The determination of Mr. Thavisin's administration
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health released a draft law Tuesday that would impose heavy fines or up to a year in prison for offenders. The bill would limit cannabis and cannabis-related products to medical and health purposes only, echoing a pledge by new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in September that his new administration would amend cannabis laws within the next six months.
Freshly harvested cannabis is hung to dry at Trio Herbal Farms in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Photo: Getty
Thailand has seen a rapid growth in its cannabis industry in the past, when laws were relaxed on cannabis, fueling economic growth for locals as well as booming demand from foreign tourists. However, the new conservative coalition government that takes power in late 2023 has pledged to tighten rules on the plant and only allow it for medical use.
Under the proposed new law, smoking marijuana in public will remain illegal. Additionally, advertising and marketing campaigns for marijuana products such as buds, extracts, etc. will also be banned.
A previous bill failed to win approval from the Thai parliament in November 2023. Mr Thavisin has been vocal about banning recreational cannabis, saying drug abuse is a major problem in Thailand.
Thailand will no longer be a "marijuana paradise"
Thailand has legalized medical cannabis since 2018. By 2022, it will become the first Asian country to legalize recreational cannabis. This move will decriminalize the cultivation and sale of cannabis and hemp products.
A marijuana stall in Pattaya, Thailand. Photo: Bloomberg
The move is considered rare in a continent where many countries impose long prison sentences, or even the death penalty, on those accused of possessing, consuming or selling cannabis. For example, in Hong Kong, even non-psychoactive cannabis oil (CBD) is banned, and Singapore applies the death penalty for drug trafficking.
Since then, thousands of cannabis dispensaries have sprung up across Thailand, as have cannabis-themed businesses (cannabis cafes, hemp spas, and beauty salons). Cities like Chiang Mai and the capital Bangkok even host cannabis festivals. The legalization of the plant has become a major tourist attraction.
However, former Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul once said that their aim is still to never allow Thais and tourists to “smoke weed” recreationally in public.
“Thailand will promote cannabis policies for medical purposes. We have never thought of supporting people to use cannabis for recreation, or to use it in a way that may cause discomfort to others,” Mr. Anutin said. “We have always emphasized the use of cannabis extracts and raw materials for medical and health purposes.”
Hoai Phuong (according to CNN)
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