT highlights anti-smoking laws in Thailand (2019-11-04)
- UK FCDO. Thailand travel advice: Smoking and e-cigarette bans (updated 2026-10-12)
- Government Public Relations Department (PRD). E-Cigarette Importers to Thailand Threatened with Steep Fines (2024-05-07)
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.