De Cuyper: Thailand’s medical and wellness tourism sector can benefit from the rise of cannabis tourism

 

By Duncan Forgan

 

Cannabis tourism is poised to become a growth market in Thailand as the Kingdom’s relationship with marijuana goes back overground.

 

Thailand was the first South-east Asian country to legalise the production, import, and export of cannabis for medical purposes in 2018. This year, Thai authorities approved the de facto decriminalisation of marijuana but left a grey area around its recreational use.

 

These moves, say observers, are fostering an environment where cannabis tourism can help resuscitate an industry that has been badly battered by the global pandemic. Indeed, many feel Thailand’s relaxed regulations could lead to a surge in medical and wellness tourism where marijuana is utilised as a key component.

 

“Thailand is well known as a destination for medical tourism and wellness travel. So, these sectors will surely benefit from the latest developments,” opined Dirk De Cuyper, CEO of S Hotels and Resorts.

 

Full story: https://www.ttgasia.com/2022/02/24/thai-hospitality-players-move-in-on-cannabis-tourism/

 

-- © Copyright TTG ASIA 2022-02-25

 

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Nope.. medical tourism and the "wellness" industry will not be the drivers of a significant increase in the number of tourists..

 

It's only recreational use that will draw younger tourists to a Thailand that's fun again.

 

Time to institute the "sandbox" protocol.

It is being legalized now all over the world, why travel thousands of miles to smoke a joint?

But,  I guess as an addition reason to come here it will bring younger people with little money who also want to get stoned.  Maybe the modern version of a quality tourist.

Here we go again Thailand trying to con people into believing that marijuana is legal, it is NOT legal in the terms most people associate this product with, including a leaf of the marijuana plant with your food is purely and simply a gimmick and unfortunately many people are falling for it. I have had people contact me from the UK asking if it was true that marijuana is now legal, once I explain what is & is not legal they all agree that the hype around this is very misleading.

26 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai authorities approved the de facto decriminalisation of marijuana but left a grey area around its recreational use.

These are the key words and the fly in the ointment " left the use of marijuana for recreation in a grey area" i can foresee surprised tourists being caught with stuff and saying But, But But, we thought that....

At least the back packers will be able to get hemp clothing on the cheap.

 

Just don't smoke those sandals.

 

 

Another fantasy !

Thailand being Progressive, Wise

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

At least the back packers will be able to get hemp clothing on the cheap.

 

Just don't smoke those sandals.

 

 

I don't know,

if they haven't washed them for a while, they might get a good hit off them.

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Cannabis tourism is poised to become a growth market in Thailand as the Kingdom’s relationship with marijuana goes back overground.

Anything for a Buck...

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand was the first South-east Asian country to legalise the production, import, and export of cannabis for medical purposes in 2018.

They might have to be careful where and what they try to export to other countries.

Meanwhile my little tiny state I live in 1/2 the year called Massachusetts just announced they sold 1.65billion $$$ in marijuana/ products in 2021! Over 20,000 new jobs created! Thailand who loves $$$ will never ever do it right.  Unfortunately I feel the Netherlands has never done it right either. I've never understood that.  

5 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It is being legalized now all over the world, why travel thousands of miles to smoke a joint?

But,  I guess as an addition reason to come here it will bring younger people with little money who also want to get stoned.  Maybe the modern version of a quality tourist.

Thailand is not going to legalise marijuana for recreational use. At best, there will be restaurants that are allowed to scatter a few leaves though a meal. Don't kid yourself that young or older tourists are ever going to be sitting around around smoking joints. It's not going to happen.

 

As for the 'wellness' business, the word alone is enough to turn me off. 

My understanding of the medicinal use of MJ is that is not a cure it is something to be taken as needed to overcome symptoms. In which case coming here is not going to help most people. And don't even think of travelling through the middle east when going back the horror stories of people being stopped and incarcerated for petty amounts or poppy seeds from their bagels on their clothes worries me.

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

Meanwhile my little tiny state I live in 1/2 the year called Massachusetts just announced they sold 1.65billion $$$ in marijuana/ products in 2021! Over 20,000 new jobs created! Thailand who loves $$$ will never ever do it right.  Unfortunately I feel the Netherlands has never done it right either. I've never understood that.  

Cannabis isn't and never was legal in Nl, it is only decriminalised for personal use. Recreational consumption is tolerated and it is available in "coffeeshops".

7 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Here we go again Thailand trying to con people into believing that marijuana is legal, it is NOT legal in the terms most people associate this product with, including a leaf of the marijuana plant with your food is purely and simply a gimmick and unfortunately many people are falling for it. I have had people contact me from the UK asking if it was true that marijuana is now legal, once I explain what is & is not legal they all agree that the hype around this is very misleading.

