So the election happened -- what do the results mean for the future of "legal" recreational weed?

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

Anutin/MoPH initiated changes via edict/letter, initially removing Cannabis from the Narcotics list, meaning that it was no longer ILLEGAL to grow, sell, possess, consume Cannabis FLower, which became a Controlled Herb.

Late Friday, 11 November 2022 the MoPH (Anutin) replaced existing regulations (not laws) issued on/shortly after initial decriminalization on 9 June 2022.

I have not seen these documents, written in Thai obviously, nor do I understand the mechanisms within the Thai bureaucracy which facilitate such changes.

I can only comment on things reported in the local Thai and English press.

Sales limited to 20 YO or older
Pregnant women cannot consume

Smoking in public where it causes a nuisance is prohibited
Individual growers must register to grow. Plook Ganja
Businesses must register, and be licensed, to grow.
Businesses must be licensed to sell.
No online sales/advertising, no vending machine sales.
Import of seeds requires license
No import of cannabis, there is a "research" loophole.

 

https://prohibitionpartners.com/2022/11/18/thailand-shapes-its-newly-legal-cannabis-industry-with-latest-restrictions/

 

You can Google Thailand Cannabis Regulations, for the time period around 12 Nov 2022, through the present, to get a feel for how "in hand" cannabis regulation is. Could it be better? Of course. But it is not "out of hand".

 

All this was done pending the passage of the Cannabis Control Act in Parliament, the first reading of which passed with ease. Upon siginifcant modifcaiton, the bill was pulled from a second reading perhaps because it would not have passed, or a lack of a quorum.

 

 

 

You know as me recreational use or ganja tourism never was part of the new regulations or intention. 

 

Just a few articles 

 

Even though cannabis is now legal in Thailand, there are certain limitations in place. Cannabis extracts with more than 0.2% THC is considered to be a narcotic substance. Possessing, selling, and distributing this without a license is a criminal offence.

 

Read more here

https://magnacarta.co.th/home/faq-section-2/starting-a-cannabis-business-in-thailand/#:~:text=Even though cannabis is now,license is a criminal offence.

 

 

What are Thailand's laws on cannabis?

In June, Thailand struck medical marijuana from a list of narcotics banned for use or distribution and made cannabis legal for medical and culinary uses. Recreation is not included in the permitted uses, but the country's laws have been unable to handle the spread in its use

 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Thailand-scrambles-to-control-cannabis-sales-and-curb-abuse#:~:text=In June%2C Thailand struck medical,the spread in its use.

 

Weed dispensaries are not allowed to display signage advertising their wares, said Anutin Charnvirakul, the public health minister who pushed for the decriminalization. Despite that declaration, several shops continue to display signs featuring cannabis leaves. Some sellers in Bangkok give purchasers information on nearby smoking areas

 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Thailand-scrambles-to-control-cannabis-sales-and-curb-abuse

 

 

[bamnutsak]

6 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Even though cannabis is now legal in Thailand, there are certain limitations in place. Cannabis extracts with more than 0.2% THC is considered to be a narcotic substance. Possessing, selling, and distributing this without a license is a criminal offence.

 

Read more here

https://magnacarta.co.th/home/faq-section-2/starting-a-cannabis-business-in-thailand/#:~:text=Even though cannabis is now,license is a criminal offence.

This references cannabis extracts. Cannabis flower is legal. We only talk about legal Cannabis flower, so no clue what you're on about here?

 

9 minutes ago, Hummin said:

What are Thailand's laws on cannabis?

In June, Thailand struck medical marijuana from a list of narcotics banned for use or distribution and made cannabis legal for medical and culinary uses. Recreation is not included in the permitted uses, but the country's laws have been unable to handle the spread in its use

 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Thailand-scrambles-to-control-cannabis-sales-and-curb-abuse#:~:text=In June%2C Thailand struck medical,the spread in its use.

This article is out of date, and flawed. Recreational use is NOT ILLEGAL (today).

 

10 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Weed dispensaries are not allowed to display signage advertising their wares, said Anutin Charnvirakul, the public health minister who pushed for the decriminalization. Despite that declaration, several shops continue to display signs featuring cannabis leaves. Some sellers in Bangkok give purchasers information on nearby smoking areas

 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Thailand-scrambles-to-control-cannabis-sales-and-curb-abuse

This article is also flawed and out of date.

