File photo for reference only. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

 

Thailand's Public Health Minister has announced a major regulation change requiring cannabis users to present medical certificates, aiming to curb recreational use. Minister Somsak Thepsutin revealed plans for the new rules, hoping to establish order after cannabis was decriminalised nearly three years ago.

 

This move reflects ongoing efforts to regulate cannabis use amid the rapid rise in recreational consumption.

 

Minister Somsak's proposition marks a shift towards stricter cannabis control, emphasising verified medical use prescribed by licensed professionals.

 

He stated, "We will improve regulations on cannabis use," reinforcing the need for medical certification, applicable to both locals and foreigners. The Health Ministry aims to unveil this updated regulation within 40 days, bringing medical-focused groundwork to a previously unchecked cannabis market.

 

Cannabis decriminalisation initially emerged as a policy driven by the Bhumjaithai Party, recognising its potential economic benefits. Yet, a surge in recreational use and cannabis-related businesses has prompted significant regulation review.

 

Dr Somlerk Jeungsmarn, Director-General of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, echoed the sentiment, suggesting potential dosage limits and penalties for non-medical use, including possible imprisonment.

 

Despite earlier legislative delays, the new bill spearheaded by Pheu Thai aims to regulate cannabis industries more tightly, focusing on health and medical purposes. Proposed changes will demand licenses for cannabis cultivation, sales, and other related businesses, addressing past regulatory gaps.

 

The draft, recently publicised under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's administration, proposes licensing mandates, albeit without an outright ban on recreational use due to political pressure from Bhumjaithai.

 

The upcoming legislation suggests an increasingly regulated environment, with the Ministry of Public Health poised to enforce enhanced controls.

 

While the precise implications of these changes remain to be seen, the drive towards medical certification underscores a significant pivot in Thailand’s cannabis policy, seeking to streamline usage strictly for health-orientated applications.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-05-22

 

 

Got this today from one of my groups. Not official so take it for what it is. 

 

 

Not an April Fools Joke this time. Just call me the "Oracle" 🤣🤣

 

Seriously speaking, I could do without all the "lay abouts" and pot head tourists visiting Thailand. There is nothing more irritating than trying to take a nice walk on the beach and getting wafts of pot smoke and reek.

 

It is bad enough having a bunch of pay for play punters inundating the place. The fewer the addicted the better.

 

IHMO Thailand had enough problems with domestic vice. 

 

Tourist Sex addicts, drug addicts only make the problem worse IMHO.

Sounds like return fire in the PTP-BJT "battle" around casinos?

 

For now, everyone should understand that this is a "proposal" and does not represent any change in current policy.

 

 

1 hour ago, StandardIssue said:

 

 

Not an April Fools Joke this time. Just call me the "Oracle" 🤣🤣

 

Seriously speaking, I could do without all the "lay abouts" and pot head tourists visiting Thailand. There is nothing more irritating than trying to take a nice walk on the beach and getting wafts of pot smoke and reek.

 

It is bad enough having a bunch of pay for play punters inundating the place. The fewer the addicted the better.

 

IHMO Thailand had enough problems with domestic vice. 

 

Tourist Sex addicts, drug addicts only make the problem worse IMHO.

 

You came to thailand for the temples eh pal. 

They're just stalling trying to figure out the best money making scheme for themselves. The horse has left the gate.

Next Thai get rich scheme:  Selling scripts.

 

Edit:  But eventually, they'll impose some kind of tax stamp on weed and only the usual families will be able to buy the tax stamps, so they'll make all the money.  Everyone else in the value chain will get peanuts.

 

2 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

 

 

Not an April Fools Joke this time. Just call me the "Oracle" 🤣🤣

 

Seriously speaking, I could do without all the "lay abouts" and pot head tourists visiting Thailand. There is nothing more irritating than trying to take a nice walk on the beach and getting wafts of pot smoke and reek.

 

It is bad enough having a bunch of pay for play punters inundating the place. The fewer the addicted the better.

 

IHMO Thailand had enough problems with domestic vice. 

 

Tourist Sex addicts, drug addicts only make the problem worse IMHO.

You're obviously one of these people that has no idea about cannabis use.

 

Oh well...

 

Should we ban alcohol too?

18 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

You're obviously one of these people that has no idea about cannabis use.

 

Oh well...

 

Should we ban alcohol too?

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

And in return,I'd be more than happy for ham radio to be banned.

10 minutes ago, simon43 said:

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

I can understand the annoyance to some about the smell.

 

People using it at their home indoors bother no one.

 

I live remote, sometimes people on the west wing of my estate complain about the smell, i normally just sentence them to 50 lashes tho.

Good, I smoke too much anyway. Cheapest grass in the world. 

35 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

You're obviously one of these people that has no idea about cannabis use.

 

Oh well...

 

Should we ban alcohol too?

I am or was and quit for personal reason about a year ago.  Cannabis is fine and better imbibed with edibles that even further reduce the inconvenience other may experience.  Some really get agro over the smell of weed and it is their right.  

 

THe main issue  have with weed is ease of use and how prolific it has become in daily life for smokers.  Could you imagine if you replaced joints with a fifth of alchohol.  All the young crowd constantly out in public sipping at work and all around town.  Pot is IMO better than alchohol when you compare casual drinkers but many weed users have become chronic smokers and this is disturbing.  Some can do it with no consequences but people are foolish to think most don't suffer in some manner.  

