Starting on September 1, Bangkok taxi drivers will be banned from smoking in their taxis whether there are passengers onboard or not, failing which the cabbies and the owners of taxis will be liable to fines ranging from 1,000-2,000 baht.
According to the act to protect the health of non-smokers, Land Transport Department chief Sanit Promwong said on Tuesday that starting next month all taxis will be regarded as a smoking-free zone.
The Land Transport Department, in cooperation with the Diseases Control Department and the Foundation to Campaign against Smoking will distribute 100,000 “no smoking” stickers to taxi drivers through the transport offices of the Bangkok City Administration so that they can be attached to the front consoles of their cars which are easily visible.
Mr Sanit warned that owners of taxis which do not have the stickers will be liable to a fine of 2,000 baht whereas cabbies who smoke in their cars will face a fine not exceeding 1,000 baht and, an addition of 2,000 baht for defying the law to protect the health of non-smokers.
In November, he said officials from the Land Transport Department will conduct random inspections of taxis to assess the result of the anti-smoking campaign in Bangkok after which the smoking ban may be expanded to cover other modes of public transport.
