Thailand: the new cannabis paradise

Everyone has heard about the famous Thai Sticks, but also about the severity of the law on cannabis use in Thailand. However, the wheel has turned... and on the good side! Since June 9, cannabis has been removed from the list of narcotics in this beautiful country.

In this article, written together with a collaborator of ours who lives in this territory, we will see the history of cannabis in Thailand, its period of prohibition, as well as the current situation.

History of cannabis use in Siam

In Siam, replaced by Thailand in 1947, the cannabis plant and its derivatives have been used since ancient times to treat many diseases and are a key ingredient in many traditional Thai medicinal remedies.

Thai cannabis is well known for its powerful stimulant effect, produced by its high THC content. Thai landraces are exclusively Sativa (narrow-leaved plants) and have some of the longest flowering times seen in marijuana strains.

The plants look more like a willow than your typical Christmas tree-like hybrid. Instead of long colas, the buds tend to become denser and more concentrated. In the 1960s, Thai strains were thought to contain around 13% THC, which was incredibly high at the time. Among the most well-known Thai genetics are Chiang Mai, the Koh Chang cannabis variety (a euphoric Sativa), not to mention the resinous Meao.

In today's cannabis market you can find many stabilized Thai landraces, such as Wild Thailand from World of Seeds or Thai from Ace Seeds. Obviously, to take advantage of its characteristics while shortening the flowering time and controlling its excessive growth for indoor cultivation, many Thai hybrids have been created, such as Chocolate Haze by Royal Queen or Exotic Thai by Exotic Seeds.

Prohibition period

In Thailand, until 2022, cannabis was prohibited under the Narcotics Control Act of 1979, which classified it as a category 5 narcotic product. Producers, exporters, and importers were subject to prison terms of two to fifteen years and/or a fine of 200,000 to 1.5 million Thai baht. Persons in possession of and intending to sell 10 kg or less were subject to imprisonment of two to ten years and/or a fine of 40,000 to 200,000 baht. Simple possession could be sanctioned with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a fine of up to 3,000 euros.

This is how Thai Sticks disappeared, giving way to compressed flowers (brick weed), easier to transport in large quantities, but often of poor quality and low in THC. Despite these restrictions, many Thais continued to use cannabis illegally, and some groups urged the government to legalize the personal and commercial use of cannabis plants and their derivatives.

A European ex-pat tells us: "I arrived in 2000 and one of the first rules I learned was: be careful with weed. Always hide it outside, not at home. The population did not appreciate ganja and you had to be careful. We smoked it in-house, with the windows closed. When we wanted to buy it was quite an organization, both to ask for the herb, and to take it home.

Personally, I hid it in stash canisters. Every time I left my house, I checked that I had no crumbs or seeds on top. Of course, growing cannabis at home was out of the question! I know some ex-pats who got caught with 1 joint and had to pay around €20,000 before being deported... for 99 years! Another Thai friend was caught with a mini joint and he spent 15 days in jail. In short, you had to be super discreet!"

2019: Legalization of cannabis begins in Thailand

Finally, some members of the Thai government agreed that it was time to consider legalization measures. As a result, in 2018 the government took steps to remove cannabis plants from the list of prohibited narcotics, when a regulation allowed the cultivation of hemp for medical purposes, but not for commercial purposes, such as home cooking or research and development.

The next big step was in February 2019, when the Narcotics Law (No. 7) was amended, legalizing medical cannabis within certain limits. All parts of the plant became legal except the flowers. However, recreational cannabis was still illegal, under the same 1979 law.

This is how more and more consumers in Thailand started growing cannabis – you just had to be careful when flowering as THC-containing flowers are still illegal!

2022: Total legalization?

June 9, 2022 - Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has designated cannabis and hemp as "controlled plants", legalizing cannabis with the aim of promoting it for health and medical purposes, and limiting its possession and use to seniors 20 years of age (unless authorized by a physician).

Local cannabis groups are celebrating a long-awaited victory for more than 40 years. The government distributes 1 million plants to the population. They release 3,000 prisoners for simple crimes related to cannabis use. Their ganja is returned to them...

The facts: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed cannabis whose extracts contain no more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from its list of prohibited narcotics. Extracts containing more than 0.2% THC are still illegal in Thailand. But qualify: The flowers are not extracts; therefore, they are legal, regardless of their THC content.

It is important to note that smoking cannabis in public is prohibited. The penalty is a potential sentence of three months in prison and a fine of 25,000 baht. Households can grow plants at home with the registration in the application provided for that purpose (Ploukganja) obtained in one click, and companies can also grow the plant with a permit.

Our collaborator tells us about the current situation:

Amazing. There are many dispensaries with a wide variety of top quality weed. We see cannabis plants everywhere. There is no longer any stress about the risk of being caught. My social media pages are full of ads offering me marijuana and even hashish (although extracts are prohibited). I got a license for my 16 cannabis plants with one click on the Government Application. One can even carry the weed while traveling on domestic flights, local newspapers have officially announced.

The dispensaries are more inspired by those in the US than Dutch coffeeshops. For the first few months, the herb was imported from the US, but now it is produced locally. They learn fast! At the moment, I have not heard of consumers arrested for consumption on public roads. When I walk through the tourist streets of Bangkok, I smell this familiar smell... In fact, you only have to ask permission to smoke a joint when you are on the terrace of a bar/restaurant. The only rule that is monitored is edibles that must not contain more than 0.2% THC, including cakes and cookies! This is to prevent children and others from eating cookies that are high in THC.

Thailand: The future first importer of cannabis?

At the moment, the cannabis industry is new to Thailand! However, given the interest in this new source of income, the low cost of labor, cheap electricity, and a favorable climate, it is quite possible that Thailand will become the first cannabis-importing country in the world due to its low production cost.

In short, if you love cannabis and want to take a "cold" break this winter, consider Thailand! Go trekking in the jungle, take boat trips through tropical waters or laze in a luxury hotel with a pool while you sip a Mai Tai, the national cocktail... Surely you too will have access to the best cannabis in the most legal way possible!