Japan Tobacco sues Thailand over cigarette packaging

Thailand should prohibit JT from doing business there.

Good luck with your case JT. The tobacco companies tried it and failed when Australia introduced its new packaging laws.

If “JTI however does not believe that increasing the size of graphic health warnings to cover 85% of cigarette packaging is effective or proportionate,” then why should they care? Thailand is completely in their right to regulate the packaging of the products however they choose. Of course tobacco kills you. Any moron knows that, and people should have the right to choose whether they do/don't smoke. The size of the description on the pack is besides the point. I also hope Thailand kicks JT to the curb.

Waow, that gives a good signal to the Thai government, i wonder if certain licenses will increase in cost or be revoked.

Since the Japanese government is the largest shareholder in JT this could be construed as Japanese government meddling in Thailand's affairs. The Thais should call the Japanese ambassador in for a stern telling off.

a “disproportionate impact on legitimate competition, intellectual property rights and freedom of expression"

What a pathetic defense. How does it impact competition if it's applied universally? No-one is stealing their IP, and it's huge stretch to claim that promoting carcinogens is a 'right'.

Poor show, JT!

“JTI however does not believe that increasing the size of graphic health warnings to cover 85% of cigarette packaging is effective or proportionate,” it added.

Just the fact that you think so means that it should be done ASAP IMO. Go thailand!!!

This is a good example of the type of lawsuits which we will see spawn in the coming years as it is one of the express objectives of TPP to take away the legislative power of governments in favour of a so-called free market.

During my visits to Thailand, I noticed that their television broadcasts censor out smoking and the image of tobacco: In a drama, when a character put a cigar to his mouth, they blurred out the spot where the cigar touched his mouth. In a televised news report on the inner workings of a cigarette factory, they showed thousands of the paper rolls of the cigarettes but blurred out the ends of the cigarettes that showed tobacco.

haha Once again JP show how they care for nobody. Wake up to High World Health Standards, even Thai can do better than JP!