6 hours ago, Lorry said:

What exactly has cannabis to do with safety?

 

Oh, I see: a state that legalizes cannabis is probably a state where i don't get whipped for some harmless graffiti. In Thailand, I am safe from Singapore's police state. 

 

 

What is it you think is attracting Benidorm Brits to Thailand? They weren't going there before the weed laws. 

 

Who wants to holiday with these Magaluf massive ?

A lot of the complaints have been caused by the customers smoking it everywhere in public, which I don't think  was part of the original plan.

Families with kids were getting hit with the smell while eating in restaurants etc. I have often been hit with the smell of weed from car drivers  with their windows open or their arm hanging out with a spliff. 

 

That old saying "Give them an inch and they will take a mile" comes to mind.

16 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

Get rid of weed after making it fully legal? Okay, probably should not have been legal in the first place but this is draconian.

 

This really goes to the heart of why no one should own a business in Thailand. I'd also include shares of corporations in that assessment. 

 

One thing certain. Foreigners will not be buying weed which is a direct injection of foreign money into Thailand. Some may even decided not to holiday here bc of the decision. 

 

Most weed shops dying a slow death anyway. Just let them go under as they will. 

 

Funny, not only do they halt legit business, but they've re-criminslized it as well. 

 

I just saw an article somewhere how younger US generation drinking less, smoking weed hmmmmm... here too I'm guessing 

 

The nation is run on whims of corrupt politicians. Alcohol lobby strikes fast and hard. Wealthy oligopolists say jump and Thai pols ask how high. Thailand can't do anything with precision and or expediency, yet when the call comes in - things get done with immediacy 

It was never legal! I just do not know how everyone got the impression weed became legal, and it was never intentions of letting tourists or anyone else smoking recreational weed. 

 

Weed was decriminalized and legal for medical purposes, never to smoke in public or for recreational purposes 

38 minutes ago, phetphet said:

A lot of the complaints have been caused by the customers smoking it everywhere in public, which I don't think  was part of the original plan.

Families with kids were getting hit with the smell while eating in restaurants etc. I have often been hit with the smell of weed from car drivers  with their windows open or their arm hanging out with a spliff. 

 

That old saying "Give them an inch and they will take a mile" comes to mind.

 

 

California has legal marijuana laws. But if you dare smoke it in public the penalties are very harsh, a criminal record for life, and some major issues. IT'S ENFORCED and they use the resources to police it properly so it's fair for everyone.

 

Thailand is not enforcing, or most likely unable to allocate the resources to properly police it. This is why it should never have been legalised. 

 

If a family with children is a sitting in a outdoor restaurant, and some Benidorm Brit lights up a joint and smokes away without a care in the world (even if he mistakenly thinks he's doing nothing wrong) - who is that family going to report it to ?  Restaurant workers on little wages are probably reluctant to take on a Beniform Brit who would love nothing better to smash someones head in. That family leave the situation reflecting maybe Thailand is not for them.

 

Smoking weed around children is the worst act you can do - and i've seen on the islands idiots with no care in the world who will be smoking away without a care. 

 

It's not a case of 'who cares' - it actually harms tourism for Thailand. It's been an absolute disgrace to the reputation of Thailand. 

THAT'S THE PROBLEM. 

On 8/16/2025 at 7:21 AM, jwl53 said:

If your taking, Paracetamol, Aroxia, and Ultracet, your pain is very mild, all over the counter drugs so why consider weed, fag's will do you more harm and if its whiskey and the like your drinking then yes be concerned, a few beers a week not hurt you, but go spend a couple thousand baht and get your liver and blood checked 

Earlier this year I was taking Co-Codamol 30/500 for excruciating hip pain, and they certainly did the trick! (Taking 4 X 2 a day).

(I still have a box of 100 for emergencies).

On 8/16/2025 at 10:51 AM, BritManToo said:

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

Did every complaint report 6 shops?

No, operation without a licence resulting to 180 closures 

On 8/17/2025 at 6:33 AM, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

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. 

 

 

Cannot enforce laws around cannabis…..or any other laws for that matter. Unless it happens to suit them at the time.

On 8/17/2025 at 1:50 PM, khunPer said:

You sound like you favour lawbreakers – "...don't follow rules or don't have valid license..." – rather than those following the 

To change laws, due process needs to be followed through votes in parliament, & permits fees should be reinbersed...

 

42 minutes ago, Johno57 said:

On 8/17/2025 at 8:50 AM, khunPer said:

You sound like you favour lawbreakers – "...don't follow rules or don't have valid license..." – rather than those following the 

To change laws, due process needs to be followed through votes in parliament, & permits fees should be reinbersed...

 

It's not a change of law and rules, the authorities just enforce the original law – and distributing cannabis without a valid license is illegal even if the law is changed – you have to follow the law to be legal, also if you don't agree in the law...😉

On 8/15/2025 at 10:01 PM, 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

 

So, now you have to go to the police station to get high? 

These shops must be in remote areas of Issan near the Cambodian border because I haven't seen one closed shop during my regular MB rides through Jomtien and Pattaya. I don't smoke it myself, I'm like Ringo in the "NO NO" song. But I'm waiting to meet that babe from Columbia with what is the best in all the land. What I don't understand is  the babe from Majorca had a bag of Cocaine- what's up with that? Shouldn't it have been the Columbian with the Cocaine? Anyway, This supposed clean up of pot shops just seems to be another way to get brown envelopes. No wonder the helmet traffic stops are currently non-existent. Just a month or 2 ago there was supposed to be a crackdown on helmet-less MB riders. From my perspective it was a 3 day crackdown-if that. Things like this go the way of the Dodo bird, something that doesn't fly and is dead anyway.