Thai Prime Minister Srettha rolls up changes: Strict revisions ahead for cannabis laws

The Prime Minister of Thailand announced plans to revise the nation’s cannabis law and put an end to the free use of cannabis. PM Srettha Thavisin emphasized that cannabis should be used only for medical purposes.

As Thailand was the first country in Asia to remove cannabis from its list of illegal narcotics last year, Bloomberg interviewed Thai PM Srettha about the future of cannabis regulation in Thailand. The interview was published yesterday, September 21, and revealed that the Thai prime minister plans to revise the Cannabis Act to end the free use of cannabis within six months.

PM Srettha underscored the importance of revising the cannabis law and related laws to ensure that cannabis is solely employed for medical reasons and not for recreational purposes. The government aims to maintain strict control over cannabis shops to prevent any illicit sales.

The Bangkok-born politician revealed that the cannabis policy is one of the agreements reached by the 11 coalition parties. The 61 year old PM said that each party agrees that cannabis needs to be controlled but did not provide specific details on the upcoming legal revisions.

Bloomberg also quizzed the Thai premier on the return of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra. PM Srettha expressed his belief that Thaksin’s involvement could enhance government stability as he is one of Thailand’s most popular PMs. He added that he may consult Thaksin on various topics once he regains his freedom.

PM Srettha also answered questions on the tensions between the US and China. He said he felt sorry for the conflict and worried that small countries were being forced to take sides. He said he did not want any side to benefit from the conflict.

The Thai PM also voiced his hope that both China and the United States would find opportunities to invest in Thailand while acknowledging that the Land of Smiles still trails Vietnam in several fields.

During the recent General Election campaign, the Pheu Thai Party, along with Srettha, advocated against the free use of cannabis and sought to reinstate cannabis as a narcotic. This stance ran counter to the position of their coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, which opposed classifying cannabis as a narcotic.

As a result, the future of cannabis in Thailand remains uncertain, even though there are nearly 6,000 cannabis shops in Thailand today, according to ThaiRath.

PM Srettha is currently in New York to participate in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which runs from September 18 to September 24.

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