BREAKING NEWS Thailand delays some requirements of new cannabis rules

[webfact]

Picture  of Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin courtesy of The Nation

 

Thailand's health ministry has postponed the enforcement of new cannabis regulations by 30–60 days, responding to public concern and allowing more time for adaptation. Under the upcoming rules, sellers will need official permits and must document every cannabis flower sale.

 

Dr Tewan Thanirat, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, outlined the impending changes.

 

These include the necessity of a doctor's prescription for cannabis purchases, specifying the illness, dosage, typically limited to one gram per day, and treatment duration. Shops must keep these records for at least one year to comply with inspections.

 

Licensed premises will be required to have medical professionals, such as doctors or pharmacists, on-site. Additionally, retailers need approval from local administrative bodies due to public nuisance concerns related to the strong smell of cannabis.

 

File photo - A customer sits outside a cannabis shop in Kanchanaburi province, west of Bangkok, Thailand, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

 

Growers are advised to prepare for enhanced standards, ensuring their operations meet Thai GACP, EU GMP, or Thai Organic certification levels. While planting doesn't currently require a licence, the harvested buds will be classified as a controlled substance needing a sales permit.

 

The Ministry of Public Health’s immediate announcement had sparked complaints, as many operators felt unprepared for rapid changes. In response, Minister Somsak Thepsuthin confirmed the postponement, highlighting the need for consultation with medical councils and stakeholders. He assured that discussions are ongoing but the delay will not be extensive.

 

Despite the delay, existing rules still apply. Businesses must submit monthly stock and sales reports or face potential sanctions, including suspension and criminal charges. Selling products like cannabis-infused snacks or gummies remains strictly prohibited.

 

Home growers for personal use can continue without certification; however, selling any homegrown cannabis is illegal. Once the new regulations are in place, consumers without a medical certificate could face arrest, confiscation of their stash, and penalties of up to one year in prison and a 20,000 baht fine.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-28

 

 

[CharlieH]

Seems to me this is just a pause, to give business time to adjust and get procedures in place, nothing more.

 

[davb]

"Shops must keep these records for at least one year to comply with inspections."

 

If they are kept digitally, they will be hacked and published, along with the picture of your passport. Electronic health records have too much potential value to be kept private.

[ikke1959]

1 phonecall to the Netherlands how they do it there is much easier and controllable

[Will B Good]

I fail to see how this is going to help any.

 

With demand now reduced to medical prescriptions only, the farmers and flashy ganja shops are still doomed.

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm… around in circles we go( as usual?)

[spidermike007]

Hello! Based on the promises that the government gave, billions upon billions have been invested in the industry and these mostly young entrepreneurs are now being betrayed in a spectacular manner. So the least you can do for them is give them a head start and a heads up. Don't you think that is fair? 

 

 

[Nickcage49]

This government cracks me up. Want to bet the law doesn't change, and if there are any changes, they will be cosmetic ones?

 

I didn't think there was any way they could justify putting so many businesses out of business.

[JAS21]

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Seems to me this is just a pause, to give business time to adjust and get procedures in place, nothing more.

 

Yeah ..more like George and that ‘medical doctor’ complained…

[Ebumbu]

This plant is legal. Does this article claim that making this plant illegal again does not require approval of the Thai parliament? Is Thailand a democracy or not? If it is, then parliament must vote on this before it can be submitted to the Royal Gazette. Is this guy trying to do an end run around Parliament? How does he get away with being a one-man lawmaker? 

[ronster]

Will give them time to buy that GP certificate and the white coat they will need to hand out prescriptions to people wanting to buy weed 😄👍

[Taboo2]

Well done!  Get it right.

[Ebumbu]

 

Quote

Home growers for personal use can continue without certification; however, selling any homegrown cannabis is illegal. Once the new regulations are in place, consumers without a medical certificate could face arrest, confiscation of their stash, and penalties of up to one year in prison and a 20,000 baht fine.

So I grow my own and avoid all this bull<deleted> or not? Happy to do so. Everything is quite cheap and practical now: grow tent, LED lights (avoid excess heat and energy), feminized seeds. Simple. Water once a day after checking PH. Add your nutes. Buy a fan. 

How would BIB know if I grew my own stash or bought it? If home grown is legal, then how much? Can I throw it all in a giant bucket and say I grew it and be legal? So much is unclear, and just ignored. 

[daveAustin]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Licensed premises will be required to have medical professionals, such as doctors or pharmacists, on-site.

That would entail a prohibitively expensive end product. Despite the tighter regs, it would still be infinitely better than the likes of the UK, controlled as it is by impossibly dull fuddy-duddies where something as benign as weed will never be made accessible to the masses. It is 2025 f,fs; mushrooms should already be legal. MMM — magic mushrooms matter. 🙂

[daveAustin]

1 minute ago, Ebumbu said:

So I grow my own and avoid all this bull<deleted> or not? Happy to do so. Everything is quite cheap and practical now: grow tent, LED lights (avoid excess heat and energy), feminized seeds. Simple. Water once a day after checking PH. Add your nutes. Buy a fan. 

How would BIB know if I grew my own stash or bought it? If home grown is legal, then how much? Can I throw it all in a giant bucket and say I grew it and be legal? So much is unclear, and just ignored. 

