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!

[spidermike007]

The fear that the small operators are experiencing is likely quite real, and it's likely based on what would happen if these laws were to pass. I've been kind of thinking all along that there's something else going on here, and it's not just conservatism and regressive thinking, but rather something more diabolical at work. Perhaps a desire for the "so-called elites" to get in on the action? Is there too much money being made by the small guy and the common Thai? 

 

The war on drugs has failed miserably, so hopefully that's not what this is all about. 

[zyphodb]

5 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

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

 

and growers...

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

They're not targeting medical marijuana use, they're targeting non-medical users.

[technoronin]

All of these new restrictions are going to drive some tourists to go somewhere else.  How many is yet to be seen.  I suspect this will have a negative effect on the Thai tourist economy as well as the growers and small shops.  Since Thailand is still recovering from the economic damage caused by the scamdemic, this sounds like a self destructive idea.

[Satcommlee]

I think the whole idea is a disaster, I was never really for the overt proliferation of the shops like we see in Bangkok and Pattaya with their NEON sign etc.. And I guess the Thais did not like it eaither.  

I am not against the idea of people using Cannabis recreational but would prefer it to be more covert..

Now they will need a doctor to sign off on the sale, which in all likleihood anyone can walk in and say they have a bit of back pain or trouble sleeping and the doctor with incentive to sell will sign-off on it without question.

This will keep the supply going and the dope tourists coming.. but what about the doctors??  I'm pretty sure they are better off treating sick people but No, they will be lured by higher market rates working in dope shops..

Does Thailand have enough doctors to waste on this?

[Will B Good]

I find this all a bit perplexing......how many people in Thailand are likely to qualify for medicinal cannabis?

 

In the Uk there seems to be about three kids all of whom suffer fits 24/7.

 

[AhFarangJa]

Is it not always about the big businesses having the monopoly here, Thai tobacco, ThaiBev, C.P. The rich 1% have to keep their grubby hands in. How dare the plebs try to make a living without them. 

[Beat666]

17 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

They're not targeting medical marijuana use, they're targeting non-medical users.

exactly

[ignore it]

Well it is capitalism after all ain't it?

 

All the mom and pop corner shops got replaced by 7/11.

 

Next up.

 

"Honey, I going out.  I going to stop by the 7/11 for some milk and the 4:20Mart for a couple of joints.

 

Need anything?"

[SABloke]

32 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

They're not targeting medical marijuana use, they're targeting non-medical users.

 

You missed the part where the concern was about farmers being able to meet the requirements for supplying to shops that are allowed to sell weed so it is not just non-medical users being targeted: "rule could marginalise small farmers unable to meet the medicinal-grade standards required"

[Beat666]

It is my opinion, that the whole cannabis topic has been initiated wrongly from the beginning. Therefore it was possible for anyone to buy and use cannabis. 

 

We all know what kind of problems have occured because of it. What made things worse is not the cannabis itself. It`s the Users, who never used cannabis before, it`s users who mixed their cannabis consumption with alcohol and other drugs, it`s users who mentally have underlying causes.

All the negative cases we read here in the past didn`t came from medical cannabis users. Or have you ever seen Cheech and Chong going berserk? 😄

 

Will Thailand lose cannabis tourists now? Maybe. But on the other hand, if everything is clearly regulated, things will calm down and more medical cannabis tourists with a real need for this medicine will visit Thailand. 

 

The discussion will go on, I know that.

There always will be people who are against cannabis. 

 

But Stop bashing Thailand all the time about this. I never read about people who are so hostile towards the states in the US, where cannabis is legal or various European countries.

 

If you do not like the policies in Thailand. Do not visit or go back home.

 

https://www.medcan.ch/en/ 

 

 

 

[ElephantEgo]

10,000 per KG for medical grade? It just shows they have no idea what they are talking about at all.

NACC definitely needs to root out this corruption which harms Thai farmers, kills jobs and destroys the economy for the gain of a select few who are able to to follow their smoke and mirror GACP plans.

Others can produce safe medicine (and it be tested) without all the hoop-jumping which requires overseas investment and expertise.

 

Give the power to Thais and not foreign monopolies!

 Health minister must resign now!!!!!!!!!!

[Shocked farang]

43 minutes ago, Satcommlee said:

I think the whole idea is a disaster, I was never really for the overt proliferation of the shops like we see in Bangkok and Pattaya with their NEON sign etc.. And I guess the Thais did not like it eaither.  

I am not against the idea of people using Cannabis recreational but would prefer it to be more covert..

Now they will need a doctor to sign off on the sale, which in all likleihood anyone can walk in and say they have a bit of back pain or trouble sleeping and the doctor with incentive to sell will sign-off on it without question.

This will keep the supply going and the dope tourists coming.. but what about the doctors??  I'm pretty sure they are better off treating sick people but No, they will be lured by higher market rates working in dope shops..

Does Thailand have enough doctors to waste on this?

They don't need to be fully qualified medical professionals, they can be traditional Thai medicine doctors and herbalists. This bill actually puts only a 300 Baht prescription between the cannabis user and his beloved THC rich supply. 

[biggles45]

As the Big Investors will undoubtedly have links to the govt, I fear their protests will fall on deaf ears. 

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, technoronin said:

All of these new restrictions are going to drive some tourists to go somewhere else.  How many is yet to be seen.  I suspect this will have a negative effect on the Thai tourist economy as well as the growers and small shops.  Since Thailand is still recovering from the economic damage caused by the scamdemic, this sounds like a self destructive idea.

