Cannabis News
Thailand cannabis news, legalisation updates, medical cannabis, and industry trends—stay informed on regulations, research, and the impact of cannabis on society. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for cannabis news in Thailand.
-
Four kilograms of marijuana found in delivery pickup in Nakhon Si Thammarat
PHOTOS: Infantry Division 5 A parcel delivery driver has been found with four kilograms of marijuana in his Kerry Express pickup truck in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The Infantry Division 5 reports that while soldiers from the Infantry Division 5 were on their duty at a normal checkpoint in Chulabhon District, they stopped a pickup truck doing parcel deliveries. They found…
-
Three Samut Prakan residents arrested with 868 kilograms of marijuana
Three men have been arrested with a whopping 868 kilograms of marijuana hidden in two houses in Samut Prakan, south-east of Bangkok. Police held a media conference to announce the arrest of two 33 year olds, Somporn Kimya and Supachai Neesungnone along with an 18 year old Thawatchai (surname withheld). Metropolitan Police Lt Gen Sutthipong Wongpin says police seized the…
-
Fourteen kilograms of marijuana seized in pre-Songkran drug crackdowns
Phuket police have sized a total of 14 kilograms of marijuana in three separate cases, including intercepting parcel post yesterday. It’s all part of the annual pre-Songkran drugs crackdown. Phuket Provincial Police have seized a parcel box sent via Thai Post in Rawai where they found 12 kilograms of marijuana. Police are now tracking down the sender. In the second…
-
Wife claims husband died after being beaten up in police custody
A woman has made an official complaint after her husband died after being in police custody. The distraught wife went to Panat Nikom police in Chon Buri to complain yesterday after police called her to say that her husband had died whilst in detention. 31 year old Naruephon had earlier been arrested at his house on charges of smoking marijuana. He…
-
“New drug laws don’t legalise unlicensed marijuana cultivation”
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rushed to clarify that the new narcotics law does not legalise the unrestricted planting of marijuana in an apparent response to the Bhumjai Thai political party’s manifesto pledge to legalise marijuana cultivation. The party trotted out the election platform last week during their campaigning. FDA secretary-general Dr. Tharet Kratnairaveewong has clarified that the…
-
Amnesty for possession of cannabis in Thailand?
The Government is looking at a plan to grant amnesty to those who have been using, or have, cannabis in their possession, But only if they report to authorities within a given time frame. The Drug Committee approved three draft legislations for amnesty yesterday. If the drafts become law even possessors of cannabis, who are not patients or research units,…
-
Seven drug busts net 10 million meth pills, 4 kg of heroin
The more drugs police intercept, the more that pours across the borders. The Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau have reported on seven drug busts that netted 10 suspects and the confiscation of 10 million methamphetamine pills and nearly four kilograms of heroin. The NSB also seized other illicit drugs including crystal meth or “ice”, ecstasy pills and cocaine. Separate searches in…
-
Thai PM enacts his Article 44 powers to suspend cannabis patents
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has stepped in amid growing controversy over patents for medical marijuana. Critics of the process complain that the high number of patent applications from abroad shows that foreign pharmaceutical corporations were already trying to monopolise Thailand’s fledgling medical-marijuana business. The NCPO leader has used his Article 44 powers to authorise suspension of the current patent applications…
-
British man pioneers cannabis tom yum, police are not happy
PHOTO: Khaosodenglish A 58 year old real estate developer, living in Koh Samui for 22 years, is facing some trouble with the police for his ‘medicinal’ innovations in the kitchen. Police have arrested and charged Gary Coughlan with drug offenses after they noticed he was acting a little ‘unusual and erratic’ this morning (Wednesday). He later tested positive for drug…
-
