Noah K

Seriously, the cat is out of the bag, and it will be impossible to put it back in. No black market, means no corruption. How many people are getting rich off of the illegal beer industry? Exactly! Regulate it, tax it, and use the tax dollars to help the people of Thailand. They can start with the dangerous and ugly communication wires that don Thailand like lights on a Christmas tree. Roads and litter could also use some attention. And lets not forget smokey season. Yeah, bad cannabis, bad, very bad.

And throw away the f'n key

That's not entirely true. If you have a Thai partner you can pretty much open whatever business you want. I know lots of people that are retired expats. And they like not working. They enjoy gardening, collecting, hiking, biking, etc. I found that working was interfering with my hobbies. Been living here more than fours years now, never bored, never want another job.

My niece and nephew (Thai nationals) both went to international schools here in Chiang Mai. Their English is not bad, but when I asked them about math, it turns out they don't teach algebra 1, algebra 2, or geometry in grade school. I almost fell on the floor. The curriculum is certainly lagging behind the rest of the world.

It was only a matter of time. Eventually, the communication industry most fix what is a very dangerous situation waiting to happen. It's visual pollution and it really needs to be addressed. Another situation simular to the pollution/smoke issue. Lots of talk, very little action.

By the looks of the crowd, the outrage was... wait, there was outrage? Scantily clothed dancers? Really? This is not real news! With so many things to actually get riled up about in the world, this doesn't even make the list.

Not surprising, also puts Thailand in an awkward position. It will all come down to Chinese tourism dollars, doesn't it always.

And so it begin... 20231108_093227.mp4

How many people died on this so called "linked to marijuana use" before it was decriminalized? How many people died on the roads in Thailand? The answer is 14,737 in 2022 and 6,732 so far this year. Nobody is screaming to make vehicles a criminal offense to drive. Lets face it, laws and rules are put in place to make it safer on the roads, and to reduce the number of deaths. Age requirements, a valid driver's license, speed limits, traffic signals, seatbelts, helmet laws, drinking and driving laws are all enacted to make something dangerous safer for everyone. I will admit that I don't know the exact numbers, but my guess is that most of the accidents were caused by an individual not following the rules or laws. Proper enactment of laws and enforcement of these laws does seem to reduce the number of deaths on the roads each year. The same thought process should apply to cannabis, alcohol, cigarettes, vaping, etc. No sense in throwing people in jail for use, but clearly there can be justification for abuse, especially when it can cause harm to others. I think most people are in favor of tightening up on any of the laws for abuse of anything with potential harm to others. The second reason, is placing cannabis back on the banned narcotics list only shifts the earned income from law abiding citizens and government tax income, to the criminals pockets. The government's war on drugs is a complete failure, here in Thailand and everywhere else in the world.

You're right, if you are healthy and have had at least one vaccine, you like me will probably have a bad cold or flu like symptoms. Mine lasted three days. However, if you have not been vaccinated, and/or have serious health issues, then you are more at risk of getting really sick, hospitalized, and/or die. The choice is ultimately yours.

Good for you, and keep up the good fight. I am an expat, now living in Thailand full time. Taking Cannabis off the narcotics list was the right move. Having no clear plan in place and no enforcement of that plan unfortunate. I say it in a slightly sarcastic way when I look at the big picture. No burning rules are in place, but little enforcement of those rules. No helmet rules are in place, but again, little enforcement of those rules. I could go on, but you get my point, and as a foreigner I have little to no say in any of these matters, but it doesn't mean I have no concern for issues that need attention. My Thai wife, and all my Thai friends feel the same way as you. How can they get their signature on your petition?

Shrooms most likely the cause, though it is just a guess

Ever see the movie Private Parts? Autobiographical film about Howard Stern's rise to fame. I rarely listened to his radio show, but the movie was enjoyable. There is a parallel between you two and your fans. Some love you, some don't but both constantly tune in to see what you'll say next. As a side note, after several weeks of no crowing from the Rooster, even I wondered if an angst up Thai had finally made Lab Gai out of you!

Serious? What kind of ridiculous statement is this? We offered our friends a glass of beer or wine, does that makes us a bar? In order to be a dealer and stay in business, you have to charge money and make a profit, or face the fact you have a lousy business model.

No evidence given as to why these doctors want to make a u-turn. And the very next article is about two 14 year old girls on a motorcycle, one dead, the other in the hospital with serious injuries. If they are so concerned about the children, there are many other issues for them to focus on. Marijuana use is not one of them.

ain't that the truth!

sarcasm is my middle name! I already don't drive a car, haven't owned one in more than three years, I let Grab do all the work during the rain and heavy shopping. Driving on two wheels is my definition of freedom. I am also a 100% defensive driver, and firm believer in the motorcycle safety foundation course, Which some drivers here in Thailand can desperately use.

yeah, the first thing old folks recognize is when it's time to hang up the keys (motorbike or car).

You can get drunk, wobble, and drive off a cliff in a car. Why don't you tell us all that things can be dangerous without telling us. And I'm sure all sensible car drivers recognize when it's time to stop driving cars.

Oooh daddy mun, I think you mean spliff

I'm 65 years old and I have been riding since I was 14 years old. So, unless they outlaw motorcycles, or take away my drivers license, I will ride until the very end, whatever age that may be. You can get injured at 73 in a car accident as well, but by the looks of the photos, a helmet and other protective riding gear was not being used. That I have an issue with.

Well, no one is going to get rich growing six plants at home. And even though cannabis is basically a weed, throwing six seeds in the ground and expecting a big payoff is far from the truth. Anyone that has grown anything here in Thailand knows just how hard it is to fight off torrential rains, pests, and disease from destroying your crops, whatever you may want to grow. But, the fact that 35 million people have already signed up to register to grow ganja sure does say a lot.

Whataboutism was certain to crop up (pun intended) when I posted my response. Well, you certainly don't see people getting hooked on, and dying from, pharmaceutical opioids? Wait, what, you do? But, come to think of it, they are still legal and still killing people, but not all people. Smart, educated, intelligent, people know the difference between use and abuse. Whether it is legal or illegal, people will use, and some will abuse. Education is key, hysteria, confusion, and conspiracy theories accomplish nothing good.

Intelligent, rational, compassionate, sensible, ethical, empathetic people with the ability to use their brain properly, don't abuse anything let alone an highly addictive drug in the same way we don't abuse pharmaceutical opioids. Oh wait, it seems that some people do, however, it's still available, and people are still dying from them, so there really is no line to draw.

So, does my opinion matter as I am only a guest here in Thailand? I am retired, and as a retiree everything I do is recreational. I sometimes ride my motorbike just for recreation, is that wrong? People do die in motorbike accidents. I have friends over for the weekend, we BBQ chicken and drink beer just for recreation, is that wrong? People do die from drinking. I love to swim just for recreation, is that wrong? People do drown from swimming. I love flying to Phuket to enjoy the beach just for recreation, is that wrong? People do die each year from plane crashes. I could go on and on, but the fact is that you can die from just about anything, even drinking too much water or over eating can kill you. If we were to make everything that can kill you, against the law, than there would be nothing left to do legally. I ask you all to look around you to see what is going on in the world. From the unprovoked war in Ukraine, to the senseless school shootings in the U.S. From the flooding along the coastlines, to the droughts in our heartlands. From the still present global pandemic to the rise in preventable diseases. Don't we have better things to worry about then whether or not recreational use of cannabis is wrong? It's a natural growing plant that has probably been here long before humans.