Report Thailand Shuts 1,000 Cannabis Shops in Sweeping Crackdown

[harryviking]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

File photo for reference only. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

 

The authorities have ramped up efforts to control cannabis misuse by closing over 1,000 shops and seizing nearly a tonne of cannabis flowers in a sweeping nationwide operation.

 

The crackdown, initiated by Thailand's Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, targeted 5,218 out of 18,763 cannabis-related businesses from 16 June to 13 August 2025, as part of a strategy to regulate the burgeoning industry and prevent youth access.

 

The actions taken during the operation included suspending 724 licences, revoking 129 licences, and prosecuting 180 businesses for operating without a valid licence. A significant move: 1,079 shops have been permanently closed.

 

Additionally, the operation resulted in the seizure of cannabis products in 116 instances. The authorities also made 33 arrests related to attempts to smuggle cannabis out of the country through Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. Overall, a staggering 980.65 kg of cannabis was confiscated.

 

This enforcement follows a rise in public complaints since the decriminalisation of cannabis in 2022. A total of 176 complaints have been registered, focusing on issues like unlicensed sales, smoking within shop premises, sales to minors, public nuisances, and advertising violations. The most frequent complaints concerned unlicensed sales, with 68 reported cases.

 

Dr. Thewan Thaneerat, Deputy Director-General of the Department, emphasised the importance of strict regulation to ensure that cannabis usage aligns with health and social benefits rather than contributes to misuse. The focus remains on safeguarding youth and ensuring that the cannabis industry operates within a legal and socially responsible framework, reported The Nation.

 

D Nantasak Chotichanadechawong, Director of the Office for Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional and Folk Medicine Wisdom, stressed the proactive nature of these operations. These operations occur on a weekly basis, with the most recent sweep taking place on 13 August 2025.

 

This effort involved collaboration with various agencies in Bangkok and Nonthaburi, including police stations such as Phaya Thai, Chana Songkhram, Samae Dam Metropolitan, and Rattanathibet Provincial.

 

Detailed inspections during these operations revealed that out of 17 shops, seven possessed valid licences, one had no violations, five were closed on the day of inspection, one was no longer in business, and two were operating without a licence, leading to prosecution. Another shop faced suspension because it breached licence conditions.

 

Authorities urge the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities to the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.

 

Reports can be made via phone at 0-2591-7007 or through the department's website, www.dtam.moph.go.th. Continuous collaboration among communities, businesses, and authorities is critical to ensuring that cannabis use remains safe and beneficial for society.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-08-16

 

Firts they give false info about getting rid of the ban on Ganja, then when thousands use all their belongings to start a new business, they come back and crush it all!!! What a damn inhuiman and dumb government Thailand have now. They should take responibility and refund all those losing their money! 😫

[DUNROAMIN]

Thai mindset, dont you just love it. As we used to say in the Army, greycoats on greycoats off.

[Peabody]

3 hours ago, thecyclist said:

Thais are not good with numbers. You buy two items in a shop. One costs ten Baht, the other 5 Baht, they use a calculator to add that up. Give them a 20 Baht note, again the calculator to determine the change. 

And if it's 17 baht, you give a 20, and they ring it up, and then you give them 2 baht more to get back a 5 baht coin... heads explode!

[KhunLA]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Sometimes a mistake is wearing white to a formal event in New York City after Labor Day, other times a mistake is invading Russia and advancing toward Moscow in late summer, with the advancement of winter on the horizon. 

 

This is a historic mistake on the part of this ridiculous government, the approval of ganja as a commodity was a was a wise thing to do, liberalization means forward progress, and now they are moving the country backwards once again. Many Thai people invested billions upon billions of baht with the presumption that they could trust the government in keeping their promises. And now they're being financially crippled, by trusting these nitwits. And all this is happening at a time when there's already so much financial hardship in the country

 

All I can say is, I hope these politicians end up suffering a terrible fate. 

It was never supposed to be a recreational free for all, with thousands of shops opening and ignoring all the rules.  

 

Couldn't be happy with it just being decriminalized, and enjoy your weed responsibly in the privacy of your home.   

 

NO ... had to be a big in your face "F' you, we'll do we want"

 

som nan naa

[Gknrd]

See Trump we are anti drugs and fighting crime, can we get better trade rates.. 

[corepuncher]

I bought some weed on the street like a dumb@ss and it was laced with something. I was messed up for like 4 days. AI thinks it was PCP. I highly recommend NOT buying on the street!

