Tag: Thailand

It may not be Amsterdam, but Thailand is taking a stab at infused cannabis reform.

Thailand, which enacted cannabis reform as of Christmas Day, 2018, as a “gift” to the Thai people, has slowly begun to define a domestic cannabis culture. This, also despite the rigors of the Covid-19 Pandemic, includes retail establishments like cafes and restaurants that are reaching into traditional cuisine and culture to create a host of CBD-infused delicacies, from teas to food infusions.

On December 9, 2020, most of the cannabis plant, except for THC-rich flowers, has been decriminalized formally for commercial, licensed purposes. The Health Ministry is still responsible for dispensing these.

The first “cannabis cafe” has now even opened in the Thai capital, serving products sourced from an authorized local farm. 

They also have competition from another establishment – a dessert shop that plans to sell sweets infused with cannabis.

However, Bangkok is not the only city to see cannabis cuisine pop up in the country. In Prachinburi province, a new cafe and restaurant began offering cannabis-infused dishes, including deep-fried cannabis leaves and pizza.

This entrepreneurial boost is, of course, notably happening during COVID-19. When travel opens again, Thailand is sure to be ready for them, with its new cannabis offerings.

Cannabis Tourism After COVID-19

The Thai embrace of the regulated industry, albeit without the THC, is in marked contrast to the Dutch take on the same – notably in the city of Amsterdam. Pot tourism, generally, is not popular right now in Europe, in direct contrast to say, Thai efforts. 

What will happen in the aftermath of COVID-19, however, is very much in the air. In multiple jurisdictions, access to the drug has noticeably shrunk thanks to Pandemic-related measures. It is unlikely to stay stuffed in this box as restrictions lift.

This is especially true in Europe right now – where the Dutch recreational tender is still unresolved, and as Luxembourg eyes its own on-ramp to the discussion, now scheduled for the end of this year if not early next.

There is also, of course, Greece, which has hovered over the discussion for the last several years as the country continues to try to rebuild its own economy, which already cannot be entirely disentangled from at least the medical cannabis conversation.

Post–andemic, the discussion of retail establishments operating legitimately in the biz, whether they are geared to a local or visiting audience is going to be hot stuff.

Be sure to book your tickets now to the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Berlin, Summer 2021.

Thailand plans a tour to educate locals about medical cannabis. Fully-fledged production is the goal, but will this lead to other things – like organized canna tourism for foreigners?

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakam has announced that the federal agency is backing a formal medical marijuana tour. The idea is to increase awareness of the medical efficacy of cannabis among locals who are interested in venturing into cultivation.

According to the Bankok Post, 8 provinces have plantations that will serve as part of the tour, and anyone can purchase a tour package, which includes visiting the farms, and education about how to grow the plant commercially.

The Thai government is also moving fairly quickly to implement not only reforms but the infrastructure necessary to nurture a cannabis industry. In August of this year, the Thai cabinet approved an amendment to the country’s Narcotic Act to allow private medical practitioners, traditional healers, and farmers to grow cannabis for medical treatment. Just two years ago on Christmas Day, the government approved the medical use of cannabis, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize cannabis for medical purposes.

The Implications Elsewhere

There are still few governments that seem to be as open to creating a national economy for locals as the way the Thai government appears to be going about legalization. In most countries, starting with Europe but also including Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, the entire process of cannabis cultivation has been limited to existing farmers or cultivators who could raise significant amounts of cash to begin construction of specialized grow facilities and a supply chain that would pass medical muster.

The Thai government, however, appears to be taking a vastly different tact. Namely, making sure that national farmers are given the first opportunity to enter the market and keep control of a commodity that so far has mostly been dominated by those with deep pockets and from elsewhere.

This attempt to keep the cannabis market in local hands may well still traverse the path seen elsewhere – namely selling itself to foreign investors to raise capital for a fully licensed supply chain. However, it also may not. There is considerable backlash growing against the Canadian public industry, in particular. And more and more countries are beginning to understand that keeping cannabis production local is a vital element of national security, just like the ability to grow other food and plants for medicine.

Indeed, the Thai experiment may yet produce its own exotic strain of reform in the coming years that may well leapfrog its way into other national discussions.

Make sure to book your tickets to the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Europe in 2021.

When it comes to cannabis reform, one of the toughest places to be is on the Asia continent. Whereas cannabis reform has spread across almost every other continent, Asia is still largely stuck on the wrong side of history.

One country, Thailand, is looking to make a major play in the cannabis industry, as proven by recent news that Thailand is expected to allow private sector cannabis production, as well as foreign investment. Per Khaosod English:

Reopening its cannabis regulatory platform after months of disruption caused by the coronavirus, the Food and Drug Administration has prepared a draft bill to abolish a 5-year ban on the private sector making cannabis medicine.

Two draft ministerial regulations, one on marijuana and the other on hemp, under scrutiny since the end of last year and January respectively by the Council of State—the government’s legal arm—are also inching ahead following the easing of the lockdown.

Under these three pieces of legislation and regulations, foreigners will be allowed to get involved as long as they hold shares not exceeding one-third in a company incorporated under local law.

These are sensible pieces of legislation that should be adopted by the Thailand government. Right now there is no private-sector cannabis production allowed, and that is not only limiting for local economies, but also for patients that do not have as robust of a selection of medicine as reasonably possible.

Allowing foreign investment is always a slippery slope, in that in some instances it crushes opportunities for local investors and entrepreneurs. Placing a cap on ownership percentage is a good move in order to increase opportunities for foreign investors while balancing it with the need to protect opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

In a unique twist to what is going on in Europe right now, the Thai government has suggested that it would soon pass a measure allowing Thai citizens to grow up to six cannabis plants at home. For now, at least, the government envisions an environment where such crops could also be sold back to the government for “medical use.”

According to Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, “We have confidence that marijuana will be among the major agricultural products for Thai households. We are speeding up the changes. But there is a process.” The same minister also hinted as of September that families will be able to grow cannabis in their back gardens just like any other herb.

The announcement comes after the Thai government unveiled what it describes as the largest industrial-scale medical cannabis facility in Southeast Asia. University researchers from Maejo University planted 12,000 seedlings in September. The crop should be ready by March next year if all goes well.  

However, beyond just the crops planted there, the university is setting up to teach Thai farmers how to grow cannabis. Cannabis as an economic development tool is also on the agenda for political parties. The health minister’s party is currently suggesting that the sale of each mature plant, even grown in semi-professional cultivation circumstances, could fetch up to US$2,225 – meaning that families could earn $13,350 for their entire crop. 

The average annual Thai salary is about $8,200.

Of course the average Thai citizen, just like the average person, can not just go out and “grow medical” – certainly not that is integrated into formal pharmaceutical channels. Globally, there are high standards (that are also expensive to attain) before any substance, including cannabis, can be considered as a medical product. This certification process – also known loosely as GMP – is also the standard required internationally for medical exports beyond the existing international treaties that also govern the same.