Thailand Will Not Ban Marijuana
The Thai government has decided to regulate the circulation of industrial hemp instead of adding cannabis to the list of narcotic plants. As a result, marijuana will not be banned again in Thailand.
Plans to Control Cannabis Sales
Recently, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who opposes the criminalization of cannabis, announced that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has listened to his arguments and decided not to outlaw cannabis. However, Thavisin has ordered a review of a bill to control the circulation of cannabis in order to address the growing recreational use of marijuana.
According to Thavisin’s secretary, Prommin Lertsuridej, the fate of cannabis in Thailand will be decided by parliament. Officials have already drafted the first version of a regulatory act on cannabis, and a vote on the decree will take place soon. While the details of the law have not yet been disclosed, the current government and the ruling Pheu Thai Party want to restrict recreational cannabis use.
Initially, Thai authorities planned to ban cannabis and cannabinoid products starting January 1, 2025. However, the updated government plan now calls for regulatory measures to be implemented by the end of 2024. Most likely, officials will launch a licensing system and issue permits to companies for the sale of marijuana and other cannabis-derived products.
Criminalization Would Harm the Economy
There is a belief that Prime Minister Srettha decided against banning cannabis due to concerns over negative financial consequences. This year, the cannabis trade in Thailand is expected to reach $1.2 billion (about 105.4 billion rubles). If the plant were criminalized, business owners could face losses of up to 27 billion baht (about 65.9 billion rubles). In total, the damage from a cannabis ban could amount to at least 171.3 billion rubles.
Impact on Tourism
Additionally, making cannabis illegal would negatively affect the tourism industry. According to the Thai government, from January 1 to July 21, 2024, the country was visited by 19.6 million foreign tourists, a 34% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Many analysts believe that the surge in tourism is largely due to the legalization of cannabis in June 2022.
Kueakarun Thongvilai, manager of a Bangkok cannabis shop, reported that tourists account for the majority of revenue. According to him, 70-80% of the store’s customers are foreigners, often from Japan, Malaysia, China, and the Philippines. Since many Asian countries have strict laws against marijuana, their citizens come to Thailand to use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes without fear of punishment.