Phuket house keeper keeps 2,600 meth pills and 3kg of marijuana at house in Rawai
A Rawai house keeper has been arrested with 2,600 methamphetamine pills and three kilograms of marijuana. A team of Border Patrol Police has arrested 47 year old Wanlee ‘Mai’ Eiadkerd. Police seized 2,600 methamphetamine pills and three kilograms of marijuana inside a house in Rawai. The arrest follows police first arresting a Thai woman with methamphetamine pills in Chalong. She told…
-
Medical cannabis crops to be tightly controlled
The Thai narcotic control board head says that only Thai citizens who join hands with the government will be allowed to cultivate medical cannabis. The board yesterday stressed that growers of the potentially lucrative crop must be cooperatives, community enterprises or social enterprises made up of citizens – and not private companies. Their business will be under the scrutiny of…
-
English teacher arrested after inner city organic marijuana farm raid
A 46 year old English language teacher has been arrested for allegedly operating an organic marijuana farm and selling the produce online. He was arrested today after a raid on a four level building in Bangkok’s Phayathai inner city district. Police say that on the third floor of the building, officers found five litres of cannabis oil, 50 plastic pots…
-
The legalisation of cannabis for medical use – more questions than answers
by Laura Villadiego “Despite what looks to be the biggest step in decades towards legalisation of cannabis in Thailand… the use of cannabis in Thailand without a licence is still punishable with jail terms.” Unclear licensing rules have given rise to fears foreign firms might apply for patents and squeeze out local players There are concerns the public might think…
-
Thailand approves medical marijuana
CNN reports… Thailand’s interim parliament voted to allow the use of medical cannabis. Recreational use of the drug remains illegal. Lawmaker Somchai Sawangkarn says the passing of an amendment to allow medical marijuana in the country “could be considered as a New Year gift to Thais.” “The amendment (on the Narcotics Bill) was passed on the second and third readings…
-
Medical marijuana is now legal in Thailand
• Possession of marijuana and krathom within legal limits will be allowed for treatment of certain diseases, for first aid or in cases of emergency •The committee has the authority to give permission to requests for production, import and export of marijuana A new law that legitimises the use of marijuana for medical purposes has sailed through the National Legislative Assembly…
-
Four arrested with guns and drugs in Chalong
Officers have arrested four suspects and seized two illegal guns, 26 bullets, 319 methamphetamine pills and half a kilogram of marijuana in Chalong. Officers first arrested 28 year old Dawrueang Pomsuwan. Officers seized 3.68 grams, 319methamphetamine pills and 20 bullets. He has been charged with illegal possession of Category 1 Drugs with intent to sell and illegal possession of ammunition.…
-
Government ready to develop medications, rejects seized marijuana
by Khanittha Thepphajorn and Kornrawee Panyasuppakun The move to getting medical marijuana legalised is edging closer. The bill on the issue has already made headway through the National Legislative Assembly (NLA). Yesterday, a bill was passed with 145 votes, allowing marijuana to be used for medical and research purposes. Only one legislator abstained. The NLA’s Somchai Swangkarn said a vetting committee…
-
Wanted UK brothers arrested during a raid in Chonburi
PHOTO: Thai Immigration Bureau Thai Immigration have filled in the details of an armed night raid earlier this week at a Chonburi hotel. The men arrested have been named as 43 year old Joseph Mulhare and his 38 year old brother Gregory Mulhare. Their arrest followed a cat and mouse game as the pair moved from Pattaya to Bangkok before…
-
Region 8 Police pre-Loy Krathong crime blitz
The Region 8 Police have seized more than 3 million methamphetamine pills and more than 100 firearms during a week of drugs and crimes crackdowns before Loy Kratong, from seven provinces. Detail were revealed at a press conference at the Region 8 Police headquarter in Mai Khao. From November 13-18, before the Loy Kratong festivities tomorrow, police arrested a total…
-
Green light for grass. But Cabinet wants a 5 year review.
