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Thailand is set to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic only three years after the country became one of Asia's first to decriminalize its recreational use.
Coming in the wake of a government coalition split, the major policy reversal would renew controls on the recreational use of cannabis and shut down a booming $1 billion (€860 million) industry.
Why is Thailand recriminalizing cannabis?
Thailand removed cannabis from its narcotics list in 2022 but failed to implement a regulatory framework, allowing tens of thousands of cannabis shops to open, many in popular tourist areas.
Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said the unregulated market has caused social issues, especially among young people.
"The policy must return to its original goal of controlling cannabis for medical use only," he said.
The decision also comes after the withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai Party — once the main advocate for legalization — from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's ruling coalition. The split followed criticism of Shinawatra's handling of a border dispute with Cambodia.
What happens now?
Late Tuesday, the health ministry issued an order banning recreational cannabis sales and requiring a doctor's prescription for any legal purchase. The new regulations will take effect once published in the Royal Gazette, expected in the coming days.
Thailand closes border crossings to Cambodia
"Cannabis will be classified as a narcotic in the future," the Bangkok Post quotes Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin as saying.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce had estimated the industry — covering both recreational and medicinal cannabis — could have been worth $1.2 billion by 2025.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic
