Hurry, there’s a smoker in front!

To be honest, I do not have a very good impression with smokers. I do not deny that there were times when I purposely walked away from the smokers or made it obvious that I disapprove of their actions.

Smoking is often associated with drinking alcohol but I think many, like myself, are more acceptable to occasional drinking than occasional smoking. This is probably due to a myriad of reasons that include the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and awful smell. I am not alone in this opinion as this research trip reveals that several Thais share the same view as well.

Why do I carry this stigma? I am not really sure when it started but I am sure all the civics and moral education (CME) lessons I had in primary school and my parents’ teachings planted an idea in the young me that smoking is bad. With increasing awareness about the health concerns related to second-hand smoke, I detest smoking even more as I grew up. Furthermore, a few years ago, I had a bad experience with a smoker and the smell of that particular type of tobacco still gives me shivers until now. Thus, you probably could guess that I started this project with little interest and even disdain, thinking, ‘Smoking only what, everywhere also the same one.’

However this research trip proves not be a wasted trip, as over the week, I realised how different smoking is viewed in Singapore and in Thailand. The stark difference in the public smoking situation in the 2 countries was really surprising to me and I found myself eager to find out more. I was curious to investigate the reason behind the differences and how we Singaporeans can learn from the Thais.

In Singapore, smoking is definitely common, though not encouraged. Both Thailand and Singapore governments imposed smoking ban in certain places, usually indoor places. Personally, I observed that designated smoking places in Singapore are usually crowded and I had expected Chiang Mai to be the same.

Thais seldom smoke in public areas and even if they do, they will try their best to stay away from others. In fact it was so hard for my group to observe smokers that we got really excited when we spotted a local smoking or even a cigarette butt on the floor. Recall on your trip, people who were smoking openly, are they usually tourists or locals? I dare say your answer will be tourists because through our extensive research over the week (skipping OTOT for more interviews), we found out that Thais generally are more considerate and hate to bother others. Hence they will not smoke in crowded areas, especially tourist attractions, because they know that the smoke bothers and even annoys others. Thus, the ban is not the sole factor and social consideration is likely to play a bigger role in reducing smoking in public areas.

This discovery makes me view Chiang Mai and Thailand in a new light. Thai government’s ban on smoking in public area is far stricter and covers more areas than Singapore’s. The penalty, 2000฿, may sound little to us, but an interview reveals that 2000฿ is actually a very significant portion of an average Thai’s income. In Singapore, people who are caught smoking in prohibited places face fines up to $200, which is only about 3% of an average Singaporean’s monthly pay ($5900).

This trip to Chiang Mai offered me many opportunities to interact with smokers and health professionals and allowed my group to explore the stigma revolving around smokers. Do not judge a book by its cover. Looks are deceiving. These are idioms we all grew up with, but we are still unconsciously making this mistake. We may claim to be accepting of smokers but would our actions and reactions really reflect that notion?

Personally I learnt to reserve my judgment until further interaction through the trip, because we were required to approach smokers for interviews and many of them turned out to be different from my expectations. Some were more friendly; Some were really considerate (putting out their cigarettes immediately, even if they just lit it up). Thus, I am thankful for being given a reason to approach smokers, something that I have avoided for years and would probably continue if not for this trip.

Khob kun ka!