3 hours ago, rwill said:

What will hurt Thailand worse?  Legalized Marijuana or Legalized Casinos?

Casinos serving booze will be a disaster of galactic proportions. Gambling has caused huge family dislocations and only benefited illegal loan sharks.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy: Facbook NBT

 

Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, commented today on the public opinion poll initiated by Somsak Thepsuthin, Minister of Public Health, regarding the reclassification of cannabis as a narcotic.

 

The poll, spanning from 11th to 25th June, seeks to gather the public's views on whether the current legal status of cannabis should be reverted.

 

In his remarks, Anutin, also the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, underscored his respect for the Ministry of Public Health's process, stating he will not interfere.

 

He highlighted the critical role of public opinion in a democratic society but also noted that complex issues, like this one, necessitate a balanced approach that includes expert input. 

 

"While public sentiment is invaluable, we must also rely on scientific expertise to guide our policies," Anutin explained. "Decriminalising cannabis has provided regulated access to the public.

 

Reclassifying it as a narcotic would impose significant restrictions, affecting many who currently benefit from its legal status."

 

As a strong advocate for the decriminalisation of cannabis, a key pledge of the Bhumjaithai Party's past campaign, Anutin is aware of the nuanced implications such a shift in policy would entail.

 

He added that while public opinion is essential, elected representatives must make these nuanced decisions with a broader view of the nation's interests.

 

Minister Somsak reported that in the initial two days of the online poll, more respondents have opposed reclassifying cannabis than have supported it. Several public representatives argue that proper legislation regulating cannabis use might be a more balanced approach than outright reclassification.

 

Anutin concludes, "We must listen to our citizens but also ensure that our policies are based on a combination of public input and scientific evidence. I trust Minister Somsak to integrate these principles in his final decision."

 

With the opinion poll ongoing, the Ministry of Public Health will have crucial data to consider while navigating this complex policy issue.

 

-- 2024-06-15

 

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Idiotic 🙏

The poll indicates the sentiments of the public, who are always disregarded. They just don't count. Remember the election, Anutin? 

 

The dinosaurs seem to love backwards movement and seem to always reject any step forward. Progress? They don't have it in them.

 

Legal ganja is far superior to the war on ganja, and the RTP free for all we used to see. It would make more sense to classify alcohol as a drug. It does far more harm to society. 

A face that could launch a thousand hardships ..I now need something to take the pain away🤔

 

United we stand - so much to the government's middle and long term policies. 

Maybe Anutin talks to a dirty farang on how to tie a tie meanwhile ...... just saying 😉 

Where is a fair place to buy it here?  The retail shops every 59 meters  are DEFINITELY  not decent pricing.

4 hours ago, rwill said:

What will hurt Thailand worse?  Legalized Marijuana or Legalized Casinos?

here's an idea - start a thread on legalising casinos if you want to talk about that 

4 hours ago, rwill said:

What will hurt Thailand worse?  Legalized Marijuana or Legalized Casinos?

 

Depends if Thais are allowed into casinos

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Anutin, also the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, underscored his respect for the Ministry of Public Health's process, stating he will not interfere.

Politics is easy when you have no integrity, honesty or any guiding principles..

Keep the walk back articles coming. I knew they were on the way. 🙂 

Should be investigated for malfeasance, and held financially responsible for loss of earnings by those encouraged to invest

As long as the public opinion poll lines up with Anutin's ideas, he won't interfere 😂 but seeing as he's already commenting on the poll, seems he's already interfering. My bet, ganja stays decriminalized and they open more dispensaries in their soon to be newly legalized casinos 😉 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"While public sentiment is invaluable, we must also rely on scientific expertise to guide our policies," Anutin explained. "Decriminalising cannabis has provided regulated access to the public.

Translated:

"Screw the will of the commoners; all power to the autocratic rule of the technocrat elite."

Every time you see the word "expert" just substitute the phrase "autocratic technocrats" and you'll be spot on the money.  They don't give a rat's bunglio about the will of the people, they only care about amassing and wielding power.
These power-freaks model after Orwell's "1984" as opposed to Huxley's "Brave New World."  If they followed Huxley paradigm they would let the commoners have their "soma."

"The perfect dictatorship would have the appearance of a democracy, but would basically be a prison without walls in which the prisoners would not even dream of escaping. It would essentially be a system of slavery where, through consumption and entertainment, the slaves would love their servitudes."

- Aldous Huxley

Instead what we have coming is a future where the autocratic technocrats need more prisons but they won't build them as packing cheeky commoners into prison like sardines is part of the new model of urinating on human rights.