 

 

 

That's the problem with thinking articles contain facts, or are up to date.

 

Cannabis is not out of hand.

 

 

Now all that said, the next government appears committed to recriminalizing Cannabis, or at the very least strictly controlling it as a medical solution only.

 

 

[Hummin]

6 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

This references cannabis extracts. Cannabis flower is legal. We only talk about legal Cannabis flower, so no clue what you're on about here?

 

This article is out of date, and flawed. Recreational use is NOT ILLEGAL (today).

 

This article is also flawed and out of date.

 

 

 

That's the problem with thinking articles contain facts, or are up to date.

 

Cannabis is not out of hand.

 

 

Now all that said, the next government appears committed to recriminalizing Cannabis, or at the very least strictly controlling it as a medical solution only.

 

 

Seems our discussion is personal opinion baded only then? 

[bamnutsak]

1 minute ago, Hummin said:

Seems our discussion is personal opinion baded only then? 

Not sure what this means? "baded"?

 

Your contention was that Cannabis is out of hand. Mine was that it is not.

 

I have no reason to convince you or convert you. Just wanted to call you out on your contention. That's allowed here I think.

 

 

[mikebike]

33 minutes ago, Hummin said:

You know as me recreational use or ganja tourism never was part of the new regulations or intention. 

There was no "new regulation". There was a delisting, the typical chaos. Everything was on the table. What are you on about? 

[herfiehandbag]

On 5/17/2023 at 1:11 PM, Kevin Taylor said:

What does the average thai voter think ? I feel like it's just the vocal minority that want it illegal again. Those people I think would just be shouting about something else if it it weren't for Cannabis. We will see I suppose but for me the last year just proves all the reefer madness stuff was complete rubbish. 

I suspect that the average Thai voter really couldn't care less.

They have many other pressing concerns, financial, social and political.

 

Some may see it as another means of making money from tourists/foreigners - after all some of us tend to present as pot addicted pissheads who think with their dicks!

 

Personally I struggle to keep up with just one of those vices!

Edited May 22, 2023 by herfiehandbag

[bamnutsak]

I follow ~ 45 shops on LINE.

 

Stock up promotions are starting to come in this afternoon.

 

[SamuiGrower]

2 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

I can only comment on things reported in the local Thai and English press.

Sales limited to 20 YO or older
Pregnant women cannot consume

Smoking in public where it causes a nuisance is prohibited
Individual growers must register to grow. Plook Ganja
Businesses must register, and be licensed, to grow.
Businesses must be licensed to sell.
No online sales/advertising, no vending machine sales.
Import of seeds requires license
No import of cannabis, there is a "research" loophole
 

A couple of points I’ve made before but are relevant to the dialogue:

 

That list, the one everybody goes by, are not the official laws but the official stance. “No import, only seeds” is the stance not the law. Heard it, argued over it a million times. The following (below), opened the floodgates in Thailand, overnight, and were NEVER rescinded. They were designed to fill the nascent market but had no regulatory body of enforcement. My company, prior to these laws, began the process over three years ago with medical CBD (grow, sales, processing, export). When the ‘edict’ of legalization came, we were immediately fast tracked.

 

FYI: Hemp=weed (bud) duh

 

On January 29, 2021, Thailand will begin processing applications for licenses to produce, import, export, distribute, and possess hemp (Cannabis sativa). The specific requirements for this significant step in Thailand’s ongoing development of a regulatory regime for hemp are contained in the Ministerial Regulation Re: Application and License for Production, Importation, Exportation, Selling or Possession of Hemp, which was published in the Government Gazette

Edited May 22, 2023 by SamuiGrower

[bamnutsak]

https://www.krungsri.com/en/research/research-intelligence/hemp-2021

 

https://www.tilleke.com/insights/thailand-opens-licensing-for-hemp-production-import-export-and-distribution/

 

https://www.fda.moph.go.th/sites/Narcotics/en/Shared Documents/MR-Hemp2563.pdf

 

 

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

Not sure what this means? "baded"?

 

Your contention was that Cannabis is out of hand. Mine was that it is not.

 

I have no reason to convince you or convert you. Just wanted to call you out on your contention. That's allowed here I think.

