The National Statistical Office revealed the number of Thais over 15 years old who were smoking had risen to 11.4 million in 2014; the total surged by 21 per cent from 2013 and every year there are 50,000 deaths related to smoking.
The statistics also showed that the average age of new smokers dropped to 15.6 years of age - from 16.8 years old in 2007. The number of smokers who are younger than 18 was around 400,000; and 100,000 youths were becoming new smokers annually. Seven in 10 of the new smokers would be addicted to tobacco for the rest of their lives.