"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - for ever."
- George Orwell

Reclassification will never happen

The genie is already long out of the bottle 

It would be hilarious watching them try though. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Anutin concludes, "We must listen to our citizens but also ensure that our policies are based on a combination of public input and scientific evidence. I trust Minister Somsak to integrate these principles in his final decision."

Cue the Expert Scientific Evidence:

 

Content deactivated.

1 hour ago, BusNo8 said:

 

Depends if Thais are allowed into casinos

The way things are in LOS it's more possible that Thais will enter casinos without paying and farangs will have 

to pay a 500Bh fee, just for being a farang.

A £ to a pinch of Thailand's finest Buffalo dung,that this govts decision to re-criminalise the "This wonderful plant of Peace" will get reversed.Just like their 300 Baht tourism charge,and their proposed tax on foreign income for residents,to which anyone with a modicum of sense,a simple workaround exists.

This govt,loves to open their mouths,before first engaging their brains.For a people who hate losing face,this govt certainly succeeds.

A £ to a pinch of Thailand's finest Buffalo dung,that this govts decision to re-criminalise "This wonderful plant of Peace" will get reversed.Just like their 300 Baht tourist charge,and their proposed tax on foreign income for residents,to which anyone with a modicum of sense,a simple workaround exists.

This govt,loves to open their mouths,before first engaging their brains.For a people who hate losing face,this govt certainly succeeds.

A £ to a pinch of Thailand's finest Buffalo dung,that this govts decision to re-criminalise "This wonderful plant of Peace" will get reversed.Just like their 300 Baht tourist charge,and their proposed tax on foreign income for residents,to which anyone with a modicum of sense,a simple workaround exists.

This govt,loves to open their mouths,before first engaging their brains.For a people who hate losing face,this govt certainly succeeds.

5 hours ago, cookie1974 said:

Im sure anutin has his greasy fingers in the cannabis pie and will do everything in his powers to gain a favourable outcome (as long as its favourable to himself)

Another idiot thinking legal pot is a big money maker.

It's the illegality that makes the big profit.

Leave the weed be.

11 minutes ago, sherwood said:

Another idiot thinking legal pot is a big money maker.

It's the illegality that makes the big profit.

Leave the weed be.

I actually agree.I think the reason the UK govt, doesn't legalise it,is because there's far more money floating around in the black economy,than if they legalised&taxed it,and so putting the dealers out of business.

3 hours ago, kuzmabruk said:

Those affected are only business people.  Anybody requiring medical cannabis can still get it under the proposed new regulations. 

 

And countless young Thais who will be subject to corrupt police, have their lives ruined by jail and legal records, all because of some nutty populist drive by Thaksin and his somewhat incompetent and insubstantial Public Health Minister lacky (who now wants to also start a "drug war"). This is about Thaksin wanting to somehow revive his PT party, one struggling in the polls badly, and letting the cops have their bribes back.

Meanwhile around the world deregulation continues with the USA moving ganja from Class 3 to Class 1 nationwide and Germany decriminalising. What do these countries know that has eluded Thailand's not-exactly world-standard scientists? 

 

Why are the real public health emergencies being looked at instead: killer air quality and hundreds of thousands maimed or killed needlessly on the roads every year?

I don't smoke the stuff and dislike the smell but the hypocrisy, corruption and plain idiocy this move to recriminalise marijuana shows appalls me. 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"While public sentiment is invaluable, we must also rely on scientific expertise to guide our policies,"

 

Well look at how well that worked out during Covid...

1 hour ago, phitsanulokjohn said:

I actually agree.I think the reason the UK govt, doesn't legalise it,is because there's far more money floating around in the black economy,than if they legalised&taxed it,and so putting the dealers out of business.

Same thing happens in Australia.

Ninbin in NSW is a prime example.

The grey- black economy maintains financial stability.

9 hours ago, rwill said:

What will hurt Thailand worse?  Legalized Marijuana or Legalized Casinos?

Should legalize both 

Because when it's illegal it only bring up crime 

And nothing is wrong with cannabis 

My guess is that the RTP has been putting pressure on the government since decriminalization first happened. They are losing billions of baht per year, in extortion, bribes and payoffs. 

9 hours ago, cookie1974 said:

Im sure anutin has his greasy fingers in the cannabis pie and will do everything in his powers to gain a favourable outcome (as long as its favourable to himself)

 

 

Anutin concludes, "We must listen to our citizens but also ensure that our policies are based on a combination of public input and scientific evidence. I trust Minister Somsak to integrate these principles in his final decision."

 

 

"We must listen to our citizens..........." When did he ever?

 

"I trust Minister Somsak to integrate these principles in his final decision." The brown envelope is on its way.

 

Anutin has spent too much time, and invested too much money  in the marijuana trade to let it slip through his fingers.

 

Watch this space!