Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has asked the Ministry of Public Health to relax its rules and allow smoking rooms in the six international airports operated by the company.
AoT president Kirati Kijmanawat said the move was in response to complaints from passengers, particularly those on connecting flights who have long waits between flights.
There have also been reports of smoking violations in non-smoking areas, such as washrooms, and instances where passengers willingly paid fines just to smoke, which negatively impacts non-smokers and the overall air quality inside the terminals, said Mr Kirati.
He added that fire alarm systems are sometimes triggered due to the presence of cigarette smoke, further complicating the situation.
These factors have led to requests for AoT and the relevant authorities to consider designating smoking rooms in passenger terminals.
Mr Kirati said AoT, which manages six major airports — including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai — is requesting the health ministry revise its regulations to allow the airports to provide indoor smoking rooms.
The change is intended to enhance the travel experience, improve the health environment for passengers and reduce the risk of fire hazards, he said.
The SET-listed airport operator also believes this initiative will prevent potential damage to the country’s tourism image and protect passengers’ rights, especially those on long connecting flights who cannot leave the terminal for hours.
The company has submitted a formal request to the director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), who is also the secretary of the national committee on tobacco control. It is seeking amendments to the ministry’s regulation to allow smoking areas within airport terminals.
The tobacco-control committee has agreed to establish a working group to study the facts surrounding the issue.
According to Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, the committee plans to explore whether smoking areas outside terminals can be reached within one minute by an electric train.
He emphasised that while he personally believes airports should remain smoke-free, the committee needs to understand the real problems faced by AoT before making any decisions.
Representatives of the DDC have visited Suvarnabhumi airport to assess possible areas where smoking rooms could be set up.
Mr Kirati noted that the current regulation, which only permits smoking areas outside terminals, does not align with the needs of passengers. Many leading airports worldwide, including Changi in Singapore, Narita in Japan and Istanbul Airport, offer indoor smoking rooms.
Naowarat Charoenka of the National Health Foundation’s Thai Health Academy warned earlier that allowing smoking rooms in airports would hinder Thailand’s efforts to meet international airport safety and quality standards.
She cited the growing global trend of airports becoming entirely smoke-free, a move that Thailand would be reversing if it reintroduces smoking rooms.