PATTAYA, Thailand – The Royal Thai Police has officially launched the E-Cigarette Control Centre (ECCC), marking a major escalation in the government’s campaign against illegal vaping products with a nationwide enforcement operation scheduled for July 1–15, 2026. The inaugural meeting, held on June 29 at Royal Thai Police Headquarters, was co-chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Suphamas Isarabhakdi, who is responsible for overseeing the government’s anti-e-cigarette campaign, and Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Nirandorn Lueamsri, Director of the E-Cigarette Control Centre. Senior officials from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, Customs Department, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Ministry of Public Health, and other agencies attended the meeting as part of a coordinated national response.
Before the meeting, Suphamas and Pol Gen Nirandorn presented commendations to seven police officers recognized for outstanding achievements in combating illegal e-cigarette activities. Suphamas said the government, under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, considers the spread of e-cigarettes—particularly among children and young people—a national priority. She said vaping is not only a public health issue but also a social and national security concern, and called on all relevant agencies to intensify enforcement.
She outlined three key priorities: protecting children and youth from e-cigarettes, dismantling production and distribution networks, and strengthening cyber enforcement to eliminate online sales. She also proposed establishing a National E-Cigarette Committee and launching vape-free school projects in nine pilot provinces to raise awareness among students and communities.
Pol Gen Nirandorn instructed police nationwide to intensify investigations into major manufacturers, importers, and distributors of illegal e-cigarettes, including products containing etomidate, a sedative that has been found mixed into some illicit vape liquids. He also ordered police to strengthen cooperation with the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the Customs Department to dismantle trafficking networks.
Police were further instructed to monitor online platforms, block websites selling e-cigarettes, establish intelligence databases on retailers and high-risk areas, and ensure that schools and educational institutions remain completely free of illegal vape sales. Authorities said all cases should be prosecuted under all applicable laws, including anti-money laundering legislation where appropriate, to target the financial networks behind illegal operations. The Royal Thai Police will conduct a nationwide crackdown on illegal e-cigarettes and untaxed tobacco products from July 1 to July 15, 2026, with the results of the operation to be announced afterward. Members of the public can report illegal e-cigarette activities through the Royal Thai Police hotline 1599 or via the Police Care mobile application, available 24 hours a day. (TNA)
