A Study on Enforcing Tobacco Product Control Act 2560 B.E. (2017) after easing COVID-19 Measures

Abstract

The World Health Organization states that smoking increases the risk of bacterial and viral infections by two to four times that of lung-related infections.  According to a study of COVID-19 cases in China, it has found that smokers are more likely to worsen their symptoms and die 14 times higher than non-smokers.  After easing the control measures of coronavirus 2019, people will start to return to their daily lives.  This can be expected that there will be more perpetrators on the Tobacco Products Control Act 2560 B.E. (2017), especially smoking in public places where it is a non-smoking area.  In line with the 2017 National Statistical Office survey results, it was found that the market was a found place with the highest level of smoking, followed by public transport stations.  After the implementation of the law enforcement measures, it was found that 68 provinces reported the performance of the measures, accounting for 88.3 percent, consisting of provinces that met the criteria, more than the specified criteria were 42 provinces, 62%, of the provinces. And the provinces that operated under the threshold (6 times fewer law enforcement) and 26 provinces or accounted for 38 percent.  There were still 7 other provinces or 9.1 percent that did not report the results as scheduled, and two provinces, or 2.6 percent took no action at all.  The results show that model of law enforcement at the provincial level, the composition of the working group or the auditing team in the field to enforce the law affect the operation visiting the area to implement law enforcement measures under the Tobacco Products Control Act 2560 B.E. (2017) after easing the control measures for the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).