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Research and Markets: Tobacco in Thailand  

Euromonitors Tobacco in Thailand report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data (2001-2006), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new legislative, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2011 illustrate how the market is set to change.

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• Asia's pushback to big tobacco 

Assailed by the western world's laws, taxes and anti-smoking mores, the global tobacco industry has little choice but to keep pushing eastward into Asia.

Tobacco bosses learned this week that some Asians are ready to push back.

This week, more than 500 screaming protesters converged outside TabInfo Asia 2009, the region's largest tobacco summit in years. More than an expo, the event is also a strategy session conducted in secrecy.

"As rules, regulations, and perceptions of tobacco change around the globe, Asia Pacific has become one of the world's most important tobacco markets," according to promotional materials.

The event, set up by the Raleigh, N.C.-based Tobacco Reporter magazine, invited major industry players gathered to discuss "operating in a world of bans" and "ingenious ways of operating in an increasingly regulated, plain-pack, dark market environment."

"Asia is the fastest growing tobacco market in the world. They can't afford to ignore this region," said Prakit Vathesatogkit, executive secretary of the Bangkok-based Action on Smoking and Health Foundation.

"We can't really stop them from coming," Prakit said, "but we can try to stop them from circumventing regulation."

On Wednesday, the summit's first day, attendees were beset by a loose coalition of Southeast Asian anti-smoking protesters. Outside the event doors, a 500-plus crowd of mostly college students screamed at men in suits entering Bangkok's largest convention center.

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Thais battle ties to tobacco industry  

A “smoking gun” used to mean some kind of lurking, underlying proof behind an evil deed. Oddly, now it has come to show how much influence the tobacco industry has over government, mainstream media, the entertainment industry and individual economies, when a simple novel about the evils of smoking is turned into one about gun control.

If the tobacco industry is powerful enough to impose its will on Hollywood, it certainly won’t have much trouble in Thailand. It is trying to do just that through a gathering of industry players, including its “thought leaders,” at a three-day forum in Bangkok called Tabinfo Asia 2009, which runs from Nov. 11-13. It boasts the biggest tobacco exhibition in Asia and business and networking opportunities for regional players.

Despite the industry’s influence, however, a coalition of protesters gathered to confront it at the Impact Exhibition and Conference Center where the forum is being held. One of the protest leaders, Prakit Vathesatogkit, executive secretary of Action on Smoking and Health Foundation (ASH Thailand), said at Wednesday’s protest, "Tabinfo Asia 2009 is a signal for the international community to understand that the tobacco industry will not stop brainstorming new strategies to lure new smokers, particularly youths and women."

Almost as if to underscore Prakit’s words, Tabinfo posted four main issues to be discussed by the tobacco industry’s “thought-leaders” in a global environment of changing regulations and negative public perceptions. The last of the four – which should have appeared first, if only for diplomatic purposes – was “harm and risk reduction.” . . .

The fact that the state’s Thailand Tobacco Monopoly is heading up the three-day conference/exhibition/game plan meeting is not a good sign. Local influence and vested commercial interests with Thai tobacco are rife. As far back as 1950, the Thai government’s Excise Department bought 256 acres of land from the Crown Property bureau to increase tobacco production for domestic and export use. Four years later responsibility for the industry was transferred to the Ministry of Finance.

Given such grassroots beginnings and ties, it’s an uphill battle for anti-smoking advocates

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TABINFO ASIA 2009 

THE BIG ISSUES. THE BIG PLAYERS THE BIG EXHIBITION. THE BIG CONGRESS. It's all here at the Asia Pacific area's premier tobacco event

Bangkok - the commercial centre and capitol of Thailand - a city famous for gold-spired temples, long-tail boats, three-wheel tuk-tuks, and fiery curries. From November 11th to the 13th, Bangkok will also be the host for the hottest event on the Asia Pacific tobacco market's calendar.

WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT MARKETS

As rules, regulations, and perceptions of tobacco change around the globe, Asia Pacific has become one of the world's most important tobacco markets. That's why TABINFO ASIA holds a spot as one of the most noteworthy and important tobacco events of the year. TABINFO ASIA attracts not only a large number of participants, but also a very diverse representation of industry players - up and down the supply chain. The expanded list of participants makes this a must-attend event for networking, showcasing, discovering, buying, and selling.

