Tag: Thailand

Thailand plans cannabis law rewrite to allow only medical sales

September 22, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

Thailand’s new prime minister said the Southeast Asian country plans to rewrite its cannabis laws to allow only medical use, a move that would halt widespread recreational sales and fundamentally alter the industry. In an interview with Bloomberg, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was elected in August, said there is a need to “rewrite the law” to stop adult-use sales from occurring. “The problem about drugs has been widespread lately,” he said in the interview. He said his government would “rectify” the… Read more.

Tourists Are Flocking to Thailand for Cannabis? – Cannabis.net Hits Bangkok to Check Out the Thai Weed Scene

July 30, 2023 · Cannabis.net

This Leafly Green Reason Is Why Travelers Are Flocking To Thailand Right Now I just spent a week in Bangkok, Thailand. For several decades, Thailand was among several Asian nations that were notorious for strict drug laws. In several cities around the country, however, the cops often turned a blind eye, focusing on more important crimes. The risk was greater than the reward, as it always is, in many countries in Asia if you do get caught selling, buying, or in possession of drugs.… Read more.

Marijuana Legalization In Thailand Hangs In The Balance: Political Stalemate, Smuggling & Business Challenges

June 13, 2023 · Benzinga

Thailand's marijuana legalization efforts, aimed at transforming the country into a regional hub for weed product development and cultivation, have encountered significant obstacles. Despite the legalization last year and the subsequent flourishing of dispensaries and cannabis-related activities, two major issues have emerged. Political Gridlock And Smuggling Hamper The Progress Of Thai Industry According to Insider, the first challenge is a political deadlock in the country's parliament, which has impeded the passage of the necessary regulatory framework.   The second problem is the infiltration of cheaper, higher-quality marijuana from the… Read more.

What is Cannabis Backlash? – Voters in Countries Like Thailand are Pushing Back Against Legalizing Weed

May 18, 2023 · Cannabis.net

Cannabis Backlash Gains Steam Heading Into Thailand’s Election Thailand's legalization of cannabis last year, encompassing cultivation, possession, distribution, sale, and consumption, was swift and comprehensive. Marijuana dispensaries have since increased rapidly, particularly in tourist hotspots nationwide. In certain regions, such as the capital, they have become ubiquitous. Despite the discouragement of recreational use, cannabis remains legal. The industry has been allowed to expand with relative freedom, subject to regulations such as age restrictions and prohibitions on public smoking. Thailand's parliament was dissolved… Read more.

Thai PM candidate casts vote in marijuana-print shirt

May 15, 2023 · Reuters

Thailand's health minister and cannabis advocate Anutin Charnvirakul turned heads during Sunday's election as he arrived to cast his vote at a polling station wearing a dark shirt with bright green marijuana leaves. The 56-year-old is the prime ministerial candidate for the Bhumjaithai Party, which has campaigned on a promise to promote medical marijuana after successfully pushing for the substance to be decriminalised last year. Without associated regulations in place, recreational use surged, angering the Southeast Asian country's conservatives. Anutin has promised that if re-elected,… Read more.

Cannabis divide deepens ahead of General Election in Thailand

May 13, 2023 · Thai

The future of marijuana in Thailand may become uncertain as political parties contesting in the upcoming national election call for the repeal of cannabis decriminalisation, which has been in effect for approximately one year. Pheu Thai Party‘s Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a prime ministerial candidate, has voiced her concerns about liberalised cannabis at a recent rally, stating the need to suppress drugs. The legal vacuum that emerged from decriminalisation has caused frustration among politicians and citizens alike, as the new industry was introduced before lawmakers could assess and pass regulations for its… Read more.

Thailand’s cannabis sellers say US growers are eating their lunch

May 9, 2023 · Aljazeera

Nearly a year after Thailand decriminalised cannabis amid promises of an economic bonanza, Thai growers and sellers say they are being undercut by illegal imports from the United States that sell for a fraction of the price of homegrown buds. Thailand struck cannabis from its list of banned narcotics in June 2022 after a high-profile campaign by Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to establish the kingdom as a global hub for cannabis for medical purposes. But Thailand’s parliament has yet to pass a… Read more.

Thailand: Southeast Asia’s ‘weed wonderland’

April 30, 2023 · BBC

A new symbol has appeared in the kaleidoscopic jumble of neon signs that light up Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok's most international street. The sudden ubiquity of the five-pointed marijuana leaf, in lurid green, announces the spectacular boom there has been in weed-related businesses in Thailand since cannabis was decriminalised last June. Walk two kilometres east of the BBC office in Bangkok, and you pass more than 40 dispensaries, selling potent marijuana flower buds and all the paraphernalia needed to smoke them. Travel… Read more.

Meet the people in Chiang Mai riding high on the legalization of marijuana in Thailand

March 22, 2023 · Insider

In June last year, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalize the use of marijuana. It comes after decades of being classified as a Category 5 drug. Cannabis, also known as marijuana, has had a long history in Thailand. Traditionally, the plant was used by locals in their food and medicine.  But in 1935, using marijuana — whether as a drug or otherwise — was criminalized. And until last year, anyone using or possessing marijuana could face… Read more.

High times: Cannabis-infused spa treatments are taking Thailand by storm

March 13, 2023 · The Thaiger

Thailand has long been known for its traditional spa treatments that incorporate ancient healing techniques and natural ingredients. But with the legalization of cannabis in June 2022, a new trend is emerging in the world of wellness: cannabis-infused spa treatments. Cannabis-infused spa treatments are quickly becoming a popular way to relax and unwind in Thailand, and for good reason. CBD, one of the primary compounds found in cannabis, may have numerous health benefits, including reducing inflammation and promoting relaxation. At the… Read more.