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.
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Toilet drug kitchen busted in Bangkok cannabis snack raid
Bangkok police have uncovered a cannabis snack production house where toilets were used as mixing stations, seizing nearly a million baht’s worth of illegal products—just days after a toddler was hospitalised from eating one of the jellies. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) launched the raid following social media reports that a two year old child had eaten a jelly,…
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Weed stench driving tourists away, claims Phuket MP
A Phuket MP has lit up controversy by claiming that the smell of cannabis on local beaches is driving away big-spending tourists and damaging the island’s reputation. Yesterday, July 25, Chalermpong Saengdee, an MP for Phuket from the People’s Party, issued a fiery statement slamming the lack of cannabis regulation and the government’s “careless” visa-free policy, warning that Thailand’s top…
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Joint venture: British woman caught with cannabis stash walks free
A British woman has narrowly escaped jail after being busted smuggling nearly 50 kilogrammes of cannabis into the UK following a trip to Thailand, prompting a judge to ask, “What possessed you?” Lauren Martin, from Liverpool, was stopped by Border Force officers at Manchester Airport on April 5 this year after arriving on a flight from Thailand. When questioned about…
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Brit mum busted in Munich drug sting after Thailand detour
A British mum has been charged after she was reportedly caught smuggling cannabis from Thailand to Germany, becoming the latest in a troubling wave of young UK nationals caught in overseas weed crackdowns. Cameron Bradford, a 21 year old from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, is facing serious charges in Germany after being arrested at Munich Airport on April 22. Immigration officers declared…
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Highway: Foreign tourist tries to pay Pattaya taxi fare with marijuana
A foreign tourist tried to pay his 2,000-baht taxi fare from Bangkok to Pattaya with a giant bag of marijuana, leaving the stunned cabbie out of pocket and steaming mad. The bizarre incident unfolded in the early hours of today, July 15, when 54 year old veteran driver Prachuap, picked up the man at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for a trip…
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Weed crackdown: Thailand to force cannabis shops to hire doctors
Thailand’s cannabis boom is about to get a massive reality check. Starting later this year, thousands of cannabis retailers will be legally transformed into healthcare facilities—and required to have a doctor on-site to dispense weed. At a packed press conference yesterday, July 8, Thanakrit Jit-areerat, Secretary to the Minister of Public Health, announced that the Department of Thai Traditional and…
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FDA cracks down on illegal cannabis products in Thailand
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is intensifying efforts to eliminate illegal cannabis products across Thailand. Emphasising the importance of checking labels, they are prosecuting imported goods with THC levels exceeding legal limits. This move follows an incident where a two year old girl accidentally consumed cannabis-infused jelly, necessitating hospital treatment. Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin instructed the FDA and provincial…
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Former UK Asda manager jailed for smuggling cannabis from Thailand
Louisa De Marco, a 53 year old former Asda manager, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison, half to be served behind bars, for attempting to smuggle over 31 kilogrammes of cannabis into the UK via Manchester Airport. She was offered £10,000 (440,835 baht) for the job, allegedly orchestrated during a trip to Thailand, but pocketed nothing after losing her…
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7 Phuket cannabis shops shut down in crackdown blitz
A major cannabis crackdown has rocked Phuket’s Cherng Talay area after officials swooped in and shut down seven shops caught flouting regulations in broad daylight. The Thalang District Office wasted no time ordering the immediate suspension of licences following a coordinated raid that exposed a litany of offences, ranging from illegal sales to on-site smoking. The operation unfolded yesterday, July…
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Thai cannabis prescriptions standardised, symptoms list clarified
Thailand’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine has confirmed that the new cannabis prescription form, known as PorThor 33, will proceed without the previously listed 15 medical symptoms, following concerns about overlapping authority among professional groups. Somruk Chungsaman, Director-General of the department, said yesterday, June 30, that the decision aims to allow each of the seven recognised professions to…
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Illegal gold miners jailed and fined 500,000 baht each
Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court has sentenced two people to five years in prison and a fine of 500,000 baht each under sections 90 and 78 of the Criminal Code. The charges stemmed from illegal gold mining activities within a national park and a protected forest area. The defendants, Achong and Anusorn, were charged by the Thong Pha Phum Provincial…
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Thailand rolls out cannabis prescription form for 15 conditions
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) issued an official prescription form for medical cannabis. The move yesterday, June 30, follows the Ministry of Public Health’s announcement on controlled herbs, which sets out strict regulations for cannabis use. The form, known as P.T.33, allows authorised practitioners across seven professions — including doctors, dentists, pharmacists and traditional healers —…
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Thailand cannabis crackdown: New prescription rules spark outcry
Thailand’s cannabis free-for-all is coming to an abrupt end, with health chiefs vowing to tighten the rules on who can grow, sell, and smoke the controversial herb. Dr Tewan Thanirat, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM), announced that stricter controls are on the way. Under the proposed regulations, anyone selling cannabis flower buds will…
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Thailand’s cannabis recriminalisation: What’s the damage?
