Smokers flying through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport may soon breathe a sigh of relief — indoors. In a controversial move, Thai health authorities are building two prototype smoking rooms inside the airport, aiming to clamp down on passengers lighting up in restricted areas like toilets.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) confirmed the rooms are expected to be completed by the end of July, with testing to begin in August after safety evaluations.
“The rooms must ensure no impact on other passengers,” said Dr Chayanan Sitibut, Director of the Tobacco Product Control Division at the DDC.
Currently, designated smoking areas at Suvarnabhumi are located outside terminal buildings — often at exits and entrances. However, the lack of indoor options has led some nicotine-craving travellers to illegally smoke in toilets and secluded corners, exposing non-smokers to secondhand smoke and violating airport regulations.
The problem is particularly acute for transit passengers, who often have no opportunity to go outside to smoke between connecting flights. This prompted Airports of Thailand (AOT) to propose dedicated indoor smoking facilities to curb unlawful smoking and improve overall safety.
The approved plan includes one smoking room in the SAT-1 terminal and three more on the fourth floor of the departure terminal. Outdoor smoking areas will also be maintained on the second floor. The National Tobacco Products Control Committee further recommended that all future airport terminals include indoor smoking areas in their design, reported KhaoSod.
Dr Chayanan stressed that these prototype rooms are not typical lounges — they must meet strict criteria to prevent secondhand smoke from leaking into public areas. Each will feature double doors, negative air pressure, and specialised ventilation systems.
“The design will mirror quarantine rooms, prioritising the health of all airport users,” he said.
Once operational, the rooms will be closely monitored to assess effectiveness, safety, and user compliance. Results will then be reviewed by the committee to decide whether indoor smoking rooms should be rolled out more widely across Thai airports.
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