Latest news with #WritingThailand
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Health
- Bangkok Post
Pro-cannabis group wants Somsak axed
A cannabis policy advocacy group, Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future Network, submitted a petition to the Government Complaints Centre at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday, calling for the dismissal of Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin. The group claimed that Mr Somsak's crackdown on marijuana favoured certain cannabis business groups while causing widespread harm across the industry. The petition referred to the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health on Controlled Herbs (Cannabis), which the group said marked a major departure from previous regulations in effect since 2022. For example, the new notification removed protections for vulnerable groups such as youth, effectively making cannabis more accessible to them -- despite claims that a medical certificate would still be required. The regulation also introduced new standards for cannabis cultivation and distribution without clearly informing the public. Under the new rules, cannabis must come from sources certified by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, yet no official certification standard has been announced. The regulation was enforced immediately without a grace period, leaving nearly 20,000 licensed producers unable to sell their products through the existing system. This abrupt change, the group said, has caused millions of baht in financial losses. The network also criticised the opaque implementation of the GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection Practices) standard, which they claim was applied selectively. Only certain groups were trained and certified, resulting in discriminatory practices that allowed a limited number of businesses to continue operating. The group accused Mr Somsak of violating the ethical code for politicians, citing alleged misconduct such as disregarding principles of justice, repeatedly meeting with specific cannabis business groups, withholding key information on licensing standards, and fostering division among licensed operators by favouring some. "The network and members of the cannabis community urge the PM to consider replacing the minister by appointing someone with knowledge, competence, and a commitment to good governance -- to restore public trust and end the harm to cannabis entrepreneurs," the group said.
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Weed networks still fuming
The Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future Network on Tuesday filed a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to probe Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin and other officials for issuing the latest cannabis regulations to please investors rather than small-scale growers. The complaint outlined five key concerns, including the removal of protection for vulnerable groups previously included in the 2022 regulation, such as a ban on cannabis sales to young people under 20. The 2025 version replaces the ban with a medical prescription system, making access far easier for the young, whom the state should protect, said the network. The group also touched on the imposition of Good Agriculture and Collection Practice (GACP), which requires that distributors and exporters must be certified by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. However, the criteria of the certifications and the sources of the cannabis are never announced, and thus, only a few are ever granted. The complaint addressed cannabis growers, many of whom have held legal licences and have been operating under the 2022 regulation. They now find that their products are unsellable, resulting in major losses for small businesses and communities. The regulation will also take immediate effect upon publication in the Royal Gazette, without allowing time for adaptation for the nearly 20,000 licensed shops, the network noted. The pro-cannabis network also accused the minister of unethical conduct due to his association with certain business groups in public and a lack of transparency, which limited access to economic opportunities for growers. The network said Mr Somsak, as public health minister, understands the cannabis industry in Thailand and the repercussions once the regulations come into effect. Yet, it added that he proceeded without any backup measures, which suggests his intention to benefit certain investors.
Bangkok Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Group seeks axing of new rules 'favouring big players'
A pro-cannabis group has called on the Ministry of Public Health to immediately scrap a new ministerial regulation aimed at restricting cannabis use to medical purposes, warning it will lead to the monopolisation of the industry by large-scale investors and harm small operators. During a small protest held at the ministry on Wednesday, members of the Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future network demanded that the ministry withdraw the draft regulation, expected to take effect in November. The group claimed the new rules would drive up operating costs and push more than 18,000 registered cannabis shops out of business, leaving fewer than 2,000 in operation. Prasitchai Nunual, the network's secretary-general, said the policy undermines small cannabis farmers who cannot meet the Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) standard required for medicinal-grade cannabis, effectively locking them out of the market. "This will result in a complete monopoly of the cannabis industry," he said. "The ministry must immediately revoke the draft and instead adopt our version, which includes a subcommittee to ensure fair cannabis policymaking." He added that if the ministry fails to act by July 28, the group will lodge a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission the following day, urging an investigation into possible irregularities in the GACP licensing process. The group also called for the resignation of Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, accusing him of facilitating policies that favour corporate investors. A large-scale protest is being planned for August if their demands are not met, Mr Prasitchai added. Meanwhile, Dr Thewan Thanirat, deputy director-general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, told attendees at a cannabis policy workshop on Wednesday that the department would begin strict inspections of cannabis shops nationwide. He stressed that products must be of pharmaceutical grade, free of heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial contamination, and must meet medical standards for THC and CBD content. Every batch will require laboratory testing to ensure consumer safety. He noted that while medicinal-grade cannabis is more expensive, at 10,000 baht per kilo, it ensures safe and effective treatment.
