Steve Mee

I am in Khanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Was looking for visa agent in Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui that can assist with funds for retirement visa extension. Previously extended in Pattaya with Pattaya agent but looking for an agent closer to home. Any recommendations & cost would be appreciated.

Thanks. I went through the documents at https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/ for 10 September & it is not posted there.

Can somebody verify if this is genuine? 📢 ประกาศสรุปสาระสำคัญราชกิจจานุเบกษา (กัญชา)- English is below . ลงวันที่ 10 กันยายน 2568 กระทรวงสาธารณสุขได้ออกประกาศราชกิจจานุเบกษาเพิ่มเติม เพื่อกำหนดเจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจในการควบคุมกัญชา โดยมีสาระสำคัญดังนี้ ⸻ ✅ ประเด็นสำคัญ เจ้าหน้าที่ฝ่ายปกครองของจังหวัด ได้รับแต่งตั้งให้มีหน้าที่ควบคุมการใช้/จำหน่ายกัญชา ตำรวจมีอำนาจหน้าที่โดยตรง สามารถตรวจค้น และจับกุมได้ตามดุลพินิจ ประกาศฉบับนี้มีผลบังคับใช้ทันที ต้องปฏิบัติตามอย่างเคร่งครัด ไม่มีการผ่อนปรนใด ๆ ⸻ ⚖️ ข้อปฏิบัติที่ผู้เกี่ยวข้องต้องทราบ • ต้องมี ใบอนุญาต ภท.11 • จำหน่ายได้เฉพาะผู้มี ใบสั่งแพทย์ ภท.33 • ผู้จำหน่ายต้องลง แบบ ภท.27/28 • สินค้าต้องมี มาตรฐาน GACP + COA • ตรวจสอบ ใบอนุญาตแพทย์ออก ภท.33 อย่างเคร่งครัด (หากเป็นแพทย์ปลอม ร้านถือว่ามีความผิด) • ห้ามติดป้ายโปรโมชั่นหรือโฆษณาเชิญชวน ทุกกรณี • ผลิตภัณฑ์กัญชาแปรรูปที่ ไม่มี อย. เช่น เยลลี่ กัมมี่ บราวนี่ → ห้ามจำหน่ายโดยเด็ดขาด • การขนย้ายต้องมี ใบอนุญาต/บิลซื้อขาย ถูกต้อง • ผู้ซื้อ ต้องเก็บสำเนา ใบ ภท.33 ติดตัว • ผู้ปลูกเพื่อใช้เอง → ไม่ควรพกพาออกนอกพื้นที่ • สต๊อกหน้าร้าน → ยังไม่มีการกำหนดปริมาณสูงสุดที่ชัดเจน ⸻ 📌 สรุป • กฎระเบียบโดยรวมยังคงเดิม • เพิ่มเติมคือมีการให้อำนาจตำรวจโดยตรง ในการตรวจสอบและจับกุม • ผู้ประกอบการและผู้เกี่ยวข้องต้องปฏิบัติตามกฎหมายอย่างเคร่งครัดทุกขั้นตอน ⸻ ✊ ปฏิบัติตามกฎหมาย ✊ รักษามาตรฐานสินค้า ✊ ดำเนินการอย่างโปร่งใส ⸻ 📢 Official Government Gazette Summary (Cannabis) Dated: 10 September 2025 The Ministry of Public Health has issued an additional Gazette Notification to designate officers authorized to control cannabis. ⸻ ✅ Key Points Provincial administrative officers are officially appointed to control cannabis usage and distribution. Police are now granted direct authority to search and arrest at their discretion. This notification takes effect immediately, with no exemptions or leniency. ⸻ ⚖️ Compliance Requirements • A PhorThor.11 license is required. • Sales permitted only to patients with a PhorThor.33 medical prescription. • Sellers must complete PhorThor.27/28 forms. • Products must comply with GACP standards and have a valid COA. • Sellers must verify medical licenses for PhorThor.33 prescriptions (if fraudulent, shops are liable). • No promotions, signage, or advertising of any kind. • Processed cannabis products without FDA approval (e.g., gummies, brownies, jellies) → strictly prohibited. • Transport requires proper license/invoice. • Buyers must keep a copy of the PhorThor.33 form. • Personal cultivation → should not carry cannabis outside the premises. • Shopfront stock limits → no maximum quantity specified yet. ⸻ 📌 Summary • Most regulations remain unchanged. • Key update: Police now hold direct authority to inspect and arrest. • All operators and stakeholders must comply fully with every legal step.

