Short answer
On 25 August 2026 Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences warned that its laboratory had found methamphetamine hydrochloride (3.56%) and etomidate in the same seized e-cigarette pod, the first such mix it had detected. It said inhaling the mixture can cause loss of consciousness, an abnormal heartbeat, heart failure and sudden death. E-cigarettes are prohibited imports in Thailand, and on 17 September police raided Patong's Bangla Road and arrested 10 people over their sale. Our advice is to leave vapes at home.
What the laboratory found
Dr Sarawut Boonsuk, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said a seized pod cartridge reached the department's Bureau of Drug and Narcotic in June 2026. The orange liquid inside contained methamphetamine hydrochloride at 3.56% and etomidate, The Nation and The Thaiger reported on 25 and 26 August. Etomidate is controlled in Thailand as a Category 2 psychotropic substance. It was the first time the two were found mixed in vape liquid.
The department explained why the combination worries doctors: etomidate suppresses breathing and brain function and can leave a user unconscious, while methamphetamine stimulates the heart. Together they can cause an irregular heartbeat, acute heart failure and sudden death. The department passed its finding to other agencies. Users call this kind of pod a 'K-Pod' or 'zombie e-cigarette', The Thaiger said.
A pattern, not a one-off
The Thaiger recalled an earlier survey by the same bureau, running from October 2024 to June 2025. Of 83 samples submitted by health and police agencies, 27 were clearly labelled and contained only nicotine. The other 56 were unlabelled or looked counterfeit, and every one contained etomidate, mixed with nicotine or used instead of it.
On 20 October, police in Hat Yai arrested two men over a house where pods were being filled with etomidate, The Thaiger reported. They were charged over a Category 2 psychotropic substance and illegal e-cigarette sales.
Vapes are prohibited, and Phuket enforces it
E-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand. The Thaiger notes that a Ministry of Commerce order lists e-cigarettes, hookahs and electric hookahs as prohibited imports, and that sellers are charged under the Customs Act. On the evening of 17 September 2026, officials raided three areas of Patong, the beachfront, Bangla Road and the end near Jungceylon, and arrested 10 people for the sale and possession of e-cigarettes.
The Thaiger reported that vapes had been sold openly on Bangla Road for years, and that the operation aimed at suppliers behind the street vendors. Phuket officials denied claims that government staff had helped the trade.
What visitors should do
Leave vapes at home, and do not buy pods in a bar or from a street seller. The risk is not only a legal one: a pod with no label can contain anything, as the laboratory's results show. This is health and law information from the authorities, not medical advice. For the rules on bringing vapes into the country, check the Thai Customs Department before you fly.
Our Phi Phi and Maya Bay speedboat tour, from $75 per person, includes hotel pickup in Phuket. For the full rules, see our guide to Thailand's vape ban.
Practical checklist
- Leave e-cigarettes and vape pods at home when you travel to Thailand.
- Do not buy pods from street sellers or bars: unlabelled pods may contain drugs.
- Check the Thai Customs Department's notice on e-cigarettes before you fly.
- Call the Tourist Police on 1155 if you are offered something that worries you.
Questions and answers
Are vapes legal in Thailand?
No. A Ministry of Commerce order lists e-cigarettes as prohibited imports, and The Thaiger reports that sellers are charged under the Customs Act. Police raided Patong's Bangla Road on 17 September 2026 and arrested 10 people.
What did the Thai laboratory find?
The Department of Medical Sciences found methamphetamine hydrochloride at 3.56% and etomidate in one seized pod, the first such combination it had detected. It warned of unconsciousness, heart rhythm problems and sudden death.
What is etomidate?
It is a medical anaesthetic that Thailand controls as a Category 2 psychotropic substance. The Department of Medical Sciences says it suppresses breathing and brain function and can leave a user unconscious.
Is it safe to buy a pod that looks like a normal brand?
The department's earlier survey found etomidate in all 56 samples that were unlabelled or looked counterfeit. We cannot give medical advice; the department warned users about the severe risks of these pods.