I am afraid that asking for a Chinese bar without smoking, is like asking for a French bar without wine.

Until Yunnan has some other industry to replace the tobacco industry for tax income I don't think this issue will change.

In BJ or SH the new (2011) anti Smoking law is much better enforced.

All over China the new (2011) anti drink driving law made a big impact on people's behaivour regarding drink driving, so I think its pretty easy to say that the localYunnan government is turning a blind eye to the anti smoking law here for financial reasons.

If 45% of your tax income came from one Industry then you wouldn't want to stop it quickly either.

I am referring to the restaurants, Not the clubs where all all boozing and smoking and are too drunk to know the diff anyway. I have had great success wit the mayors hotline and I do NOT mind reminding them again to enforce the rules. Only through this way will change slowly begin to take place. Believe me when I tell you that they do give some hefty fines. I just snitched on a bus driver who was smoking. He was fined 5000 Yuan and he was not allowed to drive for 15 days. What hurt him most was the driving suspension which cost him over 20,000 Yuan. I also hate smoke and poison so I just do NOT go to those places like dance clubs. I outgrew this childish distraction by the time I was 21.

Although I sympathize with you, but your in the wrong province and the wrong country.
If your so anti- smoking I suggest Japan or S. Korea, plenty of ESL jobs there as well.
Another alternative is to open a non-smoking bar of your own, that caters to non-smoking, non-drinking expats that will bitch about your pizza to the mayors hotline.

HFCAMPO: Why don't you go lecturing people elsewhere. In this country no-one gives a flying f88ck about your self-righteous ideas on how you should bully bus drivers...

@ bluejay they want a nonsmoking PC Chinese version of Boulder Colorado, why I have no idea, they should just move back there, they would much happier (maybe there's no jobs there for them there and the cost of living they wont like though).
This is not the USA/ Europe, it's China and I hope for one they never get like those unhappy, dull places.

If they don't like China and smokers, its not for them to change, just better they move away.

Or they can just accept it and stfu

TICexpats: Love your suggestion! (a non-smoking bar of your own, that caters to non-smoking, non-drinking expats that will bitch about your pizza to the mayors hotline)
:-D
...it would be a bit like a church, I guess.
Although, on second thought, no. Churches do make profit. The kind of business you're suggesting wouldn't.

In this country - China - there are currently laws and regulations in place regarding smoking in public places, specifically buses. I am aware the clubs, bars, restaurants permit smoking and these establishments will continue to permit smoking as it is their RIGHT to do so. Therefore, I avoid these places.

However, smoking in buses is a whole other matter. There are specific regs in place and enforcement of these rules takes place when the proper agency is notified.

I have a choice to go or NOT go to a bar where smoking is permitted. However, I do not have a choice when I am in a public bus. People in this country do care about this issue, that is why these regs have been put in place. Especially, when those affected are women and children who do NOT smoke.

More and more women are smoking now but also more and more women who don't smoke are demanding their rights to not be subjected to second hand smoke.

Now I see bus drivers who announce to all passengers that there is no smoking on their bus. I also see women who complain to the bus driver when the driver or other passengers are smoking. This is called change and it comes about slowly and with time. I am happy to see this taking place.

I think smokers have the right to smoke in public. However, a public bus with many passengers in an enclosed space with women and children is NOT a place where smoking should be permitted. I am happy to see that the govt of China has taken measures to protect those of us who do NOT smoke by making the laws that restrict smoking is buses as far back as 2007.

Obviously, people in this country do care about this issue. Reporting a bus driver who knows he is NOT supposed to smoke while driving for smoking on a bus is called accountability or facing the consequences of your own actions.

HFCAMPO, while I understand your frustration, please consider that you may have literally ruined that bus driver's life by your report!

In May of this year, there was a serious bus accident near Lincang where numerous passengers were killed. Since then, the officials have really cracked down on unlicensed bus drivers, on making sure passengers wear seat belts, and unsafe driving habits by the driver. I was really surprised on my last trip last week when the woman who checks tickets on the bus went to every passenger and made them fasten their seat belts. I have never seen this before.

I failed to mention before that right above the bus drivers head, there was a sign written in Chinese with 2 phone numbers where passengers can call to report a bus driver's unsafe driving behavior. It gave examples of unsafe driving behavior such as talking on the phone, speeding, driving tired, or picking up more passengers.

I do not feel guilty - as you say - for ruining his life - because I did NOT put up the sign in the bus, I did not create the regulations regarding smoking, I did not fine the driver, I did not suspend the driver, I merely reported his behavior. Obviously, the driver was well aware of these new regulations as the sign was right above his head.