 

 

Biased, 

 

All the articles is published this year, since you called me out and also the articles for outdated. 

 

Im just refer to what I see and experience, and my best guess, someone is going to loose alot of money they invested in the business. For people who smoke regularly, what did change for them really? They smaked weed before decriminalization, and still smoking weed. Might be a bit more strains available, but whar really changed for them? 

 

They grew before the decriminalization, and also had their dealers delivering their pot to their fav bar or even home. 

 

For those who did not smoke or smoke much, it is a new world. 

 

The distribution we see today, is still illegal however. 

[bamnutsak]

11 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The distribution we see today, is still illegal however. 

Incorrect. You're on a roll.

 

It is legal to produce, sell, consume cannabis flower. Without restriction. Producers and sellers need to be licensed. Home growing is allowed also, with registration on Plook Ganja.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pita at MOU signing a few minutes ago....

 

"On cannabis, operators who are not breaking the laws now have nothing to worry. "

 

https://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish/posts/pfbid02fttYrmDp1m6gAu6FPmJYDi2RoL5X7nwHExunDPEt69jgPfhBWQgyG42QFKKQV9nFl?__cft__[0]=AZUpBMzCZAwAoGplbOqKUzjfuTB9ZT4fdJbXYK2u3MZ82cUMQsTJPyyhasN1S9e228BS0czZus6pQ9wvuo0ZcFPQJ_XASELz0dajbDkicEVwOysZv9gv_WKH04vguxFmXYCMSLa5K_4Qed8XipFm1IFN0KL0tYpKNQNjS9EUtvVX-yntXHgYtgM0EuQO43bqvzQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Edited May 22, 2023 by bamnutsak

[Hummin]

4 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Incorrect. You're on a roll.

 

It is legal to produce, sell, consume cannabis flower. Without restriction. Producers and sellers need to be licensed. Home growing is allowed also, with registration on Plook Ganja.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pita at MOU signing a few minutes ago....

 

"On cannabis, operators who are not breaking the laws now have nothing to worry. "

 

https://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish/posts/pfbid02fttYrmDp1m6gAu6FPmJYDi2RoL5X7nwHExunDPEt69jgPfhBWQgyG42QFKKQV9nFl?__cft__[0]=AZUpBMzCZAwAoGplbOqKUzjfuTB9ZT4fdJbXYK2u3MZ82cUMQsTJPyyhasN1S9e228BS0czZus6pQ9wvuo0ZcFPQJ_XASELz0dajbDkicEVwOysZv9gv_WKH04vguxFmXYCMSLa5K_4Qed8XipFm1IFN0KL0tYpKNQNjS9EUtvVX-yntXHgYtgM0EuQO43bqvzQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

I believe you read news with fork, and claim me is wrong ????

 

Nice try

 

Time will show, thats all from me. 

 

What does it mean? Those who run legal? 

 

 

Another statement from Khao Sod english

https://fb.watch/kHiV-OzV6u/

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Hummin

[taninthai]

5 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

 

It is legal to produce, sell, consume cannabis flower. Without restriction.

Is it though ……..was a law ever passed for recreational use?online sales never legal.

it’s about as clear as mud at the moment not even worth really commenting on as it’s all speculation..

Edited May 22, 2023 by taninthai

[h90]

14 hours ago, mikebike said:

There was no "new regulation". There was a delisting, the typical chaos. Everything was on the table. What are you on about? 

yes and it was right....there is no need for any regulation of some natural herbs. Just they should have communicated it better

[stoner]

hopefully this is ok to post. 

 

 

[Vampyteuthis]

Quote

As for the move to reclassify cannabis as a controlled substance with new laws regulating and supporting its beneficial uses, Pita said: “Shop owners who followed the rules and protocols and did everything correctly would not have to worry about any impact. However, those involved in illegal imports, who open shops without any permits will face the full weight of the law so that we can control and slowly adjust Thai society, especially school children, to the exposure to cannabis,” he said.

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40027894

 

Looks like good news ????

[bamnutsak]

34 minutes ago, stoner said:

hopefully this is ok to post. 

Thanks for that.

 

Good to hear the current situation so succintly summarized, and a more positive outlook going forward than I expected.

