PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s roller-coaster cannabis rules are in flux again after a promise by the Ministry of Public Health to undertaker a review. This comes after mounting pressure from the campaign group Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future (WTCF) which supports the nascent industry.
The network is asking for a cancellation of the 2025 ministerial announcement – under the now defunct Pheu Thai administration – to require purchasers to visit a doctor and obtain a medical certificate prior to buying from a registered clinic. The list of maladies included chronic pain, insomnia, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease, apparently banning weed as a recreational drug.
Thailand once had very strict penalties against cannabis, but legalized it for medical purposes in 2018. In 2022 the Food and Drugs Administration removed the drug and hemp from the list of narcotics. That in turn led to around 18,000 retail outlets opening nationwide, especially in tourist orientated cities, with minimal controls by the state. Claims that most shops and weed cafes have now closed is disputed by many residents.
Pattaya retailer Ake Khatttiyadamrong urged the new government, under liberal-minded premier Anutin Charnvirakul, to revert to the 2022 declaration which allowed cannabis sales without a prescription. Reformers are also calling for the introduction of a cannabis health card to allow purchase in retail outlets without regular trips to the doctor’s office.
WTCF secretary general Prasitchai Nunuan said public concerns about misuse had been exaggerated by those wishing cannabis to be outlawed again. He explained there were already laws in place to protect children and pregnant women, whilst preventing open advertising and sales near schools, temples and hospitals.
Many tourists in Pattaya have told Pattaya Mail that it is still easy to purchase cannabis over-the-counter. They say that many retail outlets can arrange a medical certificate without the customer needing to visit a doctor. Police have previously stated that they still await clear instructions, whilst explaining that the rules should be enforced by the Food and Drugs Administration. However, FDA is very short of inspectors.
The Ministry of Public Health will now assign the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine to conduct a review during the current month and submit recommendations to the minister for onward transmission to the Cabinet. With a general election looming, a controversial subject such as cannabis may need to wait for a crystal-clear status.
