PATTAYA — A video circulating on social media showed a young boy smoking an e-cigarette and exhaling smoke in front of an entertainment venue on Walking Street in South Pattaya. This sparked widespread comments and sharing online.
Authorities later identified the boy as Pangpond, age 11. His guardians stated that he often runs away from home, causing the family to search for him repeatedly, even posting on social media countless times.
At 8:00 p.m. on August 25, Nattamon Kitdamrongkuj, head of the Chonburi Children and Family Home, along with officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Chonburi Province, Pattaya City Police, Bang Lamung District administrative officers, and the boy’s guardians, held a meeting at Pattaya Police Station to discuss solutions and rehabilitation plans. The boy appeared stressed and cried throughout the meeting.
Aunt Oiy, 60, the boy’s stepmother, revealed that she had never seen him involved with e-cigarettes at home and had warned him about their dangers. When asked where he got the e-cigarette, the boy said he bought it from a vendor on Walking Street but couldn’t specify the exact location.
She added that the family hasn’t been negligent, but Pangpond has hyperactivity disorder and frequently disappears from home, sometimes taking days to find.
Pattaya City Special Affairs officers reported on Pangpond’s troublesome behavior, showing video evidence of him setting fire to objects in a mobile toilet owned by Pattaya City. Due to his young age, officials could only warn him and return him to his guardians’ care.
Following this discussion, the Chonburi Ministry of Social Development and Human Security officials decided to take the boy to the Chonburi Children and Family Home for assessment and rehabilitation.
Regarding e-cigarettes, Bang Lamung District administrative officers and Pattaya City Police will conduct raids to arrest those illegally selling electronic cigarettes and prosecute them.
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