Walailak University’s Commitment to be a Smoke-Free Environment in 2022
Walailak University is a public institution of education corresponding to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health’s campaign: “Setting the type and name of a public place as a smoke-free zone 2018. The campus installed signs prohibiting smoking inside and outside the buildings. Specific areas, distance from a building, are assigned for smoking to protect the health of non-smokers. The university also runs prevention campaigns to reduce the smoking rate, which includes raising awareness on non-smoking areas inside a building, outside a building, and in most public areas Punishment and legal charges are also placed on smokers violating rules.
Smoke-free buildings include dormitories, lecture buildings, Physical Education Building, Sports Science building, Administration Building, the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media Building, the Center for Scientific and Technological Equipment Building, the Center for Academic Service Building, Walailak University Hospital, Canteen, and Stores in the university.
Walailak University Announcement
Re: Measures of Punishment and Recording behavior score of students, B.E. 2553
According to Walailak University, Walailak University has issued regulations concerning student discipline of bachelor’s degree, B.E. 2553, and Walailak University has issued an announcement regarding student punishment measures for disciplinary offenders, B.E. 2553. On the discipline, the student must be aware of the fundamentals of being a good person and being able to live peacefully with others in society. In the past, some misbehaved students might have tarnished disciplined students since no punishments or measures were in place. Thus, the university attempts to clarify the student disciplines and operate mechanisms to supervise students and ensure the youth learn to grow in ethical ways. Everyone must comply with the measures of section 4, Regulations governing the discipline of undergraduate students, B.E. 2553. New announcement concerning smoking relies on Section 39 of the non–Smoker’s Health Protection Act, B.E. 2535:
Section 39: Student who commits an offense related to the non–Smoker’s Health Protection Act, B.E. 2553 will be charged if they smoke in the following premises:
Smoking in buildings including the dormitory, lecture building, Physical education building, sports science building, Administration building, the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media building, the Center for Scientific and Technological Equipment building, the Center for Academic Service building, Walailak University Hospital, Canteen, and Stores in the university.
Smoking in sports centers, stadiums, grandstands, Meditation Squares, traffic simulator areas, health park
Smoking in the no smoking sign area
A student violating the rules will have their behavior scores deducted from 1 to 10 points.
If students witness misconduct or smoking in the non–smoking area, they may follow guidelines for recording and punishments as follows:
- Someone who finds students who smoke in non-smoking areas shall notify the patrol team to inspect the area.
- The patrolman records information on the students who commit the offense.
- Students who conduct wrongdoings in the dormitory will be recorded by the dormitory mentor
- Staff will submit the names and information of the offense to student disciplinary work at the Division of Student Affairs.
- Staff at the Division of Student Affairs will process student discipline records information of recording student behavior system.
- Student discipline processes information cycles to report to the student disciplinary committee.
Assigning measure punishment of students who smoke in a smoke–free area
Walailak University announces punishment measures and records behavior scores of students who commit disciplinary violations, 2016. Section 39 assigns measures for punishing lousy behavior students who smoke in the smoking-free area. Also, the violators will consider cutting the behavior score from 1 – 10 of 100 scores (Walailak University’s students must maintain their behavior score. Therefore, a score deduction of 70 or higher will severely affect the student’s profile, and if the deduction of behavior points is up to 100 points, the student will not graduate.
In 2022, Walailak University reviewed an Announcement of Walailak University on the “Policy to protect Nonsmokers’ Health and Designate Specific ‘Smoking Areas,’ B.E. 2565 (2022)” to make everyone aware of the effects of cigarettes on the body and encourage departments within the university to strictly comply with this announcement.
WU has a policy to support smoking cessation continuously. Therefore, assigned to the School of Pharmacy, WU signed the Thai Health Professional Alliance Against Tobacco, participated in a brainstorming seminar from the dean of a health professional organization on “Dean Summit on Tobacco Control,” and received the award of educational institutions which lead the Thai society to smoke-free.
