File photo

 

by Dario Sabaghi

 

The winners of the election may reverse the recent policy that made Thailand the first Asian country to decriminalize recreational cannabis.

 

Thai voters have delivered a surprising and stunning verdict in favor of an opposition party that advocates for significant institutional reforms in the country. However, the winning parties may reverse the current cannabis policy, which has resulted in an unregulated market and has faced criticism from many parts of society.

 

Thailand's reformist opposition and the youth-led Move Forward Party (MFP) emerged victorious in the country's general elections held on Sunday, May 14. They secured the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, with 152 out of 500 seats, showing a strong rejection of the military-aligned parties within the current government coalition.

 

The MFP now has to reach an agreement with the Pheu Thai Party, the country's main opposition party and a longstanding populist force for the past 20 years, which secured 141 seats in Sunday's election.

 

Full story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dariosabaghi/2023/05/16/how-thailands-election-results-may-reverse-cannabis-policy/?sh=cf0f17e3c239

 

-- © Copyright FORBES 2023-05-17

 

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Now that would be funny. 

Normally you would think an urban youth dominant party would be more libertarian when it comes to social issues like legal weed.

Whose going to pay back the billions of Bhat spent? 
bet Anutin is worried 

 

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Normally you would think an urban youth dominant party would be more libertarian when it comes to social issues like legal weed.

Cannabis for medicinal purposes is here to stay. Any new legislation will be against it's recreational use.

 

Can't help thinking that smokers are in part to blame for any tightening of the laws. Imported cannabis hurt the expected boon to Thai farmers and the sometimes less than quiet and discrete opening of thousands of shops selling all sorts of weed has brought unwanted attention . Slowly slowly catch the monkey. Let society get used to the idea first before making too much noise.

 

I was a heavy smoker for 20 years and think recreational use is fine. Unfortunately , the conservatives in the population do not and can't adjust their anti pot mind set.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

However, the winning parties may reverse the current cannabis policy

anutin....hold my beer.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The winners of the election may reverse the recent policy that made Thailand the first Asian country to decriminalize recreational cannabis.

..it won't be easy! in  fact,  it can make things even worse because prohibition will not reduce either the consumption or the sales channels of cannabis. instead, anything connected with cannabis would become secret and the state would lose significant tax revenues. it would have been better not to legalise this drug, to begin with. i say this as a non-smoker ????

I bet it stays just will be more regulated.  Should be interesting to see.

... yep, they're just about thick enough to actually try ... (no) good luck with that, lol  

 

Talked to Thai owner in Kao Sahn area after the election. Asked him if he was worried or if they gonna shut down change the law. He told me they won't close down shops in certain tourist areas with those areas safe for smoking and buying. He was super confident that he won't be affected in any way because of zoning. 

17 minutes ago, chrischronic said:

Talked to Thai owner in Kao Sahn area after the election. Asked him if he was worried or if they gonna shut down change the law. He told me they won't close down shops in certain tourist areas with those areas safe for smoking and buying. He was super confident that he won't be affected in any way because of zoning. 

Sounds  like hubris

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Normally you would think an urban youth dominant party would be more libertarian when it comes to social issues like legal weed.

Indeed. It's quite perplexing to think how an ultra-conservative party legalised marijuana, then gets ousted by a liberal party who now want to ban it again!

 

It's one of those "only in Thailand" things, I guess...

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Normally you would think an urban youth dominant party would be more libertarian when it comes to social issues like legal weed.

Equally normally you would think that a political party led by the MoPH would be able, in 4 years, to introduce, tidy up and polish that law so that it is word perfect and pass all of the law the first time.

 

Anutin strongly desires to be the PM, yet makes a pigs ear of his own bill. 

 

 

15 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Equally normally you would think that a political party led by the MoPH would be able, in 4 years, to introduce, tidy up and polish that law so that it is word perfect and pass all of the law the first time.

On what evidence of past performance would you base such a belief?

8 minutes ago, JayClay said:

On what evidence of past performance would you base such a belief?

No evidence, just common sense.

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

However, the winning parties may reverse the current cannabis policy, which has resulted in an unregulated market and has faced criticism from many parts of society.

Hope so.

Why is there this weird perception that it has to either banned completely or totally unregulated?

 

There is something called a compromise where the outcome would be somewhere between the two extremes. There are plenty of countries where decriminalisation has been hugely successful and none that I can find that has not been, at least, beneficial.

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Normally you would think an urban youth dominant party would be more libertarian when it comes to social issues like legal weed.

They look more like left wing...not libertarian

1 minute ago, mrfill said:

Why is there this weird perception that it has to either banned completely or totally unregulated?

 

There is something called a compromise where the outcome would be somewhere between the two extremes. There are plenty of countries where decriminalisation has been hugely successful and none that I can find that has not been, at least, beneficial.

The compromise that the government has some say what I can do with my body? No it should be complete unregulated

5 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

..it won't be easy! in  fact,  it can make things even worse because prohibition will not reduce either the consumption or the sales channels of cannabis. instead, anything connected with cannabis would become secret and the state would lose significant tax revenues. it would have been better not to legalise this drug, to begin with. i say this as a non-smoker ????

and dirty harmful variants come on the market. I am a non-smoker but I would never tell other people what to do

8 hours ago, quake said:

Now that would be funny. 

All those "medicinal use weed shops" will have to close... 

1 hour ago, h90 said:

They look more like left wing...not libertarian

Left wing people are generally libertarian on weed legality and other similar social issues.

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

All those "medicinal use weed shops" will have to close... 

Medical use will stay legal.

1 hour ago, mrfill said:

Why is there this weird perception that it has to either banned completely or totally unregulated?

 

There is something called a compromise where the outcome would be somewhere between the two extremes. There are plenty of countries where decriminalisation has been hugely successful and none that I can find that has not been, at least, beneficial.

Compromise isn't the Forward party campaign position to put weed back on the narcotics list!

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Medical use will stay legal.

Prescribed by doctors, not high street sellers.

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Hope so.

It bothers you that other people are enjoying themselves?

1 hour ago, h90 said:

The compromise that the government has some say what I can do with my body? No it should be complete unregulated

Guess your body is alreadyroo. ted! 

Two things I take away from this article, the use of the word “may” & the article is from Forbes, rest assured it won’t be happening!

8 hours ago, JayClay said:

Indeed. It's quite perplexing to think how an ultra-conservative party legalised marijuana, then gets ousted by a liberal party who now want to ban it again!

Didn't I read somewhere that MFP's 2 main goals were less lese majeste and liberal ganja laws?

5 minutes ago, Peabody said:

Didn't I read somewhere that MFP's 2 main goals were less lese majeste and liberal ganja laws?

No. Pita's party is on record to support putting recreational weed back on the narcotics list,!