It’s been two years since the decriminalization of cannabis use in Thailand in June 2022. People of the land of smiles can freely consume the green herb and “smile” even more together with a large number of cannabis dispensaries rapidly appearing throughout the country and quickly becoming tourist attractions.
This year, in 2024, there’s a statement about new cannabis laws and regulations in the Land of Smiles. Will Thailand not be able to “smile” anymore? What’s going to happen next? Is cannabis still legal in Thailand? Let’s discover it together.
Key Takeaways
- Thailand was the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis for medical purposes in June 2022 without limitation to recreational use.
- Thailand’s new government drafted a bill to delist recreational cannabis and expected it to be effective by the end of 2024.
- Cannabis in Thailand is currently legal despite the rumors of re-criminalization.
A Recap of Cannabis Laws in 2022
According to the PR Thai Government, cannabis and hemp are delisted from Category 5 narcotic drugs effective from June 9, 2022. The (previous) government has a policy to liberalize the use of cannabis and hemp for the following objectives:
- For medical purposes
- For economic boosts
- For people to have more choice in taking care of their health.
The production and consumption of cannabis are permitted for medical use. At the same time, it’s also allowed for recreational use only if the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content does not exceed 0.2% by weight meaning that cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% THC are illegal. Planting, and selling of cannabis and hemp plants are permitted but must be registered under the PlookGanja application.
However, smoking cannabis in public is strictly prohibited and vaping is illegal in Thailand. Smoking cannabis must be done privately on one’s private property to avoid causing a public nuisance. Anyone caught smoking in public could lead to 25,000 THB ($680) fine. Importing and exporting cannabis products across the Thai border is also prohibited.
Thailand’s New Cannabis Laws
Initially, Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis in 2022 for medical purposes. In practice, it appears not what the previous Thai government expected when the market became unregulated leading to public backlash and concerns over misuse and crime.
At the beginning of 2024, Thailand’s new government led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin drafted a new law to ban cannabis for its recreational use and then expected to be approved by the cabinet and moved to the Parliament before the end of this year, however, cannabis for medical purposes remains permitted.
“Without the law to regulate cannabis, it will be misused. The misuse of cannabis has a negative impact on Thai children. In the long run, it could lead to other drugs,” stated the former Public Health Minister, Cholnan Srikaew.
In the new law, cannabis will be controlled plants, the cannabis shops that illegally operate will not be allowed to continue, home-grown cannabis will be discouraged, and those who would like to grow cannabis will require permission.
Punishments for violations of the draft law will also be tightened. The fine can be up to 60,000 THB ($1,700) for recreational use and it can be up to 100,000 THB ($2,800) or jail time of up to a year or both for those selling cannabis for recreational use and participating in advertising or marketing of buds, resin, extract, or smoking devices.
On top of that, operating cannabis farming without a license can face a prison penalty ranging from one to three years and fines starting from 20,000 THB ($560) and it can be up to 300,000 THB ($8,000). The minister also added that importing, exporting, cultivation and commercial use of cannabis will also require permits.
So, is Cannabis Still Legal in Thailand?
YES. Cannabis is still legal in Thailand until there are any further updates on the new cannabis laws and regulations from the government.
Currently, cannabis has been removed from the Category 5 narcotics list and anyone with a license can freely begin running a cannabis business in Thailand. However, cannabis businesses should consider the following cautions:
- Cannabis cannot be sold to people under the age of 20 years old or pregnant and breastfeeding women.
- Cannabis flowers must be legally grown in Thailand.
- The business cannot advertise cannabis flowers online.
- Cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% THC are illegal.
- Selling extracts, oils, and cosmetics containing over 0.2% THC requires permission from the Thailand FDA.
Conclusion
The new government has planned to delist cannabis back into being narcotic plants by the end of 2024 after its decriminalization for medical purposes in June 2022. It has raised concerns about misuse and crime as it’s also allowed to be used recreationally, with thousands of cannabis dispensaries cropped up in busy places such as tourist attractions.
However, cannabis is still legal in Thailand until the new cannabis law is passed and ready to be effective. Only people at the age of 20 years old and over can purchase from the weed shop. Cannabis products such as food must contain a THC content of 0.2% or less while cannabis extracts, oils, and cosmetics with over 0.2% THC require permission from the Thailand FDA for selling.
