By Timothy S. Donahue
Key Points:
- Thailand plans to enforce stricter cannabis regulations, requiring medical certificates for purchases.
- The move follows a significant increase in cannabis smuggling cases involving tourists.
- New rules aim to curb recreational use and reinforce cannabis’s medical application.
Thailand is set to implement tighter controls on cannabis sales, mandating that both Thai nationals and foreigners present a medical certificate to legally purchase cannabis. The decision comes in response to a notable rise in smuggling incidents involving tourists attempting to export cannabis illegally
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin announced the forthcoming regulations during a press conference, emphasizing the government’s intent to ensure cannabis is used strictly for medical purposes. “We will improve regulations on cannabis use in Thailand. For example, cannabis smokers may have to show medical certificates,” Somsak stated.
The health ministry aims to roll out these new regulations within 40 days. Under the proposed rules, cannabis users would need prescriptions issued by licensed medical professionals, including traditional Thai medicine practitioners and general physicians. The initiative is part of a broader effort to regulate the cannabis industry, which has seen rapid growth since the decriminalization of cannabis in 2022.
The decriminalization led to a boom in cannabis-related businesses, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Bangkok and Phuket. However, the lack of comprehensive laws governing its sale and use has resulted in increased accessibility to children and growing concerns over addiction. The ruling Pheu Thai Party has pledged to criminalize the drug again but faces resistance from coalition partners who supported its legalization.
Airport officials have reported a surge in smuggling attempts, with most cases involving foreign nationals, especially from India and the UK. In March, authorities intercepted 22 suitcases containing 375 kilograms of cannabis at Samui Island airport, leading to the arrest of 13 foreigners. These individuals were allegedly part of a smuggling operation where couriers traveled as tourists and were promised payment upon delivery to the UK via Singapore.
The Thai government has reiterated that exporting cannabis without proper authorization is illegal and carries severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines. Authorities are intensifying inspections at airports to detect and prevent smuggling attempts.
