Thailand is to ban smoking on some of the country’s most popular tourist beaches, with the prospect of up to a year in prison for those caught lighting up, according to reports by local media.

据当地媒体报道，泰国将在该国一些最有名的旅游海滩禁烟。违禁者将面临1年监禁。

The move follows a recent survey of litter on Patong beach, Phuket – visited by millions of foreign tourists each year – which found an average of 0.76 cigarette butts per square metre in a sample area, which would amount to 101,058 butts on the 2.5km-long stretch of sand.

禁令出台前，一项针对普吉岛巴东海滩的最新调查显示，抽样海滩上每平方米平均有0.76个烟蒂。照此计算，在2.5公里长的海滩上总共有101058个烟蒂。每年有数百万外国游客到访普吉岛。

The survey was undertaken by the country’s department of marine and coastal resources, which described it as a “serious problem”. Discarded cigarette butts accounted for a third of rubbish collected by the department.

开展此项调查的泰国海洋与海岸资源厅表示，这是个“严重问题”。被丢弃的烟蒂占到该部门收集的海滩垃圾的三分之一。

“Cigarettes have a direct effect on the natural environment,” director general Jatuporn Buruspat told the Phuket Gazette.

厅长Jatuporn Buruspat告诉《普吉岛报》说：“香烟对自然环境有直接影响。”

“The butts clog the drains contributing to floods. When the cigarettes stay under the beach sand for a long time, it also negatively affects the eco system. And then when the chemicals from the cigarette butts reach the water, it also releases cadmium, lead, arsenic and some acid from insecticide which are poison to the natural food chain.”

他说：“这些烟蒂在排水沟中淤积，会导致洪水。烟头被埋在沙滩下许久，还会对生态系统造成负面影响。烟蒂还会将镉、铅、砷、以及杀虫剂中的酸类物质等化学物质释放到海水中，毒害天然食物链。”

The ban, which will come into play in November, will affect 20 beaches including Patong, Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nai (Phuket); Hua Hin, Cha-Am, Khao Takiab; Pattaya, Jomtien, Bangsaen and Samila.

该项禁令将于今年11月开始实施，范围包括巴东海滩、蛋岛、普吉岛、华欣海滩、七岩海滩、筷子山、芭提雅海滩、中天海滩、邦盛海滩和萨米拉海滩等20处海滩。

After a trial period, the ban is expected to be enforced on all Thai beaches, as well as on passenger and tourist boats, to tackle the problem of butts damaging the underwater environment.

在试行期后，泰国所有海滩、客船和观光船都将实行这项禁令，以应对烟蒂破坏水下环境的难题。

Anyone found to be breaking the law will face one year in jail or a maximum 100,000 baht fine, or both.

违禁者将面临一年监禁或最高10万泰铢（约合2万元人民币）罚款，或者两刑并罚。

The Bangkok Post also reported the news, adding that Thailand has the sixth most rubbish-strewn areas of sea in the world.

《曼谷邮报》也报道了这则资讯，并表示，泰国在世界垃圾污染最严重的海域中排名第六。

Thailand is to ban smoking on some of the country’s most popular tourist beaches, with the prospect of up to a year in prison for those caught lighting up, according to reports by local media.

据当地媒体报道，泰国将在该国一些最有名的旅游海滩禁烟。违禁者将面临1年监禁。

The move follows a recent survey of litter on Patong beach, Phuket – visited by millions of foreign tourists each year – which found an average of 0.76 cigarette butts per square metre in a sample area, which would amount to 101,058 butts on the 2.5km-long stretch of sand.

禁令出台前，一项针对普吉岛巴东海滩的最新调查显示，抽样海滩上每平方米平均有0.76个烟蒂。照此计算，在2.5公里长的海滩上总共有101058个烟蒂。每年有数百万外国游客到访普吉岛。

The survey was undertaken by the country’s department of marine and coastal resources, which described it as a “serious problem”. Discarded cigarette butts accounted for a third of rubbish collected by the department.

开展此项调查的泰国海洋与海岸资源厅表示，这是个“严重问题”。被丢弃的烟蒂占到该部门收集的海滩垃圾的三分之一。

“Cigarettes have a direct effect on the natural environment,” director general Jatuporn Buruspat told the Phuket Gazette.

厅长Jatuporn Buruspat告诉《普吉岛报》说：“香烟对自然环境有直接影响。”

“The butts clog the drains contributing to floods. When the cigarettes stay under the beach sand for a long time, it also negatively affects the eco system. And then when the chemicals from the cigarette butts reach the water, it also releases cadmium, lead, arsenic and some acid from insecticide which are poison to the natural food chain.”

他说：“这些烟蒂在排水沟中淤积，会导致洪水。烟头被埋在沙滩下许久，还会对生态系统造成负面影响。烟蒂还会将镉、铅、砷、以及杀虫剂中的酸类物质等化学物质释放到海水中，毒害天然食物链。”

The ban, which will come into play in November, will affect 20 beaches including Patong, Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nai (Phuket); Hua Hin, Cha-Am, Khao Takiab; Pattaya, Jomtien, Bangsaen and Samila.

该项禁令将于今年11月开始实施，范围包括巴东海滩、蛋岛、普吉岛、华欣海滩、七岩海滩、筷子山、芭提雅海滩、中天海滩、邦盛海滩和萨米拉海滩等20处海滩。

After a trial period, the ban is expected to be enforced on all Thai beaches, as well as on passenger and tourist boats, to tackle the problem of butts damaging the underwater environment.

在试行期后，泰国所有海滩、客船和观光船都将实行这项禁令，以应对烟蒂破坏水下环境的难题。

Anyone found to be breaking the law will face one year in jail or a maximum 100,000 baht fine, or both.

违禁者将面临一年监禁或最高10万泰铢（约合2万元人民币）罚款，或者两刑并罚。

The Bangkok Post also reported the news, adding that Thailand has the sixth most rubbish-strewn areas of sea in the world.

《曼谷邮报》也报道了这则资讯，并表示，泰国在世界垃圾污染最严重的海域中排名第六。