Cannabis Shops to Close by April 1, 2025: Thai PM Orders Drug Rescheduling

[isandrew]

It's going be an interesting couple months a head. A lot of Foreigners/Thais are Pro Cannabis & a lot of Thais/foreigners are against for whatever reasons. If you've followed the situation since the start you'd of known that this day was coming but no one knew exactly how it would go. Many thought it'll just be a Thai traditional doctor on site to operate.. To the foreigners who invested it was always part of the risk and a lot of investment I bet came from people who moved here and/or who didn't know the way of the land. I hope for the best for both sides and would love to see a happy medium. Good luck to all 

Edited May 9 by isandrew

[PJ71]

4 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, how many here believe that weed shops will really close on April 1, 2025?

Exactly, not gonna happen.

[Darius1]

If banning marijuana is about "protecting" the Thai people and culture then alcohol should be banned first. Smoking marijuana has never killed anyone-yet alcohol (which according to a simple search) kills 20,000+ yearly with millions addicted-including over a million youth. So if it is NOT about safety-then it has to be about money. If just "weed" was sold, no edibles or other forms beyond just the flower there should be no social issues. It has been marketed this way for 1,000s of years without major problems.

[Felton Jarvis]

13 minutes ago, Darius1 said:

If banning marijuana is about "protecting" the Thai people and culture then alcohol should be banned first. Smoking marijuana has never killed anyone-yet alcohol (which according to a simple search) kills 20,000+ yearly with millions addicted-including over a million youth. So if it is NOT about safety-then it has to be about money. If just "weed" was sold, no edibles or other forms beyond just the flower there should be no social issues. It has been marketed this way for 1,000s of years without major problems.

Ditto....but I predict the days of cannabis are numbered. Cambodia has a golden opportunity if Hun Manet can take advantage of it.

[Kevin Taylor]

He says it's a threat to the country and brings  more negatives for the economy. Proof of that please sir, you've had about 2 years of it being legal so there must be plenty of data. It doesn't seem to make any difference to society that I can see those that want to smoke will, those that don't won't. 

[jaywalker2]

What are these negatives he's talking about. Road accidents, domestic disputes, sexual assaults and other crimes are always fueled by alcohol or yaba, not marijuana. Pot smokers can barely move after smoking weed with THC levels of 20-30 percent. This is Thaksin returning favors to the people who brought him home.

[newbee2022]

Thank you, right decision 🙏

[sfbandung]

It makes perfect sense that they will all close on April Fool's Day.

 

You cannot put the genie back in the bong ...

[wensiensheng]

I’m not bothered if people want to smoke cannabis, but it’s more anti social than normal smoking because of the smell. Indoors only and at dedicated cannabis shops would help protect other people who are eating, drinking, socializing and don’t want the stink around them.

 

imho if people want to use cannabis, it’s because it alters their state of mind, much as alcohol does. So driving whilst high should also be out of the question.

 

its not the people who use cannabis that are the problem, its the impact that it has on people near them. At the moment its out of control.

[Robert Tyrrell]

Meanwhile the rest of the world legalizes it , And its ok for Thai children to go into shops in villages and buy alcahol for there parents !! Not to mention Thailands road fatalities from alcahol !!! Destroy the economy for thousands of shp owners !!!

Why are you not talking with your government leaders and legal people to address this nonsense ,The P.M. is a dinosaur!!

[wensiensheng]

16 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

What are these negatives he's talking about. Road accidents, domestic disputes, sexual assaults and other crimes are always fueled by alcohol or yaba, not marijuana. Pot smokers can barely move after smoking weed with THC levels of 20-30 percent. This is Thaksin returning favors to the people who brought him home.

That barely move thing. Not such a good thing when people are driving or riding a motorbike 

[malibukid]

too much debt is being held by the banks that the elite control and have an interest in the decriminalization   so doubt it. 

Quote

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[newbee2022]

19 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

What are these negatives he's talking about. Road accidents, domestic disputes, sexual assaults and other crimes are always fueled by alcohol or yaba, not marijuana. Pot smokers can barely move after smoking weed with THC levels of 20-30 percent. This is Thaksin returning favors to the people who brought him home.

Take that:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827335/

It might fill your gap🙏

[rumeaug]

7 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

have barely smelled the stuff since the 70s.  But as I coast into retirement I am not against trying it a bit at my ripe old age of 68.  In the USA so many people have prescriptions for it, albeit legit and needed or not.  I was wondering if a girl I know that does use it would be able to buy and use some while in thailand, with or without her "legal" prescription

Weed is completely légal in many US states

[wealthychef]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The planned reclassification of marijuana will likely unsettle the burgeoning cannabis industry

Ya think?  Captain Obvious strikes again.  

