Vaping Laws in Southeast Asia 2026: Where Is Vaping Illegal?

Where is vaping illegal in Southeast Asia? The short answer

Vaping is illegal in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Brunei and Timor-Leste. In the countries tourists visit most, the ban covers heated tobacco like IQOS too, and you can’t bring your own device in. Vapes are legal and regulated in Indonesia (including Bali) and the Philippines. In Malaysia, IQOS is legal, but the rules for nicotine vapes are unsettled after a 2026 court ruling. Among common stopovers, Hong Kong bans vapes and IQOS at the border, while Japan allows IQOS.

So the same disposable can be a normal purchase in Bali and a confiscated item in Hanoi. The rules also change fast: Vietnam, Myanmar and Hong Kong all tightened them in the past two years. Here’s where each country stands in late 2026.

Vape laws in Southeast Asia: country comparison

Thailand: formally banned, softer in practice

Thailand banned importing and selling vapes in 2014, and the ban covers IQOS and TEREA too. The UK Foreign Office says it is illegal to possess or use “any vape, e-cigarette, pod, e-liquid, or heat-not-burn device in Thailand,” with fines “typically 5,000–30,000 Thai baht.”

In daily life, it’s softer than that sounds. On the street or at the beach, you’re usually asked to put a vape away, and a fine is possible but not the rule. The one real risk is customs at the airport, where bags can be checked and a device found there is confiscated. The same goes for land borders from Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos.

So the easier option is to arrive without a device and order one after you land. Our guide to vaping in Thailand covers fines, beaches and what to do if you’re stopped. If a vape is already in your suitcase, read what happens at Thai customs.

Singapore: the strictest rules in the region

Singapore bans vapes, pods, e-liquids, IQOS and even nicotine pouches, and you can’t bring any of them in for personal use. Since May 1, 2026, the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act (TVCA) sets fines of up to S$10,000 for individuals. Foreign visitors caught with a vape have it seized and get a composition fine.

If you arrive with one by mistake, declare it on arrival and dispose of it there. The rule of thumb: don’t carry a vape or IQOS through Singapore, even on a layover. Our guide to vaping in Thailand as a Singaporean has the details.

The Vietnam vape ban: can you vape in Vietnam?

No. Resolution 173, passed by the National Assembly in November 2024, bans the sale, import, storage, transport and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco from January 1, 2025. The FCDO sums it up: “You cannot buy vapes in Vietnam or bring them into the country.”

Fines for users followed a year later. Under Decree 371, in force since December 31, 2025, using a device costs 3–5 million dong, and the product is destroyed. If you’re flying on to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, leave the device behind.

Cambodia and Laos: banned, including heated tobacco

Cambodia banned e-cigarettes in 2014 and added heated tobacco in 2021. Decision No. 02 of October 2025 goes further and prohibits the “import, distribution, sale, advertising, use, possession, manufacture, and storage” of electronic smoking devices. Devices are confiscated, and that includes the Cambodian border post if you go from Bangkok to Siem Reap by road.

Laos banned the import, sale and use of e-cigarettes in 2021. The FCDO warns that vapes and heated tobacco are illegal and that possessing or buying them can lead to a fine. Cigarettes are sold everywhere, but that doesn’t make vapes fine, including on the train from Nong Khai to Vientiane.

Myanmar joined the list on February 18, 2026, banning e-cigarettes and heated smoking devices, including possession and use.

Can you vape in Bali? Indonesia’s rules

Yes. Vapes and heated tobacco are legal in Indonesia, taxed like tobacco and sold in shops across Bali, and IQOS sells there officially. You must be 21 to buy.

Indonesian customs sets a duty-free limit for each passenger aged 18 and over:

• 140 heated tobacco sticks (seven packs of TEREA) or 40 capsules;
• 30 ml of e-liquid for open, refillable systems;
• 12 ml of liquid for closed systems, meaning prefilled pods. Disposables most likely count here too.

Anything over the limit is destroyed on the spot.

Malaysia: legal, then a court ruling changed things

Malaysia has regulated vapes and heated tobacco for adults 18 and over since October 2024. Then, on May 15, 2026, the High Court ruled that removing liquid nicotine from the Poisons List in 2023 had been unlawful, and the government dropped its appeal in August.

Nicotine e-liquid is legally a controlled poison again, and Malaysian health media call it a de facto ban on selling nicotine vapes. As of September 2026, the Health Ministry hadn’t issued clear guidance, and a planned nationwide ban was still waiting on the cabinet. Several states, including Johor, Kedah and Pahang, had already stopped licensing vape shops.

Heated tobacco isn’t affected: IQOS and TEREA remain legal. We found no rule aimed at travelers with a personal vape, but don’t count on buying nicotine liquid there.

The Philippines: legal and regulated

Vapes and heated tobacco are legal in the Philippines under Republic Act 11900, for adults 18 and over, and the law hadn’t changed by late 2026. You can’t vape in schools, hospitals, public transport, terminals or government buildings, or in indoor public places outside a designated vaping area.

Common stopovers: Hong Kong and Japan

Hong Kong has banned importing vapes and heated tobacco, “including in personal luggage,” since 2022. Since April 30, 2026, simply carrying one in a public place is an offense too. Above small amounts, such as more than 100 heated tobacco sticks, the case goes to court, with fines up to HK$50,000 (about $6,400). If you stay airside on a connection and don’t pass immigration, your bag is exempt.

Japan is the easiest stop for IQOS: it’s sold everywhere, and customs allows 10 packs of heat-not-burn sticks duty-free. Nicotine e-liquid is a different story. Japan treats it as a medicine, so you can’t buy it there, but you can bring up to 120 ml of liquid or 60 cartridges for personal use.

In which countries is IQOS prohibited?

In Asia, IQOS and TEREA are banned in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, and can’t be brought into Hong Kong. Outside the region, India bans heated tobacco along with vapes, and Australia prohibits importing it without prior permission. IQOS is legal in Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, and in most of Europe and the Middle East. For airline battery rules, see our guide to flying with a vape or IQOS.

Planning a trip across several countries

• Don’t carry a device into a ban country. That includes land crossings from Thailand into Cambodia and Laos.
• Buy locally where it’s legal, like Bali, the Philippines, or Japan and Malaysia for IQOS, and finish or leave it before you move on.
• Watch your transit points. Singapore and Hong Kong are the two hubs where a vape in your bag can cause trouble.
• Check your home country’s rules too. Australia, Singapore and India restrict or ban vapes and heated tobacco, so don’t plan on bringing sticks back.

In Thailand, the easy option is to arrive without a vape or IQOS and order after you land. We deliver IQOS ILUMA i and TEREA and disposable vapes across the country: next day in Bangkok, 2–4 days in most other places. You order by chatting with our manager on WhatsApp or Telegram, who confirms stock, the final price and your address before you pay. See how ordering works.