Cannabis law disputes in Thailand continue, as pro and opposition groups debate over “Smoking Rooms” and other issues

[webfact]

PHOTO: Matichon

 

By Tanakorn Panyadee

 

Regulations around cannabis may be tightened if shops continued to circumvent rules to sell cannabis for recreational purposes.

Dr. Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, director general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Complementary Medicine, held a press conference at the Ministry of Public Health today, November 29th, to clarify the doubts about the Public Health Ministry’s latest announcement.

 

Dr. Thongchai said the latest announcement still placed a strong emphasis on prohibiting people from using cannabis for recreational purposes and only supporting its medical use.

 

However, cannabis sellers were allowed to distribute cannabis including its buds if they had proper licenses.

 

The Thai reporters then asked Dr. Thongchai what was his solution to certain nightspots that allowed customers to smoke cannabis inside the venues, to which he replied:

 

“Honestly, we could not entirely stop people from smoking cannabis, but we already had a regulation to prohibit venues from allowing customers to smoke cannabis because it could lead to problems such as traffic accidents.”

 

Dr. Thongchai added that medical personnel smoking cannabis in nightspots did not clarify as using cannabis for medical purposes because it was against the law that could lead to five years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 baht.

 

When asked if it was alright if the shops had specific rooms for people to smoke cannabis, Dr. Thongchai answered the shops could be violating a regulation if it could be proven that the smoke from the cannabis caused a nuisance to others.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/11/29/cannabis-law-disputes-in-thailand-continue-as-pro-and-opposition-groups-debate-over-smoking-rooms-and-other-issues/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-11-30

 

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[sezze]

Just out of Pattaya , staying around Buakhao . The stench at many places is incredible. This is not at the legal places but just around and in some bars. Smoking stinks too, but this is a whole different lvl in my opinion. Idk how to solve that, but for me it really smells so bad that if i smell it , i try to move fast to another place.

[jonclark]

3 minutes ago, sezze said:

Just out of Pattaya , staying around Buakhao . The stench at many places is incredible. This is not at the legal places but just around and in some bars. Smoking stinks too, but this is a whole different lvl in my opinion. Idk how to solve that, but for me it really smells so bad that if i smell it , i try to move fast to another place.

Pattaya has always stunk. 

[sezze]

4 minutes ago, jonclark said:

Pattaya has always stunk. 

Yes , so if the smell of cannabis puts all other smells away , it must mean it is very bad...

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

The elephant in the room: yaba. The ganja's been cutting into its sales, which certain people bringing it across the border used to profit from. It's driven yaba prices down to 20 baht a pill. Teachers have been lamenting the fact their students are talking about it, advertised on this price on Facebook.

 

Ah, but people can just grow their own ganja? Can't have that now. Even though it just gives you the munchies, and makes you want to chill and sleep, while the other turns you into a demon.

[jonclark]

20 minutes ago, sezze said:

Yes , so if the smell of cannabis puts all other smells away , it must mean it is very bad...

Maybe. But it could be an improvement as it masks the underlying stench. Depends on you PoV.

[Geoffggi]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“Honestly, we could not entirely stop people from smoking cannabis, but we already had a regulation to prohibit venues from allowing customers to smoke cannabis because it could lead to problems such as traffic accidents.”

Could not agree more, entertainment places should not allow the activity of smoking cannabis as it is reserved for people to get drunk & drive - Really .........LOL

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

When asked if it was alright if the shops had specific rooms for people to smoke cannabis, Dr. Thongchai answered the shops could be violating a regulation if it could be proven that the smoke from the cannabis caused a nuisance to others.

This statement is idiotic, I would have thought the whole purpose of these kind of specific rooms as stated, is people can all sit together and enjoy their smoke without upsetting others, plus the majority of these kind of rooms are normally inside cannabis establishments therefore no-one to upset other than people who want to enjoy their weed.

[AhFarangJa]

This whole fiasco seems to me to be the blind leading the incompetent.

