Thai officials announced plans on Wednesday to strengthen regulations on cannabis sales following a sharp rise in attempts to smuggle the drug out of the country in recent months.
Thailand made history in 2022 by becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis, which led to an increase in tourism and farming, as well as the opening of thousands of cannabis shops. However, the policy has sparked public criticism, with concerns about the drug being accessible to children and its potential to foster addiction.
The ruling Pheu Thai Party has pledged to re-criminalize cannabis, but it has faced significant opposition from coalition government partners who support the continued decriminalization.
Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin stated that new regulations would be introduced in the coming weeks to control cannabis sales more strictly, including requiring prescriptions for all cannabis purchases. He also reiterated that it is illegal to export cannabis from Thailand without permission from authorities.
Airport officials have enhanced inspections to prevent smuggling, with most of the individuals caught trying to bring cannabis out of the country being foreign nationals, particularly from India and the U.K.
In recent weeks, two young British women were arrested in Georgia and Sri Lanka for allegedly attempting to smuggle cannabis after traveling from Thailand, according to British media reports.
The British government revealed that a joint operation with Thai authorities in February led to the seizure of over 2 tons of cannabis from passengers at airports. Since July of the previous year, more than 50 British nationals have been arrested in Thailand for attempting to smuggle cannabis.
There has also been a notable increase in cannabis shipments from Thailand to the U.K. by post since decriminalization. In March, authorities seized 375 kilograms of cannabis from 22 suitcases and arrested 13 foreigners, most of them