Thailand has legalised cannabis. Now it needs to weed out the loopholes, critics say
- Thailand is the first Asian country to remove cannabis from the narcotics control list with the aim of supporting its medical use and reap economic benefits
- A growing number of people and sectors in Thailand have found access to cannabis uncomfortable or troublesome since it was legalised on June 9
During the last week of June, MPs, district officials, police and press flocked to Bangkok’s Khaosan Road, home to dozens of bars, restaurants and guest houses to inspect cannabis joint stalls reportedly on the rise there.
Since the legalisation, a pop-up cannabis truck and smaller cannabis stalls have appeared selling different strains of the plant. It has led authorities to tighten controls, warning that street stalls must obtain permits.
By the last week of June, none of the pop-up trucks or stalls were found. A district official told This Week in Asia that he could not confirm if cannabis products were still offered on Khaosan.
Yada Pornpetrampa, has been working at a food stall on the street for three decades. She said once the law changed on June 9, cannabis products on the street were abundant.
