Rules and regulations concerning cannabis and hemp use in Thailand

Bangkok, 14 July, 2022 – Tourists visiting Thailand should make sure they are familiar with the rules and regulations concerning the use and possession of marijuana and hemp in the kingdom, following the decriminalisation of cannabis by the Thai government on 9 June, 2022.

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has designated marijuana and hemp as controlled plants, legalising cannabis with the aim of promoting it for medical and health purposes, and limiting its possession and use to people aged 20 years and above (unless they have permission from a doctor).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed cannabis with extracts containing no more than 0.2 percent by weight of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from its banned narcotics list. Extracts containing over 0.2 percent of THC are still illegal in Thailand. THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana.

Importantly, it must be noted that smoking of cannabis in public is forbidden. The penalty for this is a potential three-month jail sentence and 25,000 Baht fine. The new cannabis policies permit production and consumption solely for medical or health-related reasons; not recreational purposes.

The importation of products containing cannabis and hemp extracts, and hemp derived products, as well as any parts of cannabis and hemp, into Thailand is illegal.    

Households are able to cultivate plants at home with the registration on the designated application, and companies can also farm the plant with a permit.

The Royal Thai Government places the highest priority on the safety and well-being of every visitor to Thailand. As the main government agency responsible for the promotion and marketing of Thailand as a preferred destination, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working closely with all the concerned public and private organisations to ensure the utmost efforts to prevent any unfortunate incidents occurring on tourists and the local Thai people.