Report Cannabis Clash: Small Businesses Fear Monopoly Under New Rules

[webfact]

A staff member arranges bongs at a cannabis shop after Thailand started banning the sale of cannabis to those without a prescription in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

A pro-cannabis group is urging the Ministry of Public Health to ditch a new regulation targeting medical marijuana use, fearing it could monopolise the industry in favour of big investors. The Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future network staged a protest on Wednesday, demanding the withdrawal of the draft set to take effect in November.

 

The group argues that the regulation will inflate operating costs, potentially driving over 18,000 registered cannabis shops out of business, leaving fewer than 2,000 to survive.

 

Prasitchai Nunual, the network’s secretary-general, warns that the rule could marginalise small farmers unable to meet the medicinal-grade standards required, thereby monopolising the industry.

 

Nunual urged the ministry to consider their proposal, which suggests establishing a subcommittee to oversee fair cannabis policymaking.

 

Should the ministry ignore these pleas by July 28, the group plans to file a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, seeking an investigation into potential irregularities in the licensing process.

 

The group also demanded that public health minister Somsak Thepsuthin resign, accusing him of favouring corporate interests.

 

Prasitchai warned of the potential for a larger protest in August if the group's demands remain unfulfilled.

 

Meanwhile, Dr Thewan Thanirat of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine informed a cannabis policy workshop that nationwide inspections of cannabis shops would soon begin.

 

Dr Thanirat emphasised the necessity for products to meet pharmaceutical standards, be devoid of harmful contaminants, and require lab testing for safety. While medicinal-grade cannabis is pricier at 10,000 baht per kilo, it guarantees safe and effective treatment, he noted.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-07-18

 

 

[MarkBR]

Monopolisation of the cannabis industry as a highly profitable industry is possible one of the prime objectives.  Cannot have poor Thais being successful when rich Thais need to get richer.

[Callmeishmael]

I'm pretty sure that driving the smaller shops out of business is the actual intent of the bill!