[Robert Tyrrell]

Hello,

 

This apparently has no effect on Medical Cannibis in Thailand which was legleslated into Law in 2018,Nor apparently now also Opium and Mushrooms under Thailands Medical Laws and usage.So at last there keeping the practicality of medical benifits of these substances.

They will wake up in a few years and legalize personal use agin.

[Wuvu2]

5 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, how many here believe that weed shops will really close on April 1, 2025?

April fools  😁

[bkk6060]

Not a fan of weed, but I disagree.  Seems these shops are promoting tourism in a way.  Also, I have gone inside a few mostly very nice organized shops and the owners very friendly. 

I am sure it has caused some problems, but not more then booze I bet.

A shame if they go thru with it. 

[1FinickyOne]

7 hours ago, Robert Paulson said:

Reminds me of a Thai woman. Decide on something then the next minute change your mind. Why because the facts changed? No just because 

Are you sure that is just Thai women?

 

I even know some males that are like that...

 

Usually we just call them 'indecisive people' 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Robert Paulson said:

Reminds me of a Thai woman. Decide on something then the next minute change your mind. Why because the facts changed? No just because 

This was Anutins vote buying scheme, a gift to the public to keep him in office.

[Expat Tom]

It is said that America is a country founded by genius and currently run by idiots. At least Thailand shares one thing in common with America.

 

After the big closure on 1 April 2025 you will still be able to get all the weed you might want by going to Isan.

The rock concerts in Buriram are open air pot fests and were long before the legalization and will likely be after 1 April 2025. 

 

Thailand is in such great economic shape that why not kill a business and bankrupt people? After all, it has no effect on the PM and the big wigs in Bangkok who live in gated communities and have not ridden a bus with common people in years.   

[IamNoone88]

Thats a massive rug pull. Upset cannabis shop owners, landlords and growers all losing their investment in a very short period of time. This was never going to last. Now the first question is can the genie be put back into the bottle? The second question in one of uncertainty .... what other sectors can potentially get a future rug pull?

[Smokey and the Bandit]

5 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, how many here believe that weed shops will really close on April 1, 2025?

Did he pick that date....April 1st...intentionally???

[Classic Ray]

Still plenty of time before April Fools Day 2025 for a few more flip flops on the decision and a watering down on the proposal.

 

i can see it change to sales strictly in shops rather than online, with age checking as per alcohol and tobacco.

 

As these don’t stop any youth from getting a regular supply, in effect nothing will change.

[Nickcage49]

I don't have a horse in this race, but this is appalling. To pass a law and allow all these people to invest their money in businesses and then make it illegal two years later is criminal in itself.

[maddox41]

Once again  change your mind this place is laughable..  Bring in a law change it but once it in Thais treat it as a valid law still. Weed shops won't close  they do what they do in Vietnam turn it into a convienance store and sell it under the table simple. 

The most near sighted culture on  the planet blows my mind living hear. 

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, retarius said:

I am of the opinion that someone should do a study to see how much was invested in cannabis businesses (retail and agricultural) and how much of that was borrowed from banks, relatives, loan sharks etc, and how much will not be paid back. 

Walk around Bangkok or Pattaya and every second shop it seems was selling cannabis, although they seemed to lack customers. What a waste of investment and energy on this "faux' legalisation of cannabis....a cluster***k from start to finish. 

I believe that many people will lose a lot of money on this, especially if the number of shops selling weed here in Patong is anything to go by, because it would seem that just about every other shop is selling the stuff.

 

I heard of a couple of guys who set up little "cannabis farms" to grow it and sell it to the shops.......going to be a lot of sad people out of pocket IMO. 

[ourmanflint]

Ha! great news, bound to be a lot of very unhappy people though as the marijuana boom seemed to be growing exponentially, and therein lies the problem.

 

The industry grew far too quickly and attracted all those get rich quick types dreaming of a life of luxury. If it had stayed calm and understated it might have had a chance but instead it became more and more glamourous, and shops became like bars or clubs, and was bound to attract a lot of attention from those anti-marijuana.

 

 

 

 

[Cabradelmar]

Too bad, but inevitable. At least until the next government says different. Luckily, everyone in issan grows their own 😜 weed will never be in short supply in THA. The upside is maybe a few less knucklehead tourist (and those will no self control) will decide to come here for the ganja experience.

[misterphil]

So they encouraged rice farmers to start growing weed and they shut down their rice farms and now want to shut down their weed farms?

 

Also, those prisoners that were freed for cannabis crimes, will they be sent back to jail?