 

Long ramble and not sure what the answer is but the "it is better than alchohol" response certainly takes a little more reflection than your response above.  BTW, alchohol is terrible for a person but I for one do enjoy it but try not to need it! Currently 1 week sober because the alchohol desire was too controlling and that always eventually causes me to take a break.

13 minutes ago, KireB said:

Good, I smoke too much anyway. Cheapest grass in the world. 

Great attitude! Life marches on...

Like everything else, it's just a proposal. Wake me up when something actually gets done. 

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

 

I love the smell of Napalm err Weed in the morning...

Folk this proposal is completely retarded....Thais are seriously lacking the ability for critical thinking...

 

I will tell you exactly what will happen.....There will all the sudden be a zillion traditional Thai herbal Dr Feel-goods pop up overnight, who will prescribe weed for any thing or nothing.... The whole thing will be a joke....Yea I am sick wink wink nod nod.....lol

29 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Folk this proposal is completely retarded....Thais are seriously lacking the ability for critical thinking...

 

I will tell you exactly what will happen.....There will all the sudden be a zillion traditional Thai herbal Dr Feel-goods pop up overnight, who will prescribe weed for any thing or nothing.... The whole thing will be a joke....Yea I am sick wink wink nod nod.....lol

Yeah, at worst it'll merely be another hoop to jump through and another bit of money to hand over for the cert. 

It's a bit interesting that since it has become so prolific and according to some here, there are "addicts" all aboot, there oddly hasn't been an increase in crimes (especially violent crimes), nor any measurable impact on the wonderful 'live and let live' society that we all enjoy. 

1 hour ago, redwood1 said:

Folk this proposal is completely retarded....Thais are seriously lacking the ability for critical thinking...

 

I will tell you exactly what will happen.....There will all the sudden be a zillion traditional Thai herbal Dr Feel-goods pop up overnight, who will prescribe weed for any thing or nothing.... The whole thing will be a joke....Yea I am sick wink wink nod nod.....lol

 

If I feign sickness will I get transferred to a hotel police hospital?

 

4 hours ago, PJ71 said:

You're obviously one of these people that has no idea about cannabis use.

 

Oh well...

 

Should we ban alcohol too?

 

Unless people start approaching me and spitting beer in my face I say drink up! 

 

The thing is Pot smoke REEKS!  You can smell if from a 100 feet away and it is disgusting and pungent. It seems pot makes pot heads so apathetic and lazy they don't care about the comfort of other people. Seems they just want to get high and feel the way they want to feel without regard for others.

Hey, I used to smoke loads of the stuff. It did me NO GOOD whatever. Worthless drug that I ultimately quit because I started getting paranoid and nervous as hell after I smoked a bong hit or two of the CA sens bud.

 

I'm not into drugs or even getting drunk.

My personal choice. 

I don't need alcohol or drugs to feel OK. I feel fine and more present for life without it.

1 hour ago, Galong said:

Yeah, at worst it'll merely be another hoop to jump through and another bit of money to hand over for the cert. 

It's a bit interesting that since it has become so prolific and according to some here, there are "addicts" all aboot, there oddly hasn't been an increase in crimes (especially violent crimes), nor any measurable impact on the wonderful 'live and let live' society that we all enjoy. 

 

and another bit of money to hand over for the cert. 

On some skins that I bought recently, there was an advert prompting me to apply for my 'medical cannabis card' online.

Not sure if this card will be accepted but worth a punt.

 

I followed their instructions and after a medical consultation, my card was approved.

To get the card issued, all I had to do was donate pay 2,000 Baht. 

 

I'm thinking of setting up a website, selling weed cards for 1,000 Baht a pop.

 

 

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

Indeed "I can't stand the smell" sounds less bigotted than "I can't stand people getting high".

7 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Sounds like return fire in the PTP-BJT "battle" around casinos?

 

For now, everyone should understand that this is a "proposal" and does not represent any change in current policy.

 

 

This was how we started out in Vancouver.  Be pointed to the nearest doctor, complain of headaches and a few minutes later you were back at the pot shop getting stoned.  No issue. Easy as pie.  

Nothing to see here, move on ...... ooh a shiny new idea to make money by selling scripts. I'm in.

If enacted, the enforcement of this law will likely be similar to the enforcement of laws about speeding, wearing a helmet when on a motorbike, prostitution, not allowing an agent to temporarily deposit 800,000 baht in a bank for a retirement extension, etc. etc. 

 

Thailand loves laws. Enforcement? Not so much. 

I thought this was said that you needed a certificate to buy it when they made it legal ?

Just means dodgy doctors will be writing thousands of certificates for a fee to anyone that wants one 😄

I've read no comments but all I have to say bah ha ha ha ha ha ha 555! 
You just have to love these guys! 

5 hours ago, simon43 said:

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

Nothing like a bit of hyperbole. As for the reference to families, recreational use is allowed in many countries and medicinal use in many more. I hardly think foreign children are going to be exposed to anything more than they would be back home. I would rather let my children catch a whiff of marijuana than witness the soi 6 bouncers or drunk aggressive foreigners in action.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

requiring cannabis users to present medical certificates,

 

IMO today's best news. Now all those pot head junkies who smoke cannabis for recreational purposes will have to show they have a medical certificate to do so!

 

Unfortunately I see corruption on the horizon with the issuance of fake medical certificates - I hope not but TIT.