Thailand has recently reversed its decision to decriminalise cannabis, with the Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin signing an order on June 23, preventing stores from selling cannabis without a prescription. The new regulations restrict cannabis use solely to medical purposes, essentially reclassifying the plant as a controlled herb. The move also marks the end of the country’s three-year experiment with recreational…
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Khon Kaen cannabis shop raided over young patrons
Police, including the Khon Kaen Provincial Public Health Office, Region 4 Narcotics Control Board, and Mueang Khon Kaen Police, conducted a raid on Thun Kan, a cannabis shop in Khon Kaen province. The raid, yesterday, June 25, uncovered concerning activities involving underage people. Upon entering the shop, officials found a pervasive smell of cannabis. Two groups of young patrons were…
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Thailand’s cannabis crackdown: New rules could kill the green rush
Thailand promised to introduce tough new rules to regulate the sale and use of cannabis products in the country. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin signed a new regulation yesterday, June 24, which aims to crack down on widespread cannabis sales, restricting usage and access even further. Under the new rules, all cannabis purchases will now require a medical prescription. Consumers…
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Bhumjaithai criticises Pheu Thai for cannabis regulation delays
Bhumjaithai Party senior member Supachai Jaisamut has urged the swift passage of a cannabis control bill, criticising the Pheu Thai Party’s Ministry of Public Health for its perceived inaction in regulating cannabis. This, he claims, has resulted in its widespread availability and associated challenges. Supachai has reiterated that since 2019, the BJT has supported cannabis use solely for medical purposes.…
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High alert: Phuket to zone out cannabis amid tourist backlash
Phuket officials are cracking down on the island’s cannabis free-for-all, announcing plans to restrict where weed can be sold and smoked after a flood of complaints from locals and tourists. Governor Sophon Suwannarat revealed on Tuesday, June 17, that local officials are pushing to create designated “green zones” for cannabis sales and consumption. The move aims to control the island’s…
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Baggage claim! Irish drug mule jailed after 22.5m baht stash found
An Irish woman has been jailed in Norway after being caught red-handed smuggling nearly 30 kilogrammes of cannabis, worth an estimated 600,000 euros (22.5 million baht), from Thailand in two bulging suitcases. Other news outlets reported the stash was 41.7 kilos of weed. Jamie Mahon from Moneymore in Drogheda, Co Louth, was arrested at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport on January 9 this…
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British Onlyfans mum nabbed at Spanish airport with £200k in weed
A British OnlyFans model has swapped lingerie for lockdown after allegedly trying to smuggle over £200,000 (8.82 million baht) worth of cannabis into Spain in her luggage. Clara Wilson, a mum-of-four from Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire, was busted by the Civil Guard at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport on January 20 after stepping off a Qatar Airways flight from Doha. But her real…
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Vape and cig racket busted at Pattaya weed shop
A cannabis shop on Pattaya Beach Road has been exposed as a front for selling illegal vapes and foreign cigarettes, with cops seizing hundreds of illicit products in a dramatic police raid. Officers from Pattaya Police, in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), swooped on the Dr Weed cannabis store in the heart of the popular resort town, uncovering…
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Thailand mandates medical certificates for cannabis use