[redwood1]

1 hour ago, sezze said:

Just out of Pattaya , staying around Buakhao . The stench at many places is incredible. This is not at the legal places but just around and in some bars. Smoking stinks too, but this is a whole different lvl in my opinion. Idk how to solve that, but for me it really smells so bad that if i smell it , i try to move fast to another place.

Sure weed may smell but try to have some compassion......The fact that Soi Bukow in Pattaya reeks of weed should tell you that there are a lot of sick people on Soi Bukow who are only smoking weed for medical needs....

 

The law says weed is only for medical needs, so no one would smoke weed without a medical need....

[khunjeff]

Translation: "There are currently no powerful families enriching themselves from the recreational marijuana business. We reserve the right to revise our medical opinion once any such families have been identified." 

[LALes]

He's got to be kidding.  Smoking weed may lead to traffic accidrnts?

There is no proof of that.  What there is proof of is that drinking causes traffic accidents.  How come he's not trying to close down "drinking rooms"?

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, sezze said:

Just out of Pattaya , staying around Buakhao . The stench at many places is incredible. This is not at the legal places but just around and in some bars. Smoking stinks too, but this is a whole different lvl in my opinion. Idk how to solve that, but for me it really smells so bad that if i smell it , i try to move fast to another place.

Do you hate the smell of burning leaves too? Always reminds me of Autumn when we could still light a bonfire. It's not much different. The association in your brain is what's turning you off.

[jingjai9]

There is evidence that marijuana does affect a driver's reaction time and perhaps judgement of distance. Here is a link:

 

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/does-marijuana-use-affect-drivi

[bamnutsak]

Smoking Rooms were just banned last week, with the medical treatment exception.

 

Now some groups want smoking rooms.

 

Just treat public smoking of cannabis the same as you do for tobacco, shisha, vaping, etc.

 

I have yet to smell cannabis in public, and I live nearly on top of an entertainment zone in Bangkok, with at least a dozen dispensaries within a 2 Km radius. Even then I'd welcome the smell of cannabis compared to the general rotting, fetid smell of Bangkok, cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust. And who can forget burning season.

 

Whenever people complain here about something the usual response is, "if you don't like it then leave". In this case, if you are offended simply file a police report as it is illegal to smoke cannabis in public if you are causing a public nuisance.

 

 

 

 

[stoner]

3 hours ago, sezze said:

Just out of Pattaya , staying around Buakhao . The stench at many places is incredible. This is not at the legal places but just around and in some bars. Smoking stinks too, but this is a whole different lvl in my opinion. Idk how to solve that, but for me it really smells so bad that if i smell it , i try to move fast to another place.

what are you 12 ? 

 

i just came back from buakhao too. the stench at many places is incredible. the stench of stale beer and p8SS revolts me. this area of thailand takes this stench to a whole new level. 

 

for me it smells really bad so i try to move to another place,. 

[jvs]

Really?

The government can not even (or does not want to) enforce

non smoking laws for cigarettes .

People still smoke in restaurants and other places they are not allowed to.

It kind of makes me laugh that some people who smoke cigarettes are now

complaining about Ganja smell.

How does it feel?

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, jingjai9 said:

There is evidence that marijuana does affect a driver's reaction time and perhaps judgement of distance. Here is a link:

 

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/does-marijuana-use-affect-drivi

Difficult for a lay person to draw any definitive conclusion. The article cites 113 links to a huge variety of scientific papers.

 

I guess the point is, if YOU believe getting stoned will affect your driving, then DON'T. Same with alcohol. Get a taxi. 200 THB maybe, shared possibly. Your life and others', spared. For a few quid.

[it is what it is]

55 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Smoking Rooms were just banned last week, with the medical treatment exception.

 

Now some groups want smoking rooms.

 

Just treat public smoking of cannabis the same as you do for tobacco, shisha, vaping, etc.