Walailak University, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation, the Ministry of Public Health, and the National Alliance for Tobacco-Free Thailand, has signed an MOU to support a smoke-free Thai society by establishing a smoke-free educational institution. This partnership aims to:
- Promote a smoke-free policy at the tertiary level.
- Establish systems and activities for screening, treatment, rehabilitation, and referrals for individuals seeking to quit smoking.
- Enhance personnel and students’ capacity to contribute to a smoke-free and risk-free educational institution by integrating relevant content into curricula and activities.
- Refuse any financial support or grants from the tobacco industry or its affiliates.
Walailak University collaborates with various agencies to drive the university’s tobacco-free campus policy. This includes the Office of Student Development and Promotion, which regularly inspects residential dormitories to ensure continuous compliance.
Participation in practical training programs aimed at enhancing the potential of faculty and staff within the institution’s tobacco-free and risk-free health development project. This initiative fosters their active involvement in advancing the university towards becoming a tobacco-free and risk-free institution.
Walailak University, as a host institution, organized a seminar for the Upper Southern Region’s University Network for Enhancing Immunity and Drug Prevention. This seminar aimed to strengthen immunity and prevent substance abuse. It focused on capacity building for student leaders, teachers, and staff members engaged in drug prevention work. The event received support from the Office of Narcotics Control Board Region 8 and featured expert speakers from the Tobacco-Free University Development Project and medical professionals with expertise in counseling for at-risk groups. Various campaign activities were also conducted during the seminar.
Walailak University is monitored for progress by the Committee for the Development of Tobacco-Free University project. During their visit to the university, the committee members toured the Smoke-Free Zone, commending the university for its dedicated efforts and cooperation throughout the years. They also offered recommendations for further alignment with the university’s journey toward becoming a fully tobacco and electric cigarette-free institution hereafter.
No smoking campaigns
As smoking appears to be an issue of concern at Walailak University, the institution cooperates with a smoke-free university network to operate the event campaign to create symbolic value. The campaigns emphasize that smoking causes health problems, as well as economic and social disadvantages. Other campaigns run on building immunity and prevention, creating student leaders to disseminate knowledge about smoking and its harms, creating awareness of maintaining student rights, and promoting abstinence in smokers and prevention of secondhand smokers.
The event campaign model is as follows:
-Leadership training to gain knowledge and skills for helping abstinence.
-Camping event of leader development.
-Event campaign for no smoking in the university area.
-University events such as college hazing, sports festivals, and events of the World No Tobacco Day.
Example of no smoking event campaign
The campaign to reduce smoking run by the Division of Student Support and Development raised awareness among staff and students on the harms of smoking or drinking. The event is the affirmation of abstinence, no alcohol, drugs, and all vices. In addition, exhibitions and activities promoted the no smoking policy, including women smoking, environmental management that reduces smoking habits, related laws to tobacco consumption control in Thailand, Thai herbs for smoking reduction, the cons of secondhand smoking, and the way to avoid it by the target group (200 students). The university has organized the event continuously, especially on May 31 of every year (World No Tobacco Day). Walailak University has implemented a policy to support smoking cessation and has constantly participated in organizing the World No Tobacco Day campaign in the past decades.
For Thai version, please click the link below. https://cas.wu.ac.th/sdgs/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/เรื่อง-นโยบายคุ้มครองสุขภาพผู้ไม่สูบบุหรี่และจัดเขตสูบบุหรี่เป็นการเฉพาะ.pdf
Related Links
- https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?page_id=207072
- https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?page_id=104650https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?p=210457
- https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?p=211977https://bit.ly/3E4lKoD
- https://www.mhesi.go.th/index.php/news-and-announce-all/news-all/executive-ps-news/7566-155.html
- https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?p=211162https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?p=211977
- https://dsa.wu.ac.th/?p=214743
Goal 3: Good health and well-being
Goal 4: Quality education
Goal 17: Partnership for the goals