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin announced that cannabis users in Thailand will soon need medical certificates to ensure the plant is used for medical purposes only. This decision marks another step in the ongoing process of regulating cannabis use since its decriminalisation nearly three years ago. Somsak stated his intention to refine cannabis regulations in Thailand, highlighting that both foreign…
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Dopey striker’s 27 million baht own goal in cannabis smuggle sting
A former Arsenal wonderkid has admitted his part in a plot to smuggle £600,000 (26.4 million baht) worth of cannabis from Thailand to Britain, after luring his girlfriend and her pal into playing unwitting drug mules. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, was nicked after 60 kilogrammes of cannabis was found stuffed inside four suitcases that had just landed at London Stansted Airport from…
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British ambassador issues cannabis warning in Phuket
British tourists lighting up in Thailand have been hit with a harsh reminder—bring cannabis home and you could face serious jail time. During an official visit to Phuket on Monday, April 28, British Ambassador to Thailand Mark Gooding urged Thai officials to continue warning tourists that cannabis remains strictly illegal in the UK. The message was delivered during a meeting…
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Dope busted: British nationals caught in Kho Samui cannabis caper
Four British nationals were collared in Thailand for their alleged role in a colossal cannabis smuggling scheme. The suspects were apprehended at Koh Samui Airport with a staggering 131 kilogrammes of marijuana as they prepared to jet back to the United Kingdom. The bust, yesterday, March 16, was a coordinated effort by the Surat Thani Immigration Investigation Unit, Koh Samui…
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Thai couple bring 24kg of cannabis to Japan in luggage mix-up
A Thai couple and their tour guide narrowly avoided charges after the couple mistakenly took the wrong luggage, belonging to a foreigner, and entered Japan with 24 kilogrammes of cannabis, which is illegal in the country. A Thai tour guide posted in a Facebook group called กลุ่มคนชอบตะลอนเที่ยวญี่ปุ่น (meaning a group for anyone who loves travelling around Japan) on Friday, March…
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Busted bud: British man nabbed with cannabis at Krabi Airport
A British man was arrested at Krabi International Airport after officials discovered a massive haul of more than 34 kilogrammes of cannabis stashed in suitcases. The late-night bust has set tongues wagging amidst continuing concerns over drug trafficking in Thailand. According to Krabi Provincial Police, the drama unfolded around 11.50pm on Saturday, March 8, when vigilant airport staff found a…
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Busted buds: Indian men nabbed in Bangkok airport cannabis scam
Two Indian men were arrested at Don Mueang International Airport for attempting to smuggle a staggering 22 kilogrammes of cannabis disguised as snack bags. The duo’s audacious plan to slip the marijuana past customs was thwarted in a dramatic operation today, March 10. The masterminds behind the daring plot, Kamarudheen and Shibin, both 34 years of age, were apprehended at…
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Irishman arrested for cannabis shop break-in in Pattaya
Tourist Police and Pattaya Police have apprehended an Irishman following a break-in at a cannabis shop in Pattaya. The 23 year old man allegedly broke a window to access marijuana products, which he consumed until he passed out. The incident, which took place on February 2, was captured on CCTV. Following a complaint lodged at Pattaya City Police Station, an…
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Bud luck: Bold bandit breaks into Pattaya pot shop, swipes stash
Budbox Pattaya was the scene of a daring break-in yesterday morning. The infamous cannabis shop, situated in front of the JA Plus Hotel on Soi Chalermprakiat 3, was targeted by a bold foreign bandit who smashed his way through the glass doors to make off with goods valued at around 10,000 baht. The break-in occurred at approximately 11am, yesterday, February…
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