‘A perfect mess’: Thailand’s proposed cannabis crackdown steeped in political games and business owner anger

There appears to be clear consensus among cannabis operators that regulations are necessary for the industry to be sustainable and viable.

But they disagree with blanket bans on recreational use and “fake restrictions” such as requiring a medical certificate for purchasing the drug in future.

The draft bill also includes a fine of up to 60,000 baht (US$1690) for recreational use, while those selling recreational cannabis or participating in the advertisement or marketing of buds, resin, extract or smoking devices face jail terms of up to a year, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.

Those farming cannabis without a licence face tougher jail sentences, ranging from one to three years and fines from 20,000 baht to 300,000 baht. 

“It will be a perfect mess,” said Mr Pachara Chayavoraprapa, the chief operations officer of Buddy Group, the operator of Plantopia.

“The current regulation is that there’s not really many stringent rules. It’s really loose. The best scenario would be, if possible, to draw new parameters, quite strict ones on cannabis.

His idea is to follow a model emulating Amsterdam, where cannabis use has come further out of the shadows and is supported by cultural events and social spaces. He said selling could be limited to certain zones.

“For businesses who have invested a lot to be brought back into the illegal system, I think is a bit unfair,” he said.