Hat Yai, Thailand
Smoking policy at Hat Yai, Hat Yai International Airport (HDY)
Warnings & Caveats
Fines of up to 5,000 Thai Baht (approx. USD 140) for smoking inside the terminal or in non-designated areas. Vaping, e-cigarettes, and heat-not-burn devices are banned throughout Thailand, including at the airport. Smoking within five metres of any building entrance or exit is illegal under Thai law.
Hat Yai International Airport is effectively a no-smoking facility inside its terminal buildings. Since 3 February 2019, all smoking rooms inside the airport have been permanently closed, and the entire terminal, both landside and airside, is designated a non-smoking zone under Thailand's Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2560 (2017). If you smoke, you need to plan around this before you arrive.
Before Security
The only legal option for smokers is to use designated outdoor smoking areas at ground-floor level outside the terminal building. A few important rules apply:
Smoking is only permitted in these specific designated zones, not just anywhere outside.
Thai law prohibits smoking within five metres of any entrance or exit of a public building, so you cannot simply light up next to the door.
No specific signage or map coordinates for the exact outdoor spots at HDY have been published in available sources, so look for the marked smoking zone signs near the ground-floor exits when you arrive.
After Security
There are no smoking options airside at Hat Yai. Once you pass through security, you cannot smoke anywhere in the departure area. There are no smoking lounges, no paid-access smoking rooms, and no workarounds reported by travelers.
If you are on a connecting flight and need to smoke, you must exit the terminal into Thailand, use the outdoor designated area, and then go back through the full security screening process again before your onward flight. Factor in significant extra time if you plan to do this, as re-clearing security can take 20-40 minutes depending on queues.
Vaping and Heat-Not-Burn Products
Vaping, e-cigarettes, and heat-not-burn devices are banned throughout Thailand, not just at the airport. This is a national law, not just an airport policy. Do not attempt to vape anywhere on airport grounds.
Fines and Enforcement
Violating the no-smoking rules at AOT-operated airports carries a fine of up to 5,000 Thai Baht (approximately USD 140). Enforcement is taken seriously, and the policy has been in place since 2019.
Bottom Line
Smoke outside before you enter the terminal and allow extra time if you need to re-clear security on a connection. There are zero airside options at Hat Yai.
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