What do you want to do? Bhumjaithai Party reveals 'Pun's bill cannot be completed in time'. They are keeping an eye on whether they will push for a change in the announcement of stricter controls. Somsak leaves it up to the new government to decide. https://www.channelweedthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/S__67256323-1024x780.jpg Paradorn Prisananantakul, a core MP for the Bhumjaithai Party, revealed that the highly anticipated medical drug policy could not be pushed through in time due to the need to amend several laws governing drug sales. Therefore, it is uncertain whether the bill will be successfully passed, as it is currently pending in the House of Representatives . Meanwhile, Somsak Thepsuthin, former Minister of Public Health of the Pheu Thai Party, who announced stricter drug control regulations following the Paethongtarn-Hun Sen video leak, stated that the direction of the drug policy will depend on the new government's determination. Currently, a second draft of the control order (requiring shops to be converted into clinics with full-time doctors) is pending at the Cabinet meeting and cannot be pushed through. A reporter asked whether a new Public Health Minister would be able to amend the announcements and ministerial regulations regarding Section 33 and GACP cultivation standards. Mr. Somsak replied that it was the new minister's authority to determine whether to elevate the issue to primary law, ministerial regulations, or announcements under other acts, such as the Thai Traditional Medicine Wisdom Protection Act. He emphasized that his policy guidelines were aimed at avoiding lawsuits and preventing public distress. "Pun, if not for medical use, must be considered a drug, which is acknowledged to have many factors involved, preventing it from reaching that point (returning to being a drug). However, at least what's being done is better than doing nothing," Mr. Somsak said. Meanwhile, Mr. Ratthaphon Saenrak, founder of Highland, told Bloomberg that the change in government might not immediately change the law, but rather impact the enforcement environment. This could lead to less stringent measures on shop closures or more politically motivated stunts. However, the recent back-and-forth between policies has made it difficult for even law-abiding operators to survive. Rising costs of improving cultivation processes and prescription requirements have driven many players into the black market. A report from Channel Weez Thailand indicates that the current caretaker government has been unable to successfully implement the Pun Act, hampered by both authority and time constraints. Therefore, the Pun Act will likely remain in a vacuum under the current regulatory announcements. The regulatory announcements, which include Section 33 and GACP cultivation standards, remain in effect, unless the new Minister of Public Health exercises his authority to sign additional orders to ease the stringent conditions. While the regulations for patients cannot be amended, there is room for additional regulations for adult users to be enacted, easing the burden on operators and protecting consumer rights, as has been the case in other countries, where medical certificates are not required. The future of the Thai Pun industry remains a concern. If it is tied to politics, it will likely lead to policy uncertainty. If the next election brings an opposing party into government, the entire industry could be thrown into turmoil once again. 1 min read

Ex Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin that tried amend cannabis laws facing possible jail time. I translated from Thai. The curtain falls on two ministers protesting against Pun, who are facing a potential jail term for those who issued strict herbal regulations. The issue of "spiritual illness" has been raised after the country was forced to become sick with green tea. The end of two ministers who oppose Pun likely ends with them being in jail. They are facing the case of "spiritual illness on the 14th floor" which spread poison after forcing the green line to be a patient with a medical certificate from Bhumjaithai Party 33. The green line points out that "this government" has committed many sins against the people after small-scale fertilizer farmers lost 80-90% due to the new lightning-fast control regulations. Political experts advise the two ministers who dislike Pun to "pack their bags," warning that they face serious legal challenges. Meanwhile, the green line has launched a game of suing through every avenue, filing a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to punish Somsak Thepsuthin under Section 157 for policy corruption, along with filing a lawsuit with the Administrative Court to suspend the unfair control announcement. Dr. Thanaporn Sriyakul, Director of the Institute of Political and Policy Analysis, revealed on the program "Talk Slow Shot" that After the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced Thaksin Shinawatra to one year in prison, excluding the six-month period of illicit illicit treatment, the two involved ministers were charged under Section 157 of the Criminal Code. This is because the court's decision will fuel further legal action by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). Dr. Thanaporn further stated that a key issue concerns the distorted reporting of information regarding the illicit illicit condition of the head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The court found that the court had used the Medical Council's decision, as a medical expert, to determine that the NACC was not seriously ill enough to warrant hospital confinement. The court also found that the resolution was opposed by Somsak Thepsuthin, who vetoed the decision, and the court also relied on medical records. Therefore, when it comes to the NACC, it must investigate whether the actions were a violation of the facts to aid Thaksin. Whether the actions were directly used or supported by him, it must also examine whether there was a conspiracy among ministers, as the court ruled that the state officials involved must be held liable. Therefore, there's a high chance that this could spread to department heads, including ministers. Dr. Thanaporn continued, stating that he advised both ministers to pack their bags and apply for visas if they were to follow the 2006 "big boss" model, as they risked facing Section 157 charges. This included vetoing the medical examiner's decision, as well as the Justice Minister, Thawee Sodsong, who was ruled by the court to report symptoms every 30-60 days. The court found that the information was distorted regarding "phantom illnesses." So, who is responsible? Who is aware of it? Who signs off on it? The 180-day "phantom illness" policy has exceeded the authority of the Corrections Department Director-General, but it is the authority of the Justice Minister. A source from the manager of a 35,000-plant fertilizer farm told Channel Weez Thailand that the sudden change in regulations, without giving time to adjust, meant that this government had committed a great sin against the people. Small-scale entrepreneurs and farmers suffered losses of 80-90%, affecting their incomes and livelihoods. Therefore, he would like to propose that the government expedite the clarification of regulatory laws to allow entrepreneurs to move forward. News reports indicate that Mr. Somsak Thepsuthin announced a strict fertilizer control policy. Just weeks after the Hun Sen video leak and the Bhumjaithai Party's split, the government imposed conditions requiring consumers to be ill and hold a Phor Thor. 33 certificate, and the establishment of GACP cultivation standards, which caused widespread criticism and led to a lawsuit against the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for policy corruption under Section 157 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which allegedly monopolized market control regulations for large corporations, and a lawsuit against the Administrative Court, with the Federation of Pun for the People scheduled to file a lawsuit against the court to revoke the aforementioned control announcement, which the victims considered unfair. This government has historically had ministers take the most active action against Pun. This has been discussed both in press conferences and in meetings. Several times, policies between the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Justice were linked, even to the extent of having a Pheu Thai Party deputy prime minister falsely claim royal authority, which was reported in the media regarding the Pun crackdown. Furthermore, it was discovered that the Pun control policy, which has resulted in numerous victims, was used as a campaign issue during the by-election in Sisaket Province. https://www.channelweedthailand.com/2025/09/10/anti-cannabis-minister-at-risk-court-jail/

Local Police Have No Authority to Raid Cannabis Shops https://www.channelweedthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/S__67117069-1024x768.jpg A senior source from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (Ministry of Public Health) has addressed growing concerns from cannabis operators about harassment by law enforcement. According to the source, licensed cannabis shops often face unnecessary disturbances from officials, even though the Ministry has only authorized specific agencies to conduct inspections. While some local police precincts had requested the power to raid cannabis shops, the proposal was never approved because the Constitutional Court dissolved the Cabinet before it could be passed. This means that local police (district and station officers) currently have no legal authority to raid cannabis shops. No Power to Arrest Consumers The insider further explained that many police officers still lack a clear understanding of cannabis laws, which have been updated repeatedly. Importantly, cannabis is not classified as a narcotic under current Thai law, meaning police officers have no authority to set up checkpoints, arrest, or fine cannabis users or consumers. Misuse of Power and Communication Gaps The source also referred to cases where provincial public health officials ordered cannabis shops to shut down. The Ministry acknowledged inconsistencies and said it will improve communication and training for officials to ensure regulations are enforced uniformly nationwide. Currently, the agencies legally authorized to inspect cannabis businesses include: • Ministry of Public Health officials • Authorized departments under the Ministry of Public Health • Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) • Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) police Any official conducting raids without a warrant may face criminal charges under Section 157 of the Thai Criminal Code for abuse of authority, carrying penalties of up to 10 years in prison, loss of rank, and permanent pension cuts. Unauthorized night inspections could also qualify as illegal trespassing. In addition, officers must be in full uniform and present an ID—unannounced visits in plain clothes or false claims of authority to extort money are unlawful. Rising Extortion Cases Reported Reports received by Channel Weez Thailand indicate that since the new cannabis regulations took effect, local police in multiple provinces have been soliciting bribes from cannabis businesses, even those fully compliant with the law. Business owners are urged to collect evidence—such as photos, license documents, CCTV footage, or recordings—and file complaints against offending officers through police oversight bodies, local authorities, independent organizations, or the courts. Complaints have already been filed in Pathum Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and several northeastern provinces. There are now discussions about forming a nationwide cannabis business network to document and report cases directly to legislative and executive authorities. Phuket Businesses Push Back Phuket has been hit particularly hard by police extortion, prompting local cannabis entrepreneurs, led by the Kon Kanchaeng media network, to launch a “Protective Document Kit” for shops. Dubbed a “protective talisman against entrapment”, the document outlines the legal rights of cannabis businesses and highlights penalties for harassment or entrapment by authorities, warning that such actions could expose officers to Section 157 criminal charges.

Easiest thing to do is not go to the bank within 30 days & the account will be closed. Then go with your passport & bank book to collect your funds. They will request signatures & paper work to close the account so easier for the bank to close the account by not visiting within 30 days. Don't have to wait in long queue too. I set up another account with Kasikorn & money arrives via Wise in seconds.

Constitutional Court rules 6-3: Paetongtarn removed from office, Cabinet dismissed. Finally, the Constitutional Court ruled that the respondent’s status as a minister ended on July 1, 2025, when the court ordered the cessation of their duties, and the entire Cabinet was dismissed. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/politics/40054701 So the ousted government from July 1, 2025 onwards has no authority to royal gazette anything. The prescription etc was royal gazetted prior to this date but the later updates will have no relevance now. What happens to the Dept of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine? Will their funding now cease?

Documents I presented to them were: - Passport with retirement visa - Thai Car Driver Licence - Confirmation of phone number SIM registered in my name ( topped up at DTAC & got a receipt with my name/phone number on it. I also had the SIM card packet with me & it had details of my phone number). - Receipt of Notification from Immigration (this is a small 1/4 of A4 size page at the back of my passport done by my landlord which confirms my current address). This was important because my Thai driver licence address is in Pattaya. I did the car driver licence myself at Sichon DLT, however, my visa was new at the time with a Pattaya address via visa agent in Pattaya which was used by Sichon DLT. I don't know if it helped but my Lao GF also set up a new bank account at the same time at a different counter at the same branch but her visa agent & the visa agent's mother were also there. The visa agent didn't assist me. The bank staff were aware that my GF & her visa agent know me so it may have assisted me indirectly. I will also set up another account at Krungsi for back up with assistance from my landlord. I believe if you go into the branch where your landlord has a bank account & bring your landlord, passport with retirement visa, SIm card phone number confirmation & Thai car/motorbike driver licence you should be good to set up a bank account. I showed my home country driver licence as it has a photo of me but the bank didn't require it. Took about 30 minutes to set up the new bank account including ATM card, bank book & they also set up my phone app including face scans. Very helpful staff with limited English but still very easy. They do most of the set up on their tablet & you sign in a few places. Then Manager checks everything over. Lady made a small error - had me as Austrian but Manager realized I am Australian & rectified it.

FYI - from a Reddit poster. "I went to close my account and they wanted me to sign a form but weren't happy with my signature on one of the documents because it didn't match my signature when I opened the account. I'm like, you have me on camera, you have my passport which has my photo, I think we're good. They weren't happy so I said let me see the signature on file and they SHOWED it to me. So I just copied it and that was fine." So it appears the bank will play games when you ask to close the account. I will also ask to close my BKB account when I visit Pattaya next year & withdraw the minimal funds. Another Reddit poster mentioned: "I went into a local branch (not my home branch), and there were a lot of us there who had received the same message. The staff were very apologetic, and suggested that there may be a change in bank policy in the coming days due to all the disruption that it has caused. However, they took copies of my various documents to send down to my home branch, along with a bank form requesting the unlocking of my account. I'm in the fortunate position of having enough cash to see me through for a while, so I'll just wait and see. One staff member I spoke to did say that a client had successfully had his account unlocked earlier in the morning by the call center."

Thanks for the info.

I told my local BKB branch that I was hungry & had no money. They still couldn't do anything & apologized. I also told them I was going to another bank which I did today. There is a post on Reddit Thailand about the frozen BKB accounts. Apparently the poster's sister in law works for BKB & they are aware of the huge issues they have created for foreigners & may amend their policy.

I also doubt they can help but asked them since they assisted to set up the account. Now confirming that they cannot help.

Visa agent in Pattaya has informed me to contact the Pattaya branch with my phone & that they want to see an updated visa. My frozen BKB account was set up in January 2024 & my retirement visa was extended from May 1, 2025 for another 12 months. I will go next year when it's time to extend my visa again & holiday in Pattaya. FYI, I sent funds via Wise to my new Kasikorn bank account & the funds arrived in seconds whereas BKB was taking a day to arrive. Also paid PEA with Kasikorn bank app which cannot be done with BKB.