can you smoke in Bangkok airport
If you’re a smoker like me and planning your trip to Thailand, you might be wondering whether or not you can smoke at the Bangkok airport.
I’ve been going to Thailand since 2010 and recently returned on my last trip. This is January of 2024. So only 2 months ago. And when I saw this question and Googled it, it caught my attention that there’s so much wrong information out there, that I just had to write this article and help you out.
Everybody is saying that you’re not allowed to smoke anywhere at the Bangkok airport and that’s true in theory.
But at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, there are areas designated for you and me to smoke a cigarette.
Can you smoke at the Bangkok Airport:
Even though the smoking areas inside Suvarnabhumi Airport are closed, you are still allowed to smoke on all floors when you walk through the sliding doors to the outside. Look for the big ashtrays filled with sand and some of the smoking areas have chairs to sit down.
Why is there no smoking area at the Bangkok Airport
Thailand has been cleaning up their country for when it comes to tobacco for a long time and putting a ban on smoking in public areas is just one of those things.
Here is a PDF document about their laws when it comes to smoking that you can check out.
This doesn’t just go for the airport, but all public places within the country. Think of shopping malls, public transportation, beaches, etc
Can you smoke at Bangkok Airport after security?
Since the tobacco ban was set into place for public areas, all the smoking areas within the airport were closed.
I remember when I landed in Bangkok, the first thing I did, before even going to passport control, was to smoke a cigarette in one of the smoking rooms that I walked by.
But that is no longer an option. Now you’ll have to wait until you clear customs and you can walk outside through the doors and find your smoking area outside.
When you leave Thailand and arrive at the airport to go home, you can only smoke at the outside areas. Even on the 4th floor, which is the floor for departures, there’s an area outside to have a cigarette.
Just keep in mind to go through customs in time, since it can take quite some time going through everything.
My wife always brings me to the airport and we want to spend as much time together as possible before I go up to that escalator.
Are you allowed to Vape at the Bangkok Airport?
It’s even illegal to bring your vape with you to Thailand and if customs catch you having them on you, they will be confiscated and you can end up with a fine.
And although you can find vapes in Bangkok, it’s illegal to vape at the airport or any public place for that matter.
So if you want to smoke, I would buy a pack of cigarettes and go to the designated smoking spots outside of the airport.
There is a small minimart right on the first floor when you go through the doors. Right next to the food court.
My final thoughts
As you can tell, there’s nothing for you to worry about. There are still areas for you and me to have a smoke. We just have to abide by their rules and do it on the outside floors.
This is also one of the reasons why I usually buy a ticket with a layover in Dubai or Doha. Just so my flight doesn’t take that long and I can have a cigarette in those places.
And once you entered Thailand and finished your cigarette, it’s time to go into the city.
I’ve got you covered on that as well. If you would like to take the Airport link into the city for example, make sure to read my article on how to get into Bangkok city.
And as I mentioned, make sure to NOT bring any vapes because you’ll risk a fine and you’ll lose them.
