The number of smokers is on the rise, despite campaigns urging people to stop smoking. Up to 49% of the 72,656 patients who suffered from smoking-related lung diseases died prematurely in 2017, said Roengruedi Pathanwanit, a lecturer for Ramathibodi Hospital's Faculty of Medicine, Roengruedi Pathanwanit. More worrying is the result a study that found that about 10% of young smokers began smoking at the age of 10, said Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn. Thailand’s first efforts to curb smoking can be traced to 31 years ago, when the then-premier Prem Tinsulanonda instructed the Public Health Ministry to draft a masterplan on tobacco control. The country had no legal curbs on smoking until Gen Prem issued an order to “prohibit smoking in the Government House,” said Prakit Vathesatogkit, secretary-general of the Action on Smoking and Health Foundation.

Source: Bangkok Post May 27, 2019 11:37 UTC