BANGKOK, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Ministry of Public Health said on Wednesday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has lauded Thailand for its strong tobacco control policy following the rollout of plain-looking cigarette packaging.

Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, chief of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) under the Ministry of Public Health, quoted the WHO as saying that Thailand's move against tobacco promotion drew praise from the international community at a health conference on plain-packaging in Bangkok.

Thailand is the first country in Asia to introduce plain packaging, reflecting the country's efforts to discourage smoking, said Suwanchai.

Thailand's cigarette packaging, compulsory from Dec. 9, includes graphic pictures of tobacco's effects on health. For example, a tobacco package may depict graphic photo of a lung infiltrated with dark smoke.

Suwanchai said shops found to be selling the old designs of cigarette packaging, will face a fine of 40,000 baht (1,321 U.S. dollars) under the tobacco control legislation.