Foreigners who come to Thailand to smoke marijuana for recreational purposes are strongly discouraged, Public Health Minister says

[webfact]

 

By Nop Meechukhun

 

Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed to promote Thailand as a leading marijuana market for medical purposes and discourage foreign tourists who aimed to visit the country for recreational purposes.

The Minister gave an interview with foreign press on Wednesday, August 17th, that the Ministry expected the marijuana market in Thailand to generate about 1.5 billion USD in early revenue and would grow 2-3 times higher after the first year of the decriminalization.

 

He also reiterated that Thailand would focus on cannabis and hemp for medical use only and did not currently promote recreational use. Foreign tourists who planned to visit the country just to smoke the plant were, therefore, discouraged.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/08/18/foreigners-who-come-to-thailand-to-smoke-marijuana-for-recreational-purposes-are-strongly-discouraged-public-health-minister-says/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-08-19

 

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[Soikhaonoiken]

But, but, you opened the door for the use of weed... flip-flop..

[Thailand]

Ei hought that was exactly the plan to get more quality tourists?

[pacovl46]

Sorry, mate, but no one gives a rat's behind about your opinion. It's legal now and there WILL be people coming to Thailand to smoke and you'll have to just suck it up! 

[vandeventer]

It's a shame, but there goes 3 million tourist who love their weed.

[Bert got kinky]

 

Don't dare, here already, smoke on.

 

[ezzra]

And what, pray tell, are you going to do about it sir when in many corners now there are tables set up with array and selection of the weed in all its forms as well as on-line?...the horses, as the saying goes, has bolted and now you're trying to close the barn's doors...

[Skeptic7]

Moron. 

[Tarteso]

1 hour ago, pacovl46 said:

It's legal now and there WILL be people coming to Thailand to smoke

And enjoying nightlife venues, legally open until 4am…Before visit Temples.

[Excel]

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

Ei hought that was exactly the plan to get more quality tourists?

That was and still is the plan I suspect as opposed to thousands of potheads in ill fitting T-shirts who do anything to improve the reputation of the country, quite the reverse.

[Denim]

Meanwhile, alcohol drinking sex tourists always welcome.

 

If weed tourists could just prove they also drink and indulge in prostitutes maybe they would be more welcome.

 

Visit the hub of dissipation. Get high , get drunk , get laid then lauded and praised for it.

 

Perfect recipe to fill the empty coffers.

[austhai]

ye ye ye... good statement from the biggest (not in my name) grower in the country. ????

[jacko45k]

11 minutes ago, Denim said:

Meanwhile, alcohol drinking sex tourists always welcome.

 

If weed tourists could just prove they also drink and indulge in prostitutes maybe they would be more welcome.

 

Visit the hub of dissipation. Get high , get drunk , get laid then lauded and praised for it.

 

Perfect recipe to fill the empty coffers.

I was thinking the dope heads would boost a different sector than the boozy, girlie, nightlife..... after all their habit has rendered them incapable of doing it justice. So something where they can lie around and contemplate skies and ceilings....the massage, tattoo and beach-chair vendors might be making a killing. 

[LomSak27]

Minister Anutin is up to his hips in the new marijuana trade, and will make himself a bundle, but he has built a political career, saying whatever the Big Kahuna wants him to say. That is his job. He will say that today and tomorrow happily sell to low quality tourists who come specifically for the marijuana.

 

He is not a moron, he is a successful Thai politician & businessman.

[khunjeff]

Will they deny entry to people who look like they want to indulge in recreational weed? No. So this is just more empty yapping. The level of idiocy is simply breathtaking. 

[klauskunkel]

Thou shalt not inhale, only exhale!

 

[Bert got kinky]

10 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Thou shalt not inhale, only exhale!

 

 

[kingstonkid]

LOL

 

We don't want you coming here to smoke but we are making it legal to do so

 

We don't want you coming here for the the go go girls and prostitution but we are going to turn a blind eye to it and allow the bars to stay 

 

We don't want you coming here to party but we are going to open all the bars until 4 

 

GOT TO LOVE THIS COUNTRY

 

[bendejo]

2 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

We don't want you coming here for the the go go girls and prostitution

No, this has been rectified: there is no prostitution in the country, the PM said so himself.

 

 

[bamnutsak]

"Strongly discouraged".

 

Is that a legal term?

 

I can't figure out if he's playing chess or underwater checkers sometimes. He seems to have different messages for different audiences on different days. Obviously no one can press him on his claims.

 

Even after the Cannabis Control Act is gazetted it may be a few years before we understand what the rules are in practice.

 

 

 

 

[overherebc]

The bill in for 2nd reading says no more than 15 plants but you must register, be Thai and over 20 years old.

Looks also like no advertising or selling on line allowed, and a lot of restrictions on who can process and sell.

[daveAustin]

Guys, this is how they roll. When he says that, he doesn’t mean that. It’s the face saving way of saying he wants as many foreigners as possible to come here and have a toke. Folk that have been here a long time would get this. 

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Guys, this is how they roll. When he says that, he doesn’t mean that. It’s the face saving way of saying he wants as many foreigners as possible to come here and have a toke. Folk that have been here a long time would get this. 

And accept that it is illegal and if we decide to clamp down sometimes on smoking in public  and hit you with fines, deportation and blacklistings don't say we didn't warn you.

[StayinThailand2much]

37 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

 

I worry that the pictured man would not be welcome in Thailand... ????

[ThailandRyan]

I was surely under the view that Anutin wanted Marijuana Tourism to flourish.........silly me and all of you others who thought this was true.......

[Excel]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I was surely under the view that Anutin wanted Marijuana Tourism to flourish.........silly me and all of you others who thought this was true.......

Not sure how or why you concluded that. My impression was that Anutin wanted marijuana legalised in Thailand to allow unlimited supplies for medicinal use which by and large would be grown and sold by companies which he either had an interest in or his cronies had in order to maximise his own business stream income at prices which could be controlled. I can't think for one moment he considered that loads of independent growers/suppliers would pop up pushing prices to very low levels and hence having a big impact on his projected income. 

[monkfish]

He said they are not welcome and will be Jailed and Fined according to CNN so this is kind of World news now.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/marijuana-tourists-thailand/index.html
 

[actonion]

Knowing this bloke all foreigners are discouraged going to Thailand, does'nt have to be a reason

[Bkk Brian]

40 minutes ago, overherebc said:

The bill in for 2nd reading says no more than 15 plants but you must register, be Thai and over 20 years old.

Looks also like no advertising or selling on line allowed, and a lot of restrictions on who can process and sell.

Just read that in the B.P. 

 

No online sales or advertising along with a host of other measures  

[monkfish]

So you're not allowed to smoke it but can make Tea or consume it in other ways right?