The Star
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Thailand's changing cannabis rules leave farmers in a tough spot
Thailand is expected to draft rules requiring that each dispensary has a doctor on-site; it might even move to reclassify cannabis as a Category 5 narcotic. - The Nation BANGKOK: When Thailand became the first South-East Asian nation to decriminalise cannabis, in 2022, it ignited a 'green rush', swiftly reshaping the economic landscape and challenging long-held cultural norms. Dispensaries proliferated in urban centres such as Bangkok, ballooning to more than 10,000 across the country. But the agricultural communities in the lush northern countryside are perhaps benefiting the most from the burgeoning industry–assuming the government doesn't shut the whole thing down. In the mountains of northern Thailand, which are blessed with an ideal climate and fertile soil, generations of Hmong and other ethnic minorities have long tended the land, preserving an intimate knowledge of indigenous plants and sustainable cultivation practices. Historically these communities were linked to illicit opium cultivation, before they shifted to more wholesome crops including corn, tea and vegetables starting in the late 1960s. Legal cannabis, a more than US$1 billion a year industry in Thailand, offered them a lucrative pivot these past few years. Now the industry has been thrown into chaos after the Thai government announced an abrupt legislative backtrack in late June. The country moved to restrict cannabis use to medicinal purposes by requiring prescriptions and to cap volumes at a 30-day supply per customer. Keen to crack down on a surge in cannabis tourism, smuggling and underage recreational smoking, Thailand is also expected to draft rules requiring that each dispensary has a doctor on-site; it might even move to reclassify the herb as a Category 5 narcotic. With stricter controls on sales and distribution ahead, the mountainous communities and the operations' backers are bracing for real pain, from lower demand to widespread unemployment. Some Hmong farmers worry they'll have to revert to less profitable and dirtier crops, such as corn, where farmers traditionally burn the fields after harvest, contributing to northern Thailand's worsening air pollution. Still, Chokwan Kitty Chopaka, president of Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future, an advocacy group, is hopeful the agricultural communities won't give up the practice altogether. 'The Hmong people have always been the keepers of seeds,' she says. 'Hopefully they will continue to keep it safe.' - Bloomberg
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Thailand's changing cannabis rules leave farmers in a tough spot
Thailand's cannabis industry has been thrown into chaos after the Thai government announced an abrupt legislative backtrack in June. BANGKOK – When Thailand became the first South-east Asian nation to decriminalise cannabis, in 2022, it ignited a 'green rush', swiftly reshaping the economic landscape and challenging long-held cultural norms. Dispensaries proliferated in urban centres such as Bangkok, ballooning to more than 10,000 across the country. But the agricultural communities in the lush northern countryside are perhaps benefiting the most from the burgeoning industry–assuming the government doesn't shut the whole thing down. In the mountains of northern Thailand, which are blessed with an ideal climate and fertile soil, generations of Hmong and other ethnic minorities have long tended the land, preserving an intimate knowledge of indigenous plants and sustainable cultivation practices. Historically these communities were linked to illicit opium cultivation, before they shifted to more wholesome crops including corn, tea and vegetables starting in the late 1960s. Legal cannabis, a more than US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion) a year industry in Thailand, offered them a lucrative pivot these past few years. Now the industry has been thrown into chaos after the Thai government announced an abrupt legislative backtrack in late June. The country moved to restrict cannabis use to medicinal purposes by requiring prescriptions and to cap volumes at a 30-day supply per customer. Keen to crack down on a surge in cannabis tourism, smuggling and underage recreational smoking, Thailand is also expected to draft rules requiring that each dispensary has a doctor on-site; it might even move to reclassify the herb as a Category 5 narcotic. With stricter controls on sales and distribution ahead, the mountainous communities and the operations' backers are bracing for real pain, from lower demand to widespread unemployment. Some Hmong farmers worry they'll have to revert to less profitable and dirtier crops, such as corn, where farmers traditionally burn the fields after harvest, contributing to northern Thailand's worsening air pollution. Still, Ms Chokwan Kitty Chopaka, president of Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future, an advocacy group, is hopeful the agricultural communities won't give up the practice altogether. 'The Hmong people have always been the keepers of seeds,' she says. 'Hopefully they will continue to keep it safe.' Bloomberg
