Thammasat University realizes the importance of protecting the non-smokers’ health and has enacted the “Notification on Designating Thammasat University as a Non-Smoking Area” to correspond with the policy of Ministry of Public Health in 2010 in accordance with the “Non-smoker Protection Bill 1992”.  To comply with the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health, the University issued a policy and practice guidelines in designating Thammasat University as a non-smoking area. The procedures were put in place since 2010 to ensure all campuses of Thammasat University are non-smoking areas. The “Smoke Free” policy was revisited on 8 October 2019.

On August 30, 2022, Thammasat University has re-published a Notification to Designate All Areas of Thammasat University be “Non-smoking Area”.

ประกาศมหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ เรื่อง การกำหนดให้พื้นที่มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์เป็นเขตปลอดบุหรี่ ณ วันที่ 30 สิงหาคม พ.ศ.2565

All campuses and the entire area of the university, both inside and outside buildings or other structures, including areas that are reserved for public use, whether fenced or not, are designated as non-smoking areas. However, smoking areas can be specifically arranged strictly outside buildings or other structures. The designated smoking areas, with these restrictions, have to be clearly marked for the smokers. The University has also appointed persons-in-charge to ensure the strict compliance and will impose penalty for all violations.

Thammasat University, in collaboration with its academic and medical institutions, has implemented a unified and comprehensive approach to promoting a smoke-free campus and community. This strategy is multi-faceted, leveraging data collection, educational outreach, and creative engagement centered around major public health events like the 90th Anniversary Health Expo and World No Tobacco Day. By utilizing diverse methods—including large-scale public health exhibitions, targeted youth competitions, academic seminars, and health behavior surveys—the university actively works to raise widespread awareness, with a significant focus on educating the community about the distinct dangers posed by e-cigarettes.

For educational outreach, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH Thammasat) organized comprehensive exhibitions during the 90th Anniversary Health Expo (March 2024) and World No Tobacco Day (May 2024). These exhibitions used interactive activities like “Bingo No Smoking” and picture puzzles to raise awareness of the toxic substances in e-cigarettes and prevent youth from starting to smoke. The Faculty of Pharmacy also contributed by hosting a dedicated seminar on “The Problem of the E-cigarette Danger: The New Generation and E-cigarettes”.

In terms of services and data collection, Thammasat University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine offered free counseling and health check-ups during the World No Tobacco Day events. To understand the community’s needs, the Thammasat Well Being Center conducted a survey (แบบสอบถาม) among students and personnel regarding their well-being and behavior related to e-cigarettes, intending to use this data to plan future promotion activities. The hospital further engaged the university community (including students and personnel) through a video clip contest for World No Tobacco Day 2024, challenging them to address the theme: “Jointly Protect Children and Youth from E-cigarettes

Related articles and websites:

1. โครงการอบรมเชิงปฏิบัติการ ในการให้คำแนะนำเบื้องต้นเพื่อการเลิกสูบบุหรี่ (Oct,2023)
2. Seminar – Danger from Electric Cigarette (May,2023)
3. Smoking areas for students and staffs at Thammasat University, Lampang Campus
4. Survey reports from Tha Prachan Campus to study and review the designated smoking area allocated for each faculty, problems and recommendations.
5. World Non-Smoking Day 2022 – Thamamsat Well Being Center Anti-Smoking Campaign
6. Smoke-free environment (May,2022)