THE BIG ISSUES

The Congress at TABINFO ASIA is focused on The New Landscape of Tobacco as key industry leaders tackle the big issues head on. Everyone attending will have a unique opportunity to participate in the discussion in order to make this a truly impactful event.

In this industry - and especially in this region - you cannot afford to miss a thing.

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City tobacco expo organiser fined 

A Nonthaburi court yesterday fined the organiser of the controversial Tabinfo Asia expo 20,000 baht for displaying tobacco products at the event.

The Thai Health Promotion Institute took action against the organiser, Tobacco Reporter magazine, on Thursday for illegally displaying tobacco products at Tabinfo Asia 2009.

The three-day event, which was held at Impact Muang Thong Thani, ended yesterday.

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Anti-tobacco network protests at tobacco trade exhibition 

Associate Professor Dr. Jiraporn Limpananont of Pharmaceutical Science for Health Promotion said the campaign by the anti-tobacco network at least was fruitful as the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly cancelled its activity in this event. The campaign also disclosed documents alleged to be confidential from the files of international tobacco companies disclosing plans to expand their market among young people.

Dongkamol Pawaphutanond, a representative of young people against tobacco, said the tobacco industry introduced cigarettes with fruit and chocolate scents to lure young people as new smokers. Young people should work together to counter tobacco promotional campaigns.

On November 3, an anti-smoking network, the Thai Network against Tabinfo Asia 2009, submitted 50,000 signatures to the Thai prime minister to oppose the event. The group does not agree with event organisers who are gathering under the slogan ‘If You Win Thailand, You Win the World.’

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• TTM withdraws products from Tabinfo Asia 

The Thai Tobacco Monopoly is withdrawing its tobacco products from the Tabinfo Asia 2009 expo which kicks off today.

The TTM board decided on Monday to use the gathering of global tobacco producers and distributors to promote tourism rather than tobacco products.

TTM's spokeswoman Prapassorn Pongpansal said the agency decided to shift its emphasis after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva instructed state agencies not to support the event.

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• Organiser fined over cigarette ads at tobacco exhibition  

A Thai advertiser who organised an international tobacco exhibition was yesterday fined Bt20,000 for allowing banners carrying images of cigarette brands and logos at the event.

The unnamed company was fined Bt20,000 for violating a 1992 law that prohibits pictorial or narrative displays of brands of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The violation took place at the Tabinfo Asia exhibition, which was held at a Muang Thong Thani exhibition hall, from Wednesday until yesterday.

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Protesters vent anger at tobacco exposition 

Police and security guards have turned out in numbers to keep hundreds of anti-smoking activists at bay while protesting outside Tabinfo Asia 2009 at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani.

The tobacco industry's first major international exposition in years has drawn up to 3,000 participants from around the world. But it has also drawn widespread condemnation for promoting smoking in Asia.

About 650 people representing students, media professionals, academics and non-governmental organisations gathered outside the exposition in protest against its being held in Thailand.

They shouted "We don't want Tabinfo" and held placards with messages including "Stop Tabinfo" and "Stop the Merchandise of Death".

"Tabinfo Asia 2009 is a signal for the international community to understand that the tobacco industry will not stop brainstorming new strategies to lure new smokers, particularly youths and women," said Prakit Vathesatogkit, executive secretary of Action on Smoking and Health Foundation (ASH Thailand).

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• Thai Protests at Global Tobacco Industry Conference 

Thailand may have a reputation for indulging visitors in their various vices, but smoking is no longer one of them. On Tuesday, more than 600 fired-up protesters invaded a convention center in Bangkok in an attempt to smoke out representatives of the global tobacco industry, who were holding a conference in a country with some of the strictest tobacco controls in Asia.

"They've come here because they want to target women and children in Asia with products that kill," says Bangorn Ritthiphakdee, director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, a civil-society group, referring to attendees of Tabinfo 2009, a three-day conference organized by Tobacco Reporter, a U.S.-based magazine. "Their presence is a nightmare. We came to tell them they are not welcome here." (Watch a video about France's smoking ban.)