by Kai Chanwanpen The Thai Cabinet met yesterday to clear a bill to legalise the medical use of marijuana. But there’s one caveat… that the legalisation must be reviewed after five years. The bill was drafted by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) following months of consolation and online polls. Following the Cabinet’s green light and recommended addition, the draft law…
-
44 national assembly reps support bill to decriminalise ‘medical marijuana’
A total of 44 members of the Thai National Legislative Assembly have signed in support of a draft bill to decriminalise marijuana for medical purpose by deleting cannabis from the Category 5 list of narcotic drugs, said Mr Somchai Sawaengkarn, secretary of the NLA’s extraordinary committee on parliamentary affairs. He says the decision to push for a separate bill to…
-
‘Overwhelming support’ for decriminalising marijuana for R&D
“An overwhelming number of people are voicing support for decriminalising the use of marijuana for research and development, and for medical purpose.” This from Somchai Sawaengkarn, a member of the National Legislative Assembly, citing results of an opinion survey conducted between October 1-15. Of the 16,431 people who voiced their opinions on the issue, 16,264 voted in support of the…
-
More cocaine being discovered in Patong
More cocaine has been discovered in Patong while more heroin has been seized in a major crackdown on ‘hard’ drugs. Police and authorities say they are concerned about the rise in drug seizures and the amounts flowing around Phuket’s seaside party town. Phuket Vice Governor Supot Rodrueang Na Nong Khai says, “Nowadays drugs price have decreased, especially the cost of…
-
Man arrested for alleged attempted rape of nine year old girl
by Kornkamon Aksorndech and Supachai Phetchthewee Police have arrested a motorcycle taxi driver for allegedly luring a nine year old girl into a Bangkok temple toilet yesterday in an attempt to rape her. The alleged incident took place at 5pm at the Wat Yoo Dee Bumrungtham (Wat Or Ngern) toilet in the Saimai district. The alleged assault was stopped when the…
-
Big Bangkok Busts
The Metropolitan Police Bureau are crowing about their ‘protection operations’ during the past two months have resulted in the arrest of many suspects and huge drug seizures. Pol Maj Gen Ruchakorn Jornjewut, deputy commissioner of the bureau, held a press conference on the “Protecting People” operations from July 1 to August 30. He said the operations saw 6,392 alleged drug…
-
Online shopping attracts attention from Customs Department
We’re getting more used to online shopping. And the Thai Customs Department are getting better at tracking and taxing incoming goods. The Customs Department has stepped up its tax collection for online shopping and provided more convenient services for taxpayers, Kulit Sombatsiri, director general of the Customs Department, said on Thursday. E-shopping for overseas goods had led to tariff collection…
-
Bangkok drug party busted
Bangkok police have called on the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to help find the source of the narcotics that the 28 suspects allegedly used at a party on Saturday, Wang Thong Lang deputy superintendent Pol Lt-Colonel Chaowarit Ngernchalard said on Sunday. The suspects are in police custody for further interrogation and will be escorted to Criminal Court on…
-
Two drug gangs busted
Two big drug hauls today in different parts of the country. Firstly, police arrested six suspects including the alleged drug-trafficking gang leader Phusinthorn Jomtharak, along with over 68,000 methamphetamine pills in Chaiyaphum province. 24 year old Phusinthorn, a Nong Bua Dang district native, was nabbed yesterday (Tuesday) while visiting a drug inmate friend at Chaiyaphum Prison. Police say that Phusinthorn…
-
Two motorbike taxi drivers arrested in public transport drug crackdown
A team of officials led by the Provincial Police Region 8 Police have conducted drug and alcohol tests in a campaign at the new Phuket Bus terminal in Rassada yesterday (June 21). The campaign ran from 3-5pm. Sarawut Pakdee, a law enforcement officer of the Provincial Police Region 8 says, “Phuket’s Governor Norraphat Plodthong is very concerned about public transport safety…
-
Kratom use on the rise in Phuket
Drug arrest statistics have shown that the use kratom is on the rise in Phuket followed closely by methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine. Phuket’s Vice Governor Snith says, “We have found that kratom is the number one drug seized in Phuket. Even though our officers are strictly enforcing the law, arresting suspects and seizing this drug in large quantities, kratom…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.