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Many news articles seem to have gotten the wrong end of the stick. The THC limit is on extracts. Not a limit on what types of plant you can own. Bloomberg falling for the same trap as a couple of other outlets. Siam Legal clarified this: Dispensaries are opening up in Bangkok tomorrow, plenty of info out there on them and a few have already gone public saying they are open for business tomorrow.

I think people are getting their knickers in a twist on extracts and THC. Govt. doesn't want every man and his dog opening up a new edibles store on instagram (like the illegal ones that already exist) causing issues with an unregulated food industry that contain drugs of unregulated quantities that people cannot see. Hence, extracts are not yet legal but the flower and the stuff people actually smoke is. In time, I imagine they will be once FDA has had time to process and the narrative has changed on recreational use. Right now, they are pretending recreational use of the flower is illegal but making it completely legal to own all types of flower and plant. Then they are saying "just don't be a nuisance", nudge nudge wink wink. And saying it should be used for "health and cooking". The info in the media is a mess and doesn't help, but if you dissect all the official statements from the government (and not the misunderstandings and misinterpretations by journalists), it is clear how things are.

Not too sure what all the waffling on about tourist infrastructure is about. People don't come to Thailand for brand new shiny tack. They come for what it has always had: beaches, temples, night markets and bars. These don't require overhauls in infrastructure. They require maintaining things as they are, so people can experience them when they are full of authentic life. Overdevelop and you destroy the very thing people came to your country to see, which is an idea of paradise. I am 25 and live in Bangkok, and I will say now the reason people my age will stop bothering with Thailand is because everywhere is overbuilt, the old school charm is being bulldozed, the beaches are <deleted> and it is no longer as cheap as it used to be. Many people my age would rather go to Laos or pre-coup Myanmar for kicks in Asia nowadays. This is not because Thailand isn't investing enough. Actually, if Thailand just stopped investing in crappy redevlopment projects, destroying the natural habitat that clings to life on the edge of beach towns, and stopped sanitising everywhere to turn places into overdeveloped malls, people might actually be interested again. Ask the average Brit my age where Pattaya is and they probably couldn't even tell you. Or might remember hearing about it once when someone made a joke, and liken it to a dead British seaside town full of an ageing retiree population akin to Benidorm (no offence, but everyone here knows it is true). People have a similar impression of Phuket. I think only the North retains its charm to the average young tourist. But that said, young western tourists only make up a fraction of Thailands visitors, so my comments are limited. My info probably is irellevant and not relatable to most the posters here, but just wait 10-15 years and those who remember Thailand for what it was will be replaced by people my age who don't care for Pattaya and Phuket. By all means the Thai government can pump money into "tourist infrastructure", but more often than not this means concrete being poured on sand and paradise being turned into Alton Towers.

Just chipping in to say always check your "permitted until" dates. I once got a 30 day visa exempt stamp as a British citizen, or so I assumed. For some reason the immigration officer had stamped me in for 15 days despite British citizens usually being allowed 30 days. Gave me a panic at the airport when the check in lady informed me I was on overstay of 3 days. However, when I went through immigration expecting to pay a fine they didn't even bat an eye and stamped me through. Unsure if I was lucky, or it was just an incorrect stamp and the official knew this or the system was correct. But, always check your stamps if you don't want a heart attack.

Vaccination has ended the problem in the UK. The hospitals are fine and everything is wide open. I can throw down beers in bars and clubs across the country any day, any time. I can meet any number of people, go to festivals, travel to any country that will take me. Am currently in the UK and covid is in the rear view mirror whatever the media might tell you. Not rubbing it in, just saying once Thailand gets to a similarly high vaccination threshold it can do the same. Without vaccines the UK would be locked down right now with hospitals overflowing. With vaccines, we are 99% free to do whatever we want (bar wearing masks in a few places still).