The tobacco industry sees Asia as its most promising market, says Bangorn. Though Thailand has strict controls on smoking in public places and bans advertising of tobacco products, more than 14 million of its 65 million people are smokers. In Southeast Asia, 125 million -- or 31% of adults -- smoke, and China alone has some 350 million smokers. The alliance claims that 2.4 million people in Asia die each year from tobacco-related causes, the equivalent of 6,575 people a day.

Billed as "the biggest tobacco exhibition in Asia," Tabinfo 2009 has been years in the making. Nonetheless, the meeting apparently caught Thailand's government by surprise.

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Smoking and Tobacco Use :: Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS): Countries: Thailand: Fact Sheet: 2009: Highlights  

Tobacco Use

* 45.6% of men, 3.1% of women, and 23.7% overall (12.5 million adults) currently smoke tobacco.

* 29.6% of men, 1.1% of women, and 15.0% overall (7.9 million adults) currently smoke manufactured cigarettes.

* 27.0% of men, 1.8% of women, and 14.1% overall (7.4 million adults) currently smoke hand-rolled cigarettes.

* 46.4% of men, 9.1% of women, and 27.2% overall (14.3 million adults) are current tobacco users (smoked and/or smokeless).

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• Hundreds of Thais protest tobacco congress in Bangkok  

Hundreds of Thais on Wednesday protested outside a tobacco industry congress in Bangkok aimed at expanding cigarette consumption in Asia, already the fastest-growing market for tobacco products.

"We would like the world to see we are opposed to the tobacco industry using Thailand as a base to promote and expand its markets in Asia among youths and women," said Chawala Pawaputanond, a coordinator for the Thai Network Against Tabinfo Asia 2009.

The network gathered 86,238 signatures of people opposed to the annual tobacco industry congress, Tabinfo Asia, held in Bangkok at the Muang Thong Thani Convention Centre.

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• Thais protest against tobacco event 

According to news reports, hundreds of Thais on Wednesday protested outside a tobacco industry trade fair and congress in Bangkok.

"We would like the world to see we are opposed to the tobacco industry using Thailand as a base to promote and expand its markets in Asia among youths and women," said Chawala Pawaputanond, a coordinator for the Thai Network Against Tabinfo Asia 2009. The network gathered 86,238 signatures of people opposed to the tobacco industry exhibition and conference held in Bangkok at the Muang Thong Thani Convention Centre.

The reports also said that the Thai Tobacco Monopoly, a main sponsor with the largest stand at the exhibition, was withdrawing its tobacco products from the show. The TTM board decided on Monday to use the gathering of global tobacco producers and distributors to promote tourism rather than tobacco products.

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Thailand Tobacco Monopoly Took Part in Flood Relief Activity 

Mrs. Chuenjai Thongkam, the director of Marketing Department, Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, presented 3,000 relief supplies to people affected by flooding under the Flood Relief Activity jointly organized by SF Cinema City Company Limited, Royal Thai Air Force and Sony Picture, at Baan Krung Krak, Taenangngam, Bangrakam District, Phitsanulok Province, November 6 2009.

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• Industry dodges ad bans by pushing smokes online 

The tobacco industry is using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote its products and persuade people to become smokers, a study revealed yesterday.

"The ban on advertising does not mean the tobacco industry has stopped advertising its products," said Becky Freeman of Australia's University of Sydney, who conducted the study.

She presented her findings in Bangkok at a threeday regional training workshop held by Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA).

Freeman said most tobacco companies were interested in viral marketing (using preexisting social networks to increase brand recognition) to persuade or influence audiences to pass products on to others.

A million people had visited video clips on YouTube reviewing cigarettes, she said, and thousands more had become fans of the products on Facebook. "The Internet has made it easier to engage consumers by allowing them to contribute directly to marketing campaigns and brand development," she said.

The use of social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, podcasts and RSS would be one of the main topics up for discussion at Tabinfo Asia 2009 . . .

Another marketing device was the use of product and pack designs - such as colourful and glowinthe dark packs - to entice specific groups.

"For example, we found cigarette packs designed like lipsticks or wallets - a new way to lure more and more women to become smokers," she said. . . .

A group of 650 people, including teenagers, led by Action on Smoking and its alliances, will today demonstrate against the Tabinfo Asia 2009 at Impact Arena.

"This is a nightmare for our people," SEATCA's director Bungon Ritthiphakdee said

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