Nicotine pouches can be imported and sold in Thailand if tax and customs rules are met, but distribution is limited to licensed tobacco retailers, with online sales and digital promotion prohibited and subject to growing enforcement. Photo credit: Swenico Pouches, Pexels.
Thailand has tightened oversight of nicotine pouches, reinforcing a regulatory model that allows the products on the market but subjects them to the same controls that apply to conventional tobacco.
Health authorities, led by the Department of Disease Control (DDC), have confirmed that nicotine pouches fall under the Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2560 (2017). This classification does not prohibit the category, but it sets clear limits on how products can be sold, marketed, and presented.
Nicotine pouches may be legally imported and sold in Thailand if they comply with tax and customs requirements. However, distribution is restricted to licensed brick-and-mortar tobacco retailers. Authorities do not permit online sales or any form of digital promotion, and enforcement efforts have increasingly focused on these channels.
At the retail level, the rules extend beyond age restrictions. Sellers must handle nicotine pouches in the same way as cigarettes or roll-your-own tobacco, which means keeping them entirely out of public view. Retailers cannot place the products on shelves, counters, or in display cases. Instead, they must store them in concealed locations and provide them only when a customer specifically requests them.
The law also prohibits any activity that could be interpreted as promoting the product. Retailers cannot use signage, branded materials, price incentives, or giveaways to attract customers. Authorities have emphasized that even products that have been properly taxed and cleared through customs become illegal if they are marketed, displayed, or sold outside these conditions.
Dr. Anek Mung-omklang, DDC deputy director-general, rejected claims that nicotine pouches present minimal risk, stressing that they deliver nicotine rapidly through the oral lining and affect the nervous system and brain. He further said nicotine acts rapidly on the brain, which can heighten the risk of addiction, especially among children and young people whose brains are still developing. Also, he claimed that nicotine use may impair memory, learning, and emotional regulation, and may also raise the likelihood of cardiovascular and vascular disease, as well as serious oral health issues. His remarks reflect a broader position among Thai authorities, who treat nicotine itself as inherently harmful, without differentiating between product categories or risk profiles.
Officials have also raised concerns about accessibility, particularly among younger users. The requirement to keep products out of sight forms part of a broader effort to limit visibility and reduce impulse purchases, consistent with Thailand’s existing tobacco control measures.
Enforcement activity has already begun. DDC has filed complaints and assigned investigators to cases involving non-compliant sales and promotion, including incidents linked to online activity. Authorities continue to monitor social media and e-commerce platforms, which they identify as key channels for violations.
Reports have also highlighted visibility issues in public areas. In tourist locations, stickers advertising snus and similar products have appeared in high-traffic locations, prompting complaints and drawing attention from regulators.
Authorities have clarified that the restrictions focus on sellers rather than consumers. Individuals may possess nicotine pouches for personal use, and there are no legal penalties for carrying them for that purpose.