Spock

Prescriptions in Australia are generally for 5 or 6 quantities of 10gm, perhaps more, with a similar limit of 30 grams a month. In a low use situation, this means that a script could last 3-4 months or more. Thailand's 30 day prescription is going to force users to the doctor too often, more than necessary given that weed is going to be prescribed for chronic rather than acute cases. If medical weed goes the way it has in Australia, it will simply become a means for recreational users to obtain it on medical grounds.

I messaged the shop I buy from when staying in Rangsit on the Thursday and was assured it was still selling. Got a Thai mate to go buy for me next day (I am not yet in Thailand), and it was closed. He asked the shopowner next door what had happened and was directed to another shop 5 km away where he bought me enough to last me the month. Then the postponment was announced the same day and I was annoyed with myself for panicking, but your comment makes me glad that I did. You just don't know what this government is going to do from day to day. As an aside, if the Thai government wants only medical marijuana, it really needs to consider the method of consumption of the flower. Weed vaporisers are not readily available in Thailand and smoking is itself a health hazard. But users are not left with much choice as to how the weed is consumed. The other advantage of vaporizers is that they give off very little smell which would allay the major concern of many on here.

They didn't know that when it closed anymore than I did buying up in bulk using a Thai friend intermediary over the phone and in the store. You do what you think you have to do rather than be sorry afterwards. Unfortunately the flip flopping thai govt makes a mockery of best laid plans.

Lots of places closing. My shop for instance told me business as usual Thursday morning and by Saturday it was closed.

They did not win the election. The party with most votes is no longer in office. The election was stolen by them.

But they were allowed! If they weren't, no one stopped them, hence the 18000 dispensaries that opened and countless groweres. No one was being arrested or prosecuted. Given it seemed that whether intended or not recreational use seem there to stay, why would people seek to supply the market. They were doing nothing illegal, just making a living like anyone else.

I feel sorry for the people who have been lulled into believe the previous state of affairs would continue, only to be rudely hit with the about face in regulations. Posters criticising growers and sellers for not adhering to the strictly medical side of legalisation ignore the fact that recreational use has been allowed to flourish, through fault only of politicians and authorities that made no attempt to enforce a medicinal only approach. There's no end of posters prepared to place the entire blame for the hardships caused by policy reversal squarly on the shoulders of the industry workers rather than the framers and administrators of the legislation. I am coming for a couple of moths in two weeks and got a Thai mate to buy for me yesterday, then I will investigate the ease or otherwise with which a prescription can be obtained. If difficult or impossible, despite living 6 years at one time in the country and speaking Thai, I will go elsewhere next year. Sure the legalislation has been badly handled as you could expect it might be by politicians who can't see beyond the end of their nose. But it's ordinary Thai people who will have to pay for their mistakes. I hope that medicinal use will actually seem more like recreational use with medical approval as is the case in Australia and supply, THC levels remain largely unaltered as people acquire prescriptions for their sudden chronic conditions.

You're the type that would have rejoiced at the new marijuana laws too. You would need to be wealthy to drink to excess at the airport, unless you do as me and buy a can of beer from 7/11 then drink it while charging your phone. Not that I have more than one or two. I prefer to wait for a few freebies on the plane.In any case, in many years of travelling I cannot recall one incident involving an inebriated person.

Racism comes naturally to Trump supporters.

Chronic pain is generally covered by medical marijuana.

There are some really stitched up farangs in Thailand these days. Can't imagine sitting and having a friendly chat with any of them. Giving a thumbs down to someone simply because they are able to buy a personal quantity from a store to consume quietly in private just indicates how intolerant and narrow minded they are.

My shop is still selling. I will stock up.

Families and children are more likely to be exposed to marijuana in their home country rather than Thailand.

You misunderstood me. I too have to get repeat prescriptions, but the quantity prescribed lasts me 3 or 4 months. I wouldn't imagine you are getting prescriptions on a monthly basis?

I get my medicinal weed in Australia through a pharmacy, but the scripts are for 5 or 6 lots of 10mg, with a 30 gm limit per month. I suspect the 30gm a month limit is what will apply in Thailand when weed goes medicinal. Forcing people to get a monthly prescription would be ridiculous as the condition for which it is being prescribed will not change month to month.

They could at least get the time sequence right. 'From now on' should read 'November on' unless there is a period in between where they are going to practice enforcing the new regulations.

I come to Thailand a couple of months a year and am yet to smell marijuana when walking around - except for two young guys brazenly sharing a joint in the smoking area outside the airport. There are rules to control public use and in my experience people seem to abide by them. Perhaps in places like Pattaya extra liberties are taken, but the regulations are there to be enforced if people wish to do so. I'd have thought police would be keen to make an extra baht or two from apprehending weed smokers ignoring the law. As somebody who originally came to Thailand as a backpacker from 81 onwards, I am shocked at the wowserish, holier than thou attitude of some of the expats who seem to want Thailand to even stricter than their own country. It's ironic that the Thais now seem to have become more liberal in their attitudes while many of the expats come across as incredibly intolerant of anything that doesn't fit their narrow views. I'd have thought anyone wanting to make Thailand their permanent home would want to live in a more liberal country than the one they left. Apparently not.

So still no indication when these changes are to be implemented?

You obviously have never spent time inside. I doubt he is will be set upon in any way by fellow prisoners.

And child sexual assault doesn't carry the same stigma it would in a western prison.

Personally I am much happier to accept that they are Russians rather than Ukranians despite your insinuation that Ukranians are dodgier than Russians (which I find hard to believe). I just hope they are caught.

It literally is, lol. One isolated incident in a class I would not use is not going to deter me from train travel.

I hate these people smuggling marijuana out of Thailand. They give the government more ammunition to use against the marijuana legalisation in Thailand. I'd like to see them get the maximum penalty wherever they are caught. They ruin a good situation for the rest of us.

Totally agree. A good group stomping is what it's about in Patong and Pattaya.

Can I safely assume that when I arrive on July 15 for a month that I will be able to buy as usual through any of the 8000 outlets? That if anything is likely to change, it's not going to happen that quickly?