OBJECTIVES: To examine the smoking behavior and reasons for smoking among Thai male smokers METHODS: A total of 475 male smokers aged 18-65 years in Bangkok and Chiang Mai were surveyed. Convenience sampling was used. Respondents were given a face-to-face interview, which included a structured questionnaire and the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence. Interviews focused on a range of issues including current smoking behaviors and reasons for smoking. RESULTS: The respondents’ mean age was 37.9 years. The majority had been smoking regularly for 11 years or more, with almost one third having smoked for over 20 years. A large number of respondents smoked 6-10 cigarettes per day. The mean Fagerstrom test score was 3.5, representing low nicotine dependence. The most common reasons for smoking were relief of stress (68%), feeling of relaxation (53%), passing time (40%), lower irritability (35%), and improvement in mood (30%). Other reasons included a feeling of refreshment (14%), relieving cravings (11%), and an improvement in concentration (10%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings illustrated the specific smoking behaviors and reasons for smoking despite low nicotine dependence smokers, suggesting that cessation intervention ought to be tailored to these characteristics. The reasons for smoking in current smokers here greatly reflected the ability of smoking to fulfill psychological needs and resulted in a close relationship between smokers and smoking regardless of the level of dependence. To help them quit, smoking cessation therapies that have proven effective ranging from simple counseling to pharmacotherapy could be done.