Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to measure the information received by five target groups: shoppers in markets, market venders, municipal police, police and market owners of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.18) B.E 2550 (2007) Pursuant to the Protection of Non-Smokers Health Act B.E.2535 (1992), the Notification, and the effectiveness of media channels that the five target groups received. This study was a cross sectional survey with data collection done by interviews and observation in 19 markets, Khon Kaen municipal area, and the total of sample was 764 people. The results showed that 51.1 % of market venders received the information that markets are smoke free areas while 45.6 % of shoppers in the market received the information and all of the municipal police, police and market owners knew the information. In the case of a person violating the nonsmoking law in a market being subject to a fine not exceeding 2,000 baht, this measure was known by only 35.50 % of the sample. The major media channels that the sample received the information form were posters (37.7%), television (33.90%) and radio (19.2%). The perception of the Notification, in the case of markets being smoke free areas was that 92.0% of the sample agreed with the Notification and, 5.6 % disagree. For the measure to fine person enforced the Notification, 52.0% of the sample had no confidence that the measure could be implemented. During the study time, some market vendors and shoppers could still be seen smoking in markets especially in the small markets. This resulted from lack of access to information and the measure to fine not exceeding 2,000 baht, could not be implemented. Although the measure of the fine could not be implemented, 51.6% of smokers did not smoke in markets and 52.7% of those violating were warned by a market vender or a shopper. Although some smokers received the information, they ignored the Notification, especially market venders, tricycle service men and workers who work in the markets, the method to reduce smoking in markets this group should be to set a place near the market to be a “smoking area” The strict measure to fine violators could not be implemented now, was the suggestion of municipal police and police. The recommendation of this study is to make markets smoke free areas, increase and continue promotion especially in the small markets, increase social measures by warning those who violate the Notification, and to set aside special smoking areas for smokers who work in markets.
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