 

13 minutes ago, hanuman2543 said:

Cannabis isn't and never was legal in Nl, it is only decriminalised for personal use. Recreational consumption is tolerated and it is available in "coffeeshops".

forget it Thailand is squares ville

Thai sticks for breakfast..

So lame.

 

People aren't going to come unless they can get high in weed.

 

They don't give a damn about cooking or making ropes with it.

 

Be honest not many people smoke marijuana anymore. 

 

I'm sure the same people will make money with, don't expect anyone in regular society to benefit financially from the move.

 

 

I could be wrong but I think all the hysteria about Thailand legalising cannabis needs to be brought into perspective.

 

Unless I've got this totally wrong, didn't Anutin state that the substance that will be allowed is that containing either 0.2 or 0.02% THC??? - can't remember which. THC is the element of cannabis that creates a hallucinogenic effect known as a 'high'.

 

Given that most cannabis used these days has a THC content of 17 - 25% - I can't see people flocking to Thailand for a joint. I very much doubt anyone would feel any changes with a content of 0.2 or 0.02% - it certainly won't get them high.  I also doubt that the average grower in Thailand has any form of equipment that will enable them to measure the THC content - that is done in a lab.

All this is going to do is get unsuspecting and misinformed foreign tourists thrown into prison for using marijuana because on one hand they advertise they are the cannabis capital of SE Asian, and on the other hand possession of the 'feel-good' stuff will get you arrested.
So there will be many, many imprisoned and very confused foreigners in Thailand's Cannabis Future. 
This is a really bad idea. 

Stop messing around and decriminalize it instead of playing stupid games.  I guarantee that lives and vacations will be ruined. And once that becomes public knowledge?  It will be another stake in the heart of Thai tourism when exposees show up in foreign news outlets about tourist imprisoned for cannabis use base off of Thai TAT advertisements. "But they said to 'Come to the Cannabis Capital of Asia!  How are we suppose to know?"
Man, they are dancing on the edge of a razor with this nonsense. 

9 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It is being legalized now all over the world, why travel thousands of miles to smoke a joint?

Just to get arrested, fined, and possibly imprisoned.  Because - it's advertised like it's legal.

10 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It is being legalized now all over the world, why travel thousands of miles to smoke a joint?

But,  I guess as an addition reason to come here it will bring younger people with little money who also want to get stoned.  Maybe the modern version of a quality tourist.

Legalizing marijuana would not be a reason to come here and I doubt tourism will be hugely affected by legalization. But it would mean that people who use the plant occasionally as I do when I'm in Alaska or Oregon won't end up in prison for it. Imprisoning marijuana users is not only stupid, it's criminal. It's a goddamn plant after all. Also, Thai growers could rake in some real money if it's legalized. There is simply no downside to legalizing cannabis. Period.

10 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It is being legalized now all over the world, why travel thousands of miles to smoke a joint?

But,  I guess as an addition reason to come here it will bring younger people with little money who also want to get stoned.  Maybe the modern version of a quality tourist.

 

Legalized all over Western World and not so in most of Asia.   

 

Knew this a while ago that weed smoking will be a plus factor to boost Asians coming to Thailand. 

Guy looks like he just came out of an Amsterdam coffee shop!

Pot is sooo 1990's...

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Anything for a Buck...

The promotion of Thailand and Thai resources to create  more interest for the tourist market seems admirable.

'Anything for a buck' is a deliberately insulting, demeaning and pejorative comment. Every  country does similar why shouldn't Thailand? Why should it bother you?

45 minutes ago, sscc said:

 

Legalized all over Western World and not so in most of Asia.   

 

Knew this a while ago that weed smoking will be a plus factor to boost Asians coming to Thailand. 

To boost anybody but not really Asians. Singaporeans can be prosecuted for crimes abroad..and the Chinese..now way.

 

The first trail breaking tourists who came here in the 70s came for Thai grass, opium and mushrooms..

Good to see an age of Tolerance returning

Lol even old school bush weed was about 10 x as storing as 0.3% THC. And now days normal standard weed is about 17-20 THC.Who going to Thialand for that I wouldn't even bother my lungs with that see ya later.

 

Canada  sounds great at the moment A log Hut a lake legal weed on the green list I think.

But I am afraid of bears I must Amit.

Decriminalising hemp isnt the same as decriminalising weed.  Nobody will travel here for the huge opportunity of making their own hemp shirt or drinking overpriced placebo cbd tinctures or to pay 100 baht extra for their food to have a hemp leaf placed on top of it. 

 

It's better and less of a joke if these guys just contineu focusing on making money from their corruption and jailing political dissidents instead of this never ending clownfest.