Only until new regs are in place by the looks. 

[Robert Tyrrell]

I would certainly suggest growers and shops to file a Group lawsuit against the Government for drastic negative buisness effects and the hardships they wil create for some shops . Secondly when elections approach remember the anti marajuna politicians and VOTE !! THEM OUT !! THIS IS PURELY POLITICAL !! ALCOHOL IS KILLING THAI'S DAILY !! NO OR LITTLE CONTROL OR ENFORCEMENT THERE,!! 

 

 

 

[Robert Tyrrell]

4 minutes ago, Ebumbu said:

 

So I grow my own and avoid all this bull<deleted> or not? Happy to do so. Everything is quite cheap and practical now: grow tent, LED lights (avoid excess heat and energy), feminized seeds. Simple. Water once a day after checking PH. Add your nutes. Buy a fan. 

How would BIB know if I grew my own stash or bought it? If home grown is legal, then how much? Can I throw it all in a giant bucket and say I grew it and be legal? So much is unclear, and just ignored. 

I Thought they were allowing I believe up to 7-10 plants per person upon each growing and harvest 🙂

[redwood1]

After reading through the above jumbled list of requirements and potential requirements , this reminds me of the hodge podge of incomprehensible new tax rules....

 

Folks Thais do very poorly with overly complex ever changing rules and regulations....Their DNA is just not up to the task..

 

I will tell you how this will turn out....It will all be ignored and it will be business as usual..

[murto]

Time to find a doctor who will certify. I think such certs will be in high demand shortly

[Jai Yen]

Jeeeezh, who could have seen this coming except everyone -  so many palms greased by  now  they can't just put a cork in all this.  

 

 OR  -  'allowing for adaptation'  is just code for  giving the shops more time to grease the new palms.

 

   One gram per day, that's  pretty  funny  -  more like  1  gram per hour during waking hours, which, granted is often interrupted by naps.

 

anyway, all stoners who live here have the number or Line of their favorite shops and can stay in touch even if the laws  get stricter - could be disruptive for tourists  though.

[Olof Karlsson]

Now when its legal to grow cannabis at home for my own use,I hope it can be legal to make moonshine for my own use at home too.

[Ebumbu]

27 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

That would entail a prohibitively expensive end product. Despite the tighter regs, it would still be infinitely better than the likes of the UK, controlled as it is by impossibly dull fuddy-duddies where something as benign as weed will never be made accessible to the masses. It is 2025 f,fs; mushrooms should already be legal. MMM — magic mushrooms matter. 🙂

 

They are going to include traditional Thai medical practitioners." So, herbalists. There is no licensing for that, or if there is, it's a short course and a low-paid job. They will also include pharmacists, I have heard. Maybe astrologists, chiropractors, and certified (by whomever) life coaches! 

[Trippy]

In less than 60 days there might be a whole new govt, so stay tuned.

[Thingamabob]

I suspect this delay on new cannabis regulations could well run on for longer than 60 days depending on how Thaksin's bid for legalising casinos goes. Anutin is still a player in this game and has powerful backing. If Anutin comes round to supporting Thaksin's ambition for casinos it is likely the proposed reforms of his cannabis business will be quietly dropped.

[Cabradelmar]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Licensed premises will be required to have medical professionals, such as doctors or pharmacists, on-site.

Need more time to hire full-time doctors 

[davb]

I can't find this story on the Thaiger. Are these released before getting posted to that website?

[BLMFem]

3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Seems to me this is just a pause, to give business time to adjust and get procedures in place, nothing more.

 

Possibly, but so much of what's decided seems to be on the basis of shifts in political alliances. Take the recent "tightening" of alcohol sales. A few months ago this government talked about, and actually implemented, some loosening of the rules. And now they say they want to tighten the rules again, and I can't help but think that this is a decision made by a government in deep trouble who try to curry favour with any group that it thinks might help it cling to power, so this time the anti-alcohol lobby.

The decision to outlaw marijuana was abruptly made after Anutin pulled BJT out of the coalition. Is this grace period (as you suggest) a time for businesses to adjust or is Anutin in talks with the Shins regarding a possible patch-up?

One thing is certain; Thai politics is never boring.

[mran66]

100 baht medical certificate business will be booming, driving economy to new highs. 

[BLMFem]

1 hour ago, Ebumbu said:

This plant is legal. Does this article claim that making this plant illegal again does not require approval of the Thai parliament? Is Thailand a democracy or not? If it is, then parliament must vote on this before it can be submitted to the Royal Gazette. Is this guy trying to do an end run around Parliament? How does he get away with being a one-man lawmaker? 

Because Thailand is not a democracy.

[MarkBR]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Hello! Based on the promises that the government gave, billions upon billions have been invested in the industry and these mostly young entrepreneurs are now being betrayed in a spectacular manner. So the least you can do for them is give them a head start and a heads up. Don't you think that is fair? 

 

 

Many who voted for Pheu Thai will no longer with such a huge betrayal of their futures - the destruction of many dreams of many young Thai entrepreneurs.   Bhumjaithai will benefit massively, as will the Progressive Party. Will put Pheu Thai into a death spiral with collapsing votes.  The political stupidity is spectacular.