Cannabis and cannabinoids in Thailand

Global business and regulatory news covering the cannabis industry

10th January 2024

What’s in store for cannabis regulation? Looking at 2024 with cautious optimism

13th October 2023

Thailand’s new PM vows to outlaw recreational cannabis once again

25th May 2023

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Daily regulatory updates of legal changes in the cannabis sector, including monthly compilations

24th July 2024: Thailand: Deputy prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that prime minister Srettha Thavisin has agreed to not re-list cannabis as a narcotic in yet another reversal in the country’s cannabis policy, press reports. Anutin, who spearheaded the legalisation of cannabis in 2022, said that the regulation of cannabis would now be handled legislatively through the parliament instead of as an executive regulation to re-list it as a narcotic. Proposed regulations to limit cannabis strictly to medical and scientific purposes have been on track for approval but have not yet been approved by the Narcotics Control Board. Political parties are now likely to submit draft bills on how to regulate the industry.
11th July 2024: Thailand: A health committee has approved a proposal to re-list cannabis and hemp in the narcotics list and will submit the proposal to the Narcotics Control Board (NCB) soon, press reports. The proposal would make cannabis buds illegal again, as well as any extract with more than 0.2% THC, while still allowing for stems, roots and leaves of the plant. Medical cannabis would also remain legal. The proposal calls for all necessary legal amendments to occur before 1st January 2025. Interior minister and former health minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who spearheaded cannabis legalisation in Thailand, says he will advocate against the re-listing of cannabis on the country’s narcotics list when it goes before the NCB for a vote, press reports. However, Anutin holds only 1 of 36 votes on the NCB.
27th June 2024: Thailand: Health minister Somsak Thepsutin said that he still intends to re-list cannabis as a narcotic after the public consultation period has ended with the vast majority of respondents supporting recriminalisation, press reports. Somsak said that while he would proceed with recriminalisation, the final decision would ultimately be made by the Narcotics Control Board. Somsak reiterated the government's support for medical cannabis, though, and said that relevant regulations will be issued.
13th June 2024: Thailand: Draft regulations to relist cannabis as a Category 5 narcotic are now available online and are open to public comment until 24th June 2024. Under the draft regulations, cannabis would be relisted as a narcotic beginning 1st January 2025. However, the draft regulations would explicitly exclude certain parts of the cannabis plant – such as the stems, roots, seeds, and leaves that do not have shoots or flowers attached – and extracts with up to 0.2% THC from the relisting. Therefore, if the regulations are adopted, extracts with up to 0.2% THC would remain legal, though they would be required to come from parts of the cannabis plant excluded from the regulation (i.e. not from the flower). Anything above the 0.2% THC threshold would be allowed only for medicinal purposes if approved. The regulations do not need to be introduced to the parliament to be adopted.
12th June 2024: Thailand: The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has issued draft regulations to re-list cannabis flower as a category 5 narcotic beginning 1st January 2025, press reports. Other parts of the cannabis plant would not be listed as a narcotic. The MOPH will receive public feedback on the proposal until 25th June. However, the draft regulations do not yet appear to be available online.
24th May 2024: Thailand: Public health minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Thursday (23rd May) that new regulations to re-list cannabis as a category 5 narcotic will only pertain to cannabis buds, but not to leaves, branches, roots, stems and seeds, press reports. Hemp would not be listed as a narcotic, though the definition used to distinguish it was not made clear. Additionally, Somsak said that a permit will be required to cultivate, possess, import, or export cannabis, which will be issued only for medical or scientific purposes.
14th May 2024: Thailand: Health minister Somsak Thepsuthin said the Ministry of Public Health will move to place cannabis back on the list of category 5 narcotics but as a “soft drug”, press reports. “Please understand that a soft drug is not completely prohibited,” said Somsak. “The regulations will aim to prevent harm from misuse as well as use by children, according to the government’s policy.” He added that the ministry hopes to complete the move by the end of the year.
9th May 2024: Thailand: A day after new health minister Somsak Thepsuthin said that he was seeking opinions on how to regulate cannabis, prime minister Srettha Thavisin said that he has urged the Ministry of Public Health to re-list cannabis as a narcotic. Srettha said on X: “I would like to ask the Ministry of Public Health to amend the ministry announcement by bringing marijuana back to category 5 drugs and hasten to issue ministerial regulations allowing its use for medical and health purposes only.” Srettha has sought to ban recreational use since he was appointed but has not been successful so far. In September 2023, Srettha vowed to ban recreational use within six months, though little tangible progress has been made in the seven months since.
8th May 2024: Thailand: Newly-appointed health minister Somsak Thepsuthin is seeking input from others on how to regulate cannabis and says that a final decision has not been made on whether to push for recriminalising cannabis, press reports. This stance is a departure from his predecessor, Cholnan Srikaew, who was pushing legislation to strictly limit cannabis to medical use. Cholnan was removed as health minister and replaced by Somsak on 28th April.
29th April 2024: Thailand: Yesterday (28th April), health minister Cholnan Srikaew was dismissed from the cabinet, press reports. Srikaew was a supporter of the recreational cannabis ban and wanted to pass a law soon to ensure that cannabis is only used for medical purposes. Srikaew will be replaced by Somsak Thepsuthin, who was justice minister when recreational cannabis was legalised in 2022.
5th April 2024: Thailand: Contrary to the stances recently expressed by the prime minister and health minister, deputy prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a public statement that he supports the regulated use of cannabis. He voiced his agreement with the government’s existing policy, which allows the use of cannabis for recreational and medical purposes, press reports. Charnvirakul emphasised that rescheduling cannabis would require changes to the current regulations and would also require compensation for companies that have invested in the cannabis business in good faith.
3rd April 2024: Thailand: Health minister Cholnan Srikaew has said the government will soon pass a law to ensure cannabis is used only for medical purposes, press reports. This was reportedly an attempt to correct prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who recently said that his government would put cannabis back on the list of narcotics. The health minister said the bill regulating the medical use of cannabis had been drafted and would soon be submitted to the cabinet for consideration.

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