The laws regulating e-cigarettes have sparked controversy, prompting a cabinet minister to propose vaping be legalised while police crack down on the sale of the devices.

The move came after a police officer allegedly demanded a foreign tourist pay 60,000 baht for possessing an e-cigarette in Pattaya, triggering a public debate on whether owning vaping devices should be illegal.

Critics ask why the devices are so easily available in the country if they are against the law.

Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn admitted on Thursday that e-cigarettes are popular with certain groups of people in Thailand and are legal in many other countries.

"Vaping has become part of their way of life," he said.

"In countries where vaping is banned by law, people still find ways to sell and use them secretly, leading to illegal businesses and bribes. They are still sold both online and in markets [despite being illegal].

"We should stop pretending [vaping has been successfully banned]. We are still struggling to deal with the problem.

"Most importantly, I think vaping should be legalised so the government can collect taxes from e-cigarettes for the benefit of the public.

"I will also push for the decriminalisation of vaping to be a policy of the Palang Pracharath Party for the coming general election,'' said Mr Chaiwut, who is also a deputy leader of the ruling party.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau's (MPB) commissioner has instructed all 88 police stations in Bangkok to crack down on those who sell e-cigarettes.