All of these tourists I have seen, in my opinion shouldn't be here. Can't say why but it probably obvious to most. So there won't be a negative effect on tourism revenue of any great degree 

[Magictoad]

1 hour ago, technoronin said:

All of these new restrictions are going to drive some tourists to go somewhere else.  How many is yet to be seen.  I suspect this will have a negative effect on the Thai tourist economy as well as the growers and small shops.  Since Thailand is still recovering from the economic damage caused by the scamdemic, this sounds like a self destructive idea.

Your use of the term " scamdemic" indicates you are not a person to be taken seriously.  The epidemic was Covid-19 and killed 90 thousand people albeit mainly the elderly & infirm. So being old and infirm make you a Co worthless human does it?

I think you overestimate the tourist trade generated by legal weed. For as many people as it attracted; it put just as many off coming here.

You live in a very small world but the rest of us don't. Covid-19 was a thing. But if you believe otherwise LOL

[black tabby12345]

7 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

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

 

As wel as profitting  from the prescription requirements imposed.

[Bangel72]

While medicinal-grade cannabis is pricier at 10,000 baht per kilo, this is an interesting element 10 baht a gram for safer stuff, if its straight from a local farm I suspect that may be fair including costs.

 

The shops are selling at massive margins currently, not all but most of them, I saw a reputable seller selling 50g grade B stuff (not brick) for a 1000 baht so 20 baht a gram though there A+ stuff was nearer the 250 mark.

 

If price controls come in including prescriptions prices at around 49 baht at government hospitals then it could end up being better for the consumer.

 

That is unlikely to happen and we may even find prices get inflated further or the quality drops.

 

Some regulation will in my view be of benefit and it will likely mean less profits for the smaller business's but if they bring in cost control, ease of access to prescriptions and zoning usage which are all associated with medicinal usage, perhaps even government sso insurance will pay shops directly there could be benefits for the patient. 

 

I also wonder if they capped prices at say 20 baht a gram, how many of those shops would voluntary choose to close?

 

Perhaps todays meds have given me a rosier view on things at least for a couple of hours.

[Ebumbu]

Cannabis prices just rose 5000% since last month. I was getting 50 grams of good mids for 999 baht. Multiply that by 50 now. A ratchet to ensure the right people are getting richer. 

[Dogmatix]

I just heard about someone who went to a weed shop in Ayudhya expecting to be told he had to get a prescription from some kind of medical practitioner on or off premises.  The shop owner told him he could sell him as much as he wanted without prescription.  He said the cops came by after the latest muddled government announcements and set a new protection rate.  It allows the shop to sell whatever it likes without needing to comply with the new rules.  The cops told him they didn't care where he hired a doctor or only dispensed with prescriptions from somewhere else or not because they are charging the same squeeze to all shops in their precinct whether they comply with the rules or not.  They obviously have an income target given to them by their bosses based on the number of shops and that is all they care about.  

 

An another tack, I always drive past a tiny weed shop near my house which is just a counter in a small open air motorbike repair shop with an illuminated sign.  It seems unlikely that the owner will be able to hire a doctor to work in such unhealthy open air premises with traffic buzzing by all day.  It also seems unlikely that they will stop selling weed, unless arrested,  since they obviously have a regular customer base of motor cycle taxi drivers who rely on the weed to kill the boredom of waiting for fat farang and other customers  to come their queue.  The motor cycle taxistas are also unlikely to go to a doctor and pay for a prescription, since there will be plenty of weed available for sale without it. The new system will just mean that the government will not be able to earn any tax revenue and can tell anally retentive governments in the region that don't approve of their citizens having fun on holiday in in the LOS and sadistically enjoy flogging and executing people for drugs like China, Singapore and Malaysia, that there is no longer any risk that their citizens will be exposed to the dreaded reefer madness in Thailand.  however, this may not be true in Ayudhya. 

[dinsdale]

2 hours ago, ignore it said:

Well it is capitalism after all ain't it?

Capitalism has it's checks and balances. This is about, IMO a few of Thaksin's pals, monopolising the industry. 

[sharot724]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

They're not targeting medical marijuana use, they're targeting non-medical users.

Unlikely anyone partaking does it for any other reason than they believe it helps them.

[Bday Prang]

3 hours ago, technoronin said:

All of these new restrictions are going to drive some tourists to go somewhere else.

where would they go?   Canada ?   America?  certainly nowhere else in Asia allows cannabis use

[Bday Prang]

1 minute ago, sharot724 said:

Unlikely anyone partaking does it for any other reason than they believe it helps them.

its ok as long as nobody actually  enjoys it   Then they think it has ceased to be "medical"

[pacman32]

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

I find this all a bit perplexing......how many people in Thailand are likely to qualify for medicinal cannabis?

 

In the Uk there seems to be about three kids all of whom suffer fits 24/7.

 

There's now over 30000 medical users in the UK soon as its been legal for over 7 years 🤔

[Bday Prang]

54 minutes ago, Ebumbu said:

Cannabis prices just rose 5000% since last month. I was getting 50 grams of good mids for 999 baht. Multiply that by 50 now. A ratchet to ensure the right people are getting richer. 

No they haven't   you must be buying from the wrong place 

[Bday Prang]

1 minute ago, pacman32 said:

There's now over 30000 medical users in the UK soon as its been legal for over 7 years 🤔

There are also many doctors who still refuse point blank to prescribe it  due to either "reefer madness" or pressure from big pharma who will have threatened to withdraw all the freebies they offer