 

I have yet to smell cannabis in public, and I live nearly on top of an entertainment zone in Bangkok, with at least a dozen dispensaries within a 2 Km radius. Even then I'd welcome the smell of cannabis compared to the general rotting, fetid smell of Bangkok, cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust. And who can forget burning season.

 

Whenever people complain here about something the usual response is, "if you don't like it then leave". In this case, if you are offended simply file a police report as it is illegal to smoke cannabis in public if you are causing a public nuisance.

 

 

 

 

I have yet to smell cannabis in public, and I live nearly on top of an entertainment zone in Bangkok, with at least a dozen dispensaries within a 2 Km radius.

 

i live near banglampu and am often round about that (tourist/backpacker) area, while there are many shops and street vendors selling marijuana i have yet to see or smell anyone smoking on the street. i thought it would be rampant.

[wealthychef]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

prohibit venues from allowing customers to smoke cannabis because it could lead to problems such as traffic accidents

he says, based on thin evidence at best.  "a large case-control study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found no significant increased crash risk attributable to cannabis after controlling for drivers’ age, gender, race, and presence of alcohol."  Compton RP, Berning A. Drug and Alcohol Crash Risk. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; 2015. DOT HA 812 117.

 

[wealthychef]

23 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Difficult for a lay person to draw any definitive conclusion. The article cites 113 links to a huge variety of scientific papers.

 

I guess the point is, if YOU believe getting stoned will affect your driving, then DON'T. Same with alcohol. Get a taxi. 200 THB maybe, shared possibly. Your life and others', spared. For a few quid.

I'm pretty sure there is more scientific discussion here in this one comment than the Thai government is basing their policies on.  It's all political, economic and religious. Kind of like climate change. 

[CLW]

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

This whole fiasco seems to me to be the blind leading the incompetent.

What else did you expect here with these clowns in charge?

[CLW]

2 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Translation: "There are currently no powerful families enriching themselves from the recreational marijuana business. We reserve the right to revise our medical opinion once any such families have been identified." 

As it might happen soon. And then you have CP cannabis clinic with 7-11 and smoking room

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Regulations around cannabis may be tightened if shops continued to circumvent rules to sell cannabis for recreational purposes.

Anutin and the law are an ass...

 

[Bryan Kent]

Bangkok City and especially in Nana District they are lots of smokers. It would be nice to have a smoking room in Thailand, but laws for weed would need to have better rules and regulations. For sellers and buyers. 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Regulations around cannabis may be tightened if shops continued to circumvent rules to sell cannabis for recreational purposes.

 

Anutin said: " cultivation for medicinal purposes only"

reality.. free-for-all.

[LukKrueng]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

but we already had a regulation to prohibit venues from allowing customers to smoke cannabis because it could lead to problems such as traffic accidents.”

As opposed to alcohol drinking that leads to very safe driving and no accidents at all?

[Shocked farang]

4 hours ago, jingjai9 said:

There is evidence that marijuana does affect a driver's reaction time and perhaps judgement of distance. Here is a link:

 

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/does-marijuana-use-affect-drivi

This is a fact, known by many people who smoke it. 

[Robert Tyrrell]

Hello,

 

Stop ????!! Your whining !! If you spent more time discussing drinking and driving problems and children being sold alcohol in Thailand, More then two people on motorcycles without helmets and multiple people in the back of pickup trucks !! 

[PETERTHEEATER]

8 hours ago, jonclark said:

Pattaya has always stunk. 

And Bangkok ranks.........????

[bradiston]

24 minutes ago, Robert Tyrrell said:

Hello,

 

Stop ????!! Your whining !! If you spent more time discussing drinking and driving problems and children being sold alcohol in Thailand, More then two people on motorcycles without helmets and multiple people in the back of pickup trucks !! 

Hmmm. I get the "Stop your whining" bit, but then there's a long "if" clause with no "then" clause. The topics you suggest for discussion are endlessly thrashed out on this forum, to no avail. It's just the way it is.