Vendors at markets still think that the smoking ban, in effect from yesterday, applies only to air-conditioned restaurants, pubs and entertainment venues, officials said yesterday.

Disease Control Department officials yesterday went to Tantawan Plaza Open Market near Nonthaburi's Nonthavet Hospital to inform people of the new regulation, which includes open markets and trade exhibition areas. However, most vendors and market customers said they did not know that the ban included open markets and non-air-conditioned restaurants. Several restaurants were still providing ashtrays to their customers.

Officials informed the vendors that they would have to observe the new rules, which are punishable by fines of Bt20,000 for the venue owner and Bt2,000 for the smoker.

Chalermchai Khiewpradit, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's market office, said his office had joined the Public Health Ministry in handing out leaflets on the new regulation to vendors and passers-by at Chatuchak Market 1 and Chatuchak Market 2 in the Min Buri area.

Although the ban came into effect yesterday, there will be a three-month grace period so that people can adjust to the new rules and punishments. During this period, warnings will be given rather than immediate arrests and fines. The ban will be strictly enforced from May 31.

Chalermchai said Chatuchak Market 1 had prepared two smoking areas in front of the restrooms, while the market in Min Buri had set aside a smoking area near its shrine.

Responding to the Public Health Ministry's regulation to ban smoking in air-conditioned pubs, discos and clubs from February 11, Metropolitan Police Friday had all of Bangkok's 88 police stations ready to arrest and fine any rule breakers.

City deputy police commissioner MajGeneral Suporn Phanseua said all officers were ready to reinforce the new rule by fining smokers Bt2,000 and venue operators Bt20,000.

Police will act upon public complaints or the Public Health Ministry's request for inspection of entertainment establishments, rather than pressuring the establishments themselves, he said, adding that he believed all venues would give full cooperation.

Smoking is already prohibited in airconditioned restaurants but the ministry's regulation to include airconditioned pubs, discos, bars and parts of outdoor public venues such as Chatuchak Weekend Market will take effect as of February 17.

However, those frequenting pubs, clubs and discos have objected to the ban, claiming they pay money to go out so they should be able to do as they please - including smoking cigarettes.

One 20-year-old man said he disagreed with the new rule because it limited people's rights to entertain themselves when they actually pay money to be at a club or a bar. He said most people who drank also smoked, and pubs and clubs kept their business because of them.

"If you don't want to get exposed to smoke, stay home or go somewhere else that is smokefree. Leave us partygoers to smoke as we please," he said.

A 30-year-old office worker who frequents night venues said he did not smoke, and felt irritated by the cigarette smoke and that his clothes reeked after visiting pubs.

Some places do not have good ventilation systems and are so filled with smoke that he sometimes feels dizzy in them, he said.

Some partygoers, especially nonsmoking women, also spend money to go out but have to put their health at risk when visiting such venues, he said, adding that he welcomed the new rule.