[jvs]

2 hours ago, Trippy said:

How do you store such a large amount without it losing it's potency?

I keep it in the freezer in a plastic bag.

I did read up on it and you are not "supposed" to do that because it loses potency.

Had some in there for over 6 months and no difference at all!

 

 

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, corepuncher said:

I bought some weed on the street like a dumb@ss and it was laced with something. I was messed up for like 4 days. AI thinks it was PCP. I highly recommend NOT buying on the street!

That's got a very distinctive taste, and you'd know right away if ever smoked before.   Been literally 50+ years since smoked that.  Fun stuff, though extremely 'dangerous' if not knowing what you're doing, especially if the real deal. 

 

Yea, never buy for strangers on the street.

BE SAFE out there.

 

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Andre0720 said:

"Thai people invested billions upon billions of baht"...

Does not show much "financial hardship", now does it???

It will do at the end of every month when they still have to make payments on the loan they took out 

 

[Robert Tyrrell]

Good Evening,  🙂

Absolutely Hilarious  !! To bad Shops that sell ALCAHOL!! Don't Get this much attention!!:) 

Alcohol is far worse a problem in Thailand 🇹🇭 Babies being allowed to make alcohol runs to these shops for supposed Thai Adults !! 

Meanwhile you want to pull the plug on Thai Cannabis Shops and Farms that invested worked hard for the success in the Cannabis Industry,  Now you want to Bankrupt your own Citizens !!?? CRAZY !! WAKE UP THAILAND 🇹🇭 THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS ON THIS SUBJECT  !! 🙂

THAI FARMERS AND SHOPS WHO FOLLOW THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK,  LAWYERS AND COLLABORATIVE LAWSUIT AGAINST YOUR GOVERNMENT WOULD BE VERY !! WISE !! 

I ALSO WOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER THESE

ANTI-CANNABIS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO REMIND THEM AT VOTING TIME !! VOTE THEM OUT !! 

[Dibbler]

If 180 traffic related deaths on Thai roads led to reform in alcohol and motorcycle helmet laws we'd be winning! Instead this....

[Yagoda]

Weed is fun. Its a plant. Its not going anywhere.

[Robert Tyrrell]

32 minutes ago, jvs said:

I keep it in the freezer in a plastic bag.

I did read up on it and you are not "supposed" to do that because it loses potency.

Had some in there for over 6 months and no difference at all!

 

I think your confusing Coffee versus Cannabis 🙂 When Cannabis is frozen THC Congeals , Like preserving it in time  🙂 You can also freeze yoyr grinder the debris / Thc freezes and congeals easy to scrape out thw scraps !! To clean your grinder 😉

 

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

I haven’t noticed any cannabis shops closing around my area of Phuket. A couple of news ones opened up. Most still have outside sitting areas so that customers can enjoy their purchases, some consisting of bean bag relax areas with music playing….right beside the road.

 

Seems the broom isn’t long enough for the sweeping crackdown to reach Phuket

Only one weed shop near me,  and that opened about 3 months ago.

I go past it every morning around 05:30 on my morning exercise bike ride to the local park.

It's open with about 5 motorcycles outside, same young lads every time, two or three on each bike..

Outside the shop lighting up then ripping up the road in a convoy.

 

I'm sure they each have a doctors prescription for cannabis use to medicate for some ailment.

 

[Gottfrid]

5 hours ago, saintdomingo said:

Guy who.?

Ok, no problem. I take that as a message from an AA guy! 😂

[NanLaew]

Mate of mine, back for his holiday and livin' the dream on Soi Buakhao, reckons the place smells better with these weed shops either closing or being shuttered. Like myself, he can't stand the smell of the bloody stuff.

[ronnie50]

I seem to recall that the political party and its politicians that pushed hardest for legalization were an unlikely bunch of conservatives. So they had to be fronting for some very rich and powerful people. Therefore, I'm guessing this roll-back of the law and the crack down on some - but not all - weed shops is part of the internal war going on between Thaksin's party and his adversaries who probably own many of these shops en mass. Wasn't Anutin one of those pushing for legaliation? Hmm, wasn't he also health minister for a time? (or was that the heroin smuggler? It's so easy to mix them all up)

[Hunz Kittisak]

Weed lovers need to wait for next change of government so that the law can flip flop again? 

[Bohemianfish]

11 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

I can't say i can complain, I haven't set foot in a single shop in months while I am a daily smoker. Mainly because they charge rip off prices where I can get very high end indoor (sativa, hard to find) for just 35 baht per gram. Stocked up for 250 grams or so, same for papers and filters I just buy wholesale.

While not in Thailand, I just make cannibutter as an edible. Get in bulk, cook, always avaiable in the fridge. Bake, then infuse in butter or some other oil.

[Mitkof Island]

10 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

This is such BS. A few members of the government want to make all of the money on this.

 

There should be a massive class-action lawsuit if they have such things here in Thailand.

Already is! All the shops I have visited and continue to contact ZERO changes less than 24 hours ago. More Hot Air !

[Mitkof Island]

49 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Weed lovers need to wait for next change of government so that the law can flip flop again? 

Two weeks Thaksin and family will be gone along with Dr. Doom and numerous other corrupt nutjobs!

[Hummin]

14 hours ago, gargamon said:

Oh the humanity.

Oh the irony

 

Is it now we should say told you so? 

 

It was clear from day one how this would finely end after everyone wanted to believe it was legalized.

[StayinThailand2much]

Haha... There must be many vacant shop properties now in some Bangkok neighbourhoods, and every other shop closed on Soi Buakhao in Pattaya... 😆

[Luuk Chaai]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

So 180 complaints lead to 1,080 shops being closed.

Did every complaint report 6 shops?

 

....   and ...     did these  "supposed" complaints come from the locals ???  doubtful ..

 I would put my money on "if" there were any complaints..  it came from  puckered up expats 

[movsrusnj]

The Thai government is awash with money and doesnt need the revenue from VAT, licensing fees and the boost to the unemployed from jobs in the shops. Ok, I understand.  Illegal sales will grow, the government will shoot itself in the foot and retail prices will drop.

 

Well thought out plan. NOT.

[gargamon]

My online dealers are still around. Who cares about the tourist shops anyway? They have stopped using the thai post though.

[DonniePeverley]

17 hours ago, Teddy Boy said:

Should never had legalised it in the first place 

 

 

Massive miscalculation. 

 

Thailand is a country that relies heavily on tourism. The relaxed cannabis laws has been some sort of magnet for criminals and unsavoury scumm bags to come and visit. These visitors have ruined Thailands repuation and have turned away the masses. 

 

If you do legalise it, then you better make sure you enforce the laws to protect those who don't want to be around it. Instead Thailand has been unable to enforce the laws they had around it. So you would have scenarios you could be in a restaurant, coffee shop, on a beach, by the pool and some lousy tourists would light up a joint. This tarnishes Thailands reputation. 

 

In places like California the punishments for public smoking of a joint are very tough. In Thailand they are unable to enforce the laws. 

 

The sheer volume of smuggling out of Thailand is beyond the pale now. Coming back from Thailand and you just know the level of scrutinity these flights are now under. Look at the warnings Singapore gives it visitors when visiting Thailand. It's trashed the reputation. 

 

Furthermore whilst if you do smoke cannabis in moderation you are chilled, but excessive smoking, withdrawel symptoms, mixing with alcohol does see some really crappy behaviour we are seeing around Thailand at the moment. 

 

 

[daveAustin]

Oh dear, Thailand, what are you doing? Becoming <deleted>tyy and controlling does not a happy nation make. Would laugh my tits off if Vietnam went cannabis friendly and stole ALL their tourists. 

[daveAustin]

20 hours ago, nausea said:

Whilst cannabis use is not one of my foibles (alcohol and cigs remain my poisons of choice) I have been considering long term cannabis use to deal with back pain; I understand kratom can also be effective. Currently, I occasionally take pain medications, but mostly just grin and bear it; my concern is the long term health effects of paracetamol, Arcoxia, Ultracet, and the like; especially as I occasionally binge drink, which puts enough strain on my liver as it is, methinks.

You’ll still be able to get the benefits from it, and legally. Shops will remain open for those that conform, to get it into the hands of those greedy so n sos that don’t want to lose out, and also for the nation to save face. 😴

So at least there will be that. My so called ‘first world’ nation is a thousand years behind Thailand on that score… ruled by fuddy duddies and the anachronistic House of Lords. There is also the fuddy duddy element here of course, but money trumps all. 

[henryford1958]

1000 down but 17000 still open !