Thailand has introduced a new bill aimed at regulating its cannabis industry, focusing primarily on health and medical uses, in a bid to rein in recreational smoking following several policy reversals.
Under the draft legislation, cannabis and its extracts will be permitted for medical treatments and research by state agencies, as well as for use in herbal, food, and cosmetic products. The Public Health Ministry released the proposal earlier this week, shortly after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s new administration assumed office.
This draft bill seemingly adopts a more lenient approach compared to previous governmental attempts to oversee the industry. Notably, it omits a clause that explicitly prohibits recreational cannabis use, which was included in an earlier draft by former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s administration. This effectively signals that the new government has abandoned plans to reclassify cannabis as a “narcotic.”
However, individuals consuming cannabis or its extracts for unapproved uses would face fines up to 60,000 baht. Sellers of cannabis or its products for unauthorized purposes could incur penalties of a year in prison or fines of up to 100,000 baht, or both.
Such regulations may restrict the free use of cannabis in Thailand, which was the first country in Asia to decriminalize the substance in 2022. This legal shift has led to the establishment of over 9,400 cannabis dispensaries nationwide, many located in popular tourist destinations and business hubs in Bangkok and beyond.
The availability of cannabis became a significant political issue during last year’s national elections, with the ruling Pheu Thai Party pledging to redesignate marijuana as a narcotic to limit its use strictly to medical purposes due to concerns about addiction. However, resistance from the Bhumjaithai Party—the second-largest coalition group—compelled Pheu Thai to retract its pledge and retain cannabis legality.
Compliance Challenges
The draft legislation proposes stricter licensing regulations for cannabis cultivation, sales, exports, and imports. Current growers, suppliers, and related businesses must acquire or apply for new licenses or permits or face severe penalties.
While the bill represents a positive direction for the cannabis industry, it may still create compliance challenges for growers, dispensaries, and numerous consumer-agro businesses that have emerged across Thailand. These businesses range from those selling cannabis buds to oil extracts and weed-infused candies and baked goods, all of which must currently contain no more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the psychoactive compound responsible for the “high” sensation.
“The bill allows for broader applications of cannabis to reflect reality, but it still mandates supervision by licensed medical practitioners,” remarked Prasitchai Nunual, a pro-cannabis activist, in a Facebook post. “This is exclusionary and subjects individual rights to the discretion of practitioners. Instead, it should stipulate that uses must not infringe upon others’ rights.”
The public and industry stakeholders have until September 30 to provide feedback on the proposed bill. The ministry may make further changes to the legislation before presenting it to the cabinet, which will then be responsible for forwarding it to Parliament for approval.