Political Turmoil, Public Backlash, and a Swift Reversal Leave Thailand’s Cannabis Industry in Crisis
In 2022, Thailand made global headlines by becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis. The bold move catapulted the nation into a green spotlight, transforming it almost overnight into a haven for tourists, entrepreneurs, and small farmers seeking a new beginning. But just as quickly as the industry blossomed, it now finds itself in retreat.
On June 24, 2025, Thai Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin signed an order officially ending the short-lived era of recreational cannabis in the country. The new policy—now active—restricts access to medical use only and introduces strict requirements for licensing, traceability, and consumer eligibility.
The government’s next step? Reclassifying cannabis as a Category 5 narcotic, effectively recriminalizing any non-prescribed use. While that reclassification is still underway, the order already bans all cannabis sales without a medical prescription, consumption in dispensaries, online sales, advertising, and public sales in religious, educational, and amusement venues.
From Trailblazer to Cautionary Tale
Thailand’s experiment with cannabis decriminalization was hailed as a turning point for Asia. The country saw over 11,000 dispensaries open, fed by thousands of local farms. By 2025, the industry was projected to reach $1.2 billion. Tourists flocked to neon-lit storefronts in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya. The phrase sabai sabai—an expression of Thailand’s famously laid-back culture—was redefined by the easy availability of pungent flower and infused products.
But behind the scenes, chaos was brewing.
Critics say that while the 2022 policy removed cannabis from Thailand’s narcotics list, it lacked any comprehensive regulation, leaving a legal gray area ripe for exploitation. Dispensaries operated with minimal oversight, and no THC limits, packaging standards, or age restrictions were consistently enforced. The government claims this unregulated boom led to increased youth use and illicit exports of cannabis to countries as far as the UK and India.
The Politics Behind the Pivot
The policy reversal cannot be separated from Thailand’s ongoing political instability.
The Bhumjaithai Party, which led the cannabis push under former Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, exited the ruling coalition in June 2025 amid tensions over a border dispute with Cambodia. Just days later, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended by the Constitutional Court in an ethics probe, and interim leadership was installed in rapid succession.
With Bhumjaithai gone, the Pheu Thai Party, which campaigned on restricting cannabis use to medical purposes only, wasted no time in acting on that promise. Cannabis reform became political collateral in a broader power struggle—leaving entrepreneurs, patients, and farmers caught in the crossfire.
Industry in Freefall
The new rules allow cannabis sales only with a prescription issued by licensed Thai, Chinese, or dental medicine practitioners, limited to 30-day supplies. All cannabis must come from GACP-certified farms, and sellers must report inventory data to the government. Violators face up to one year in prison or a 20,000-baht fine (about $600).
Cannabis activist Chokwan “Kitty” Chopaka, founder of Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network, warns that these sudden changes are devastating small operators:
“Most permits are going to big players, while small farmers like me are left waiting or falling victim to scams,” she told the Bangkok Post.
Chopaka is helping lead a protest movement against the policy shift, with mass demonstrations planned in front of the Ministry of Public Health on July 7.
“Cannabis will just become another thing managed by the corrupt underground system,” she told TIME. “It won’t disappear. It’ll just go dark.”
Tourists and Patients Left Confused
The swift nature of the crackdown has caused mass confusion. Many tourists are unaware of the new rules, and some dispensaries continue to operate in legal gray zones, unsure whether they’ll survive the next regulatory blow.
Meanwhile, patients and health advocates argue that medical cannabis access is now more difficult than ever—especially for those without regular access to licensed doctors. The original intent of cannabis reform—to support wellness, local economies, and cultural healing—has been lost in the bureaucratic and political shuffle.
What’s Next for Thailand’s Cannabis Scene?
The Thai cannabis story is still being written. Reclassification as a narcotic would mark a total reversal of the country’s historic 2022 move and a potential return to criminal penalties for non-medical use. But activists, entrepreneurs, and reform advocates aren’t backing down.
As Thailand’s green rush grinds to a halt, the country’s brief moment as a global cannabis trailblazer stands as both an inspiration and a warning: Legalization without regulation is a gamble—and political will can disappear overnight.
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