thailandedition

Tobacco Union Demands Crackdown on Illegal Cigarettes Causing 2.4B Baht Damage

ThansettakijEconomy

Full article content is available on the original source.

Key Quotes

Suthep Timsil
"This is the real problem hidden under the rug. If the government only focuses on front-line interception but doesn't tackle major arteries like online platforms and parcel delivery, this problem will never end."
นี่คือปัญหาที่แท้จริงที่ถูกซุกไว้ใต้พรม หากรัฐบาลยังมองแค่การสกัดกั้นหน้าด่านแต่ไม่จัดการกับเส้นเลือดใหญ่อย่างแพลตฟอร์มออนไลน์ และการส่งพัสดุ ปัญหานี้จะไม่มีวันจบสิ้น
Suthep Timsil
"The mission to eradicate corruption and illicit goods must be an urgent agenda, equivalent to the scammer problem."
ภารกิจปราบปรามทุจริตและสินค้าเถื่อนต้องเป็นวาระเร่งด่วนเทียบเท่าปัญหาสแกมเมอร์
Suthep Timsil
"The state must protect legitimate operators and citizens, not allow corrupt groups to erode the benefits of law-abiders."
รัฐต้องปกป้องผู้ประกอบการที่ถูกกฎหมายและประชาชนไม่ใช่ปล่อยให้กลุ่มผู้ทุจริตได้บั่นทอนผลประโยชน์ของผู้ที่เคารพกฎหมาย

Key Entities

Organization

Tobacco Workers Union(สหภาพแรงงานยาสูบ)
An organization advocating for the rights of tobacco industry workers and demanding action against illegal cigarette trade.
Tobacco Monopoly(การยาสูบแห่งประเทศไทย)
The state-owned enterprise involved in tobacco production and regulation, whose workers union is raising concerns about the illegal cigarette trade.
Facebookℹ️
An online platform identified for its role in the open advertising and sale of illegal cigarettes, which is considered a clear violation of the law.

Person

Suthep Timsil(สุเทพ ทิมศิลป์)
President of the State Enterprise Workers Union, Tobacco Monopoly, who revealed statistics on illegal cigarette consumption and its financial impact.

Place

United Arab Emirates(สหรัฐอาหรับเอมิเรตส์)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a potential origin for popular brands of illegal cigarettes entering Thailand.
Indonesia(อินโดนีเซีย)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a potential origin for popular brands of illegal cigarettes entering Thailand.
Vietnam(เวียดนาม)ℹ️
A country used as a transit point for illegal cigarettes to be smuggled into Thailand via the southern region.
Malaysia(มาเลเซีย)ℹ️
A neighboring country where illegal cigarettes are found near its border with Thailand, facilitating smuggling into Songkhla and Narathiwat.
Songkhla(สงขลา)ℹ️
A province in southern Thailand that serves as a distribution hub for illegal cigarettes across the country.
Narathiwat(นราธิวาส)ℹ️
A southern province in Thailand where illegal cigarettes are illegally landed from neighboring countries.
Pattani(ปัตตานี)ℹ️
A southern province in Thailand where illegal cigarettes are illegally landed from neighboring countries.
Thai-Cambodia(ไทย-กัมพูชา)
Border region mentioned as a potential area where unrest could theoretically make smuggling harder, yet illegal cigarettes continue to flow.

Timeline

Q4 2025(ไตรมาสที่ 4 ปี 2025)
The period during which a survey on illegal cigarette consumption in Thailand was conducted.
2025(ปี 2025)
The year within which illicit cigarette consumption had previously peaked before a slight reduction.
2026(ปี 2026)
The year for which the Tobacco Workers Union proposes intensifying efforts to combat illegal cigarettes.