Picture: Daily News

 

Bhumjaithai party's Suphachai Jaisamut went on his personal Facebook page to attempt to quash rumors that people would have to pay hefty fees to grow marijuana at home.

 

But his comments can be seen in the light of political posturing, suggests ASEAN NOW.

 

He said that reports by some people as law changes were being finalised that householders would have to pay 10,000 or even 100,000 baht are baseless.

 

He reiterated that people will be able to grown marijuana and hemp freely without fees for their economic benefit.

 

Only those growing commercially on, say, 10 rai of land for purposes of extraction and export will need to pay any fees. 

 

He claimed that Article 16 was clear and that growing the plant for putting in food, medicinal reasons and to alleviate symptoms of health conditions was all fine.

 

It should be noted that no mention was made of smoking the plant or its recreational use as a drug, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

Thai English language print media still carries a headline on a story "Pot Smokers told to Hang Fire" - this may be misleading people into believing they will be able to consume it as a drug shortly.

 

ASEAN NOW cautions readers in this regard.

 

Suphachai is also the deputy chair of a house committee looking into the rule changes. And as registrar of BJT he is speaking from a political standpoint after his party rose to power on legalizing marijuana that was a key manifesto strategy. 

 

Daily News' article that it is "free for all" may be true financially but the police may have a say if growers start using THC - the drug in the plant - which is still against the law in quantities that would make a user stoned (above 0.2%).

 

Interestingly though, Suphachai ended his Facebook post with a hashtag #kheun ganja hai prachachon.

 

# returning marijuana to the people.

 

Exactly what that means still remains to be seen. 

 

Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage

 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-01-28

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Not that this subject needs more confusion, but I think some are conflating the current grower's cooperative scheme, where groups form a coop to legally grow cannabis for the GPO, with a new scheme for individuals to grow small quantities for their own medicinal use. This coop program has been in place for a year plus. I think this requires the group to have 100,000 baht in hand, funding.

So, where can this plant be purchased from? Garden centres?

23 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

So, where can this plant be purchased from? Garden centres?

Coops get approved seedlings from the government.

 

There are, I want to say, ~8-ish approved strains for THC, and a similar number for CBD.

 

These coops grow in greenhouses (bug/pollen control), afaik with no lighting supplements or depravation. That's why local landrace strains were chosen. 

 

There are indoor growing initiatives.

 

Pathum, Roi Et

 

 

7 hours ago, Gandtee said:

So, where can this plant be purchased from? Garden centres?

Street corners if some get their way.

Here's how it works; you can grow green for free at home till the cows come home. 

Then one day plod shows up for a random reason, eyes your budding girls up, and then the "fee" kicks in with a vengeance.