Bangkok- Thailand's cigarette smokers are on the decline as a result of strict enforcement of seven anti-smoking laws and effective awareness campaigns, media reports said Tuesday. The number of Thai smokers over age 15 has fallen from 11.7 million in 1987 to 9.54 million this year, an 18.5 per cent decline, according to Manit Theeratantikanont, deputy permanent secretary to the Public Health Ministry.
Manit attributed the fall off in smokers to the government's strict enforcement of seven anti-smoking laws such as banning smoking in most public places, prohibiting cigarette advertisements and forcing cigarette packaging to carry gruesome pictures of possible health consequences from smoking, The Nation newspaper reported.
Manit revealed the declining smokers statistics at a seminar held in preparation for No Tobacco Day on Thursday.