 

8 hours ago, taninthai said:

Is it though ……..was a law ever passed for recreational use?online sales never legal.

Yes, it is.

 

(We've already covered on-line sales, yes those are currently prohibited by edict/regulation, but maybe not enforced.)

 

 

Laws often do not detail all the things which are legal, more often they detail the criminal activity which a society wants to limit/restrict/punish.

 

Thailand has extensive laws regarding Narcotics. In my limited knowledge base and understanding these are grouped into two primary "Acts".

 

Narcotic Act and Psychotropic Substances Act (1990?)

 

Narcotics Control Act 2519 (1976)

 

 

These Acts detail all the activities involving narcotics which are criminal, and the punishments. They reference a Narcotics List. Until 9 June 2022 Cannabis was on that/those lists, at which time it was removed. So all those criminal activities are no longer "illegal" with regards to Cannabis (Flower only). Kratom was similarly on the Narcotics list, and removed by edict. ~ 4,000 prisoners jailed on Cannabis convictions/pleas were released from prison, and there was some discussion about returning any cannabis seized.

 

Additional codified governmental oversight (Cannabis Control Board) and laws governing the manufacture, sales, use etc are required to incorporate the ad hoc regulations issued by the MoPH. Those will come in the form of a Cannabis Control Act, hopefully. As reference, The Narcotics Control Act designated the formation of a Narcotics Control Board.

 

All current regulations/edicts cover both recreational and medical use.

 

BJT ran on Cannabis normalization, and garnered a lot of seats, in the last election. They were awarded the MoPH (and MoT).

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by bamnutsak

[bamnutsak]

3 minutes ago, Vampyteuthis said:

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40027894

 

Looks like good news ????

Yes, but Chuwit was livid after hearing this. He's giving Pita 100 days to ban cannabis, or else.

[stoner]

3 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Yes, but Chuwit was livid after hearing this. He's giving Pita 100 days to ban cannabis, or else.

or else what ? a lifetime supply of soapy massages ?

[bamnutsak]

Just now, stoner said:

or else what ? a lifetime supply of soapy massages ?

Who knows? He's drama queen.

 

It's just that we'll have to listen to him for (at least) another 100 days.

 

The press should just stop giving him so much oxygen.

[Vampyteuthis]

Who cares what Chuwit is ranting about now. Without any real reason he tried to make the election a referendum on cannabis and Anutin's party got more  seats! He clearly has no sway over the voters and now it seems the coalition. He'll find something new to rant about soon enough. 

[Vampyteuthis]

I think it is very interesting that the other coalition members agree with what Pita is saying, very encouraging signs the regulations, which are needed, let's be honest, will pass through parliament without any real issue. I was really worried but what Pita said yesterday, on behalf of the coalition, is pretty much all we could have hoped for. 

[AlexRRR]

On 5/17/2023 at 5:32 PM, JustAnotherHun said:

No problem. The market will regulate itself. Survival of the best.

With the speed of weed shops opening up and the sheer amount of them tells you there no mum and pop business in the main, lot off serious money from established business men went into it, ask yourself the question would the new government upset them without a sweetener some where down the track, or the possibility of having to buy back the licences plus there outlays, i think its a smoke screen foursome thing else, personaliy i dont use the smelly <deleted> and my preference at least is it for to disappear or at least tone down the signage...i think its a blight anywhere its front and centre...

[SamuiGrower]

 

[AndyFoxy]

On 5/23/2023 at 8:33 AM, Vampyteuthis said:

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40027894

 

Looks like good news ????

The only good news is a total ban of dangerous drugs

[BritManToo]

25 minutes ago, AndyFoxy said:

The only good news is a total ban of dangerous drugs

You would need to define 'dangerous drugs'.

[Jingthing]

31 minutes ago, AndyFoxy said:

The only good news is a total ban of dangerous drugs

Alcohol 

[AndyFoxy]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Alcohol 

Yes. Another dangerous drug

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, AndyFoxy said:

Yes. Another dangerous drug

Much more dangerous than weed and only nut jobs think its a good idea to outlaw.

[AndyFoxy]

8 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Much more dangerous than weed and only nut jobs think its a good idea to outlaw.

Weed is much more dangerous than alcohol and only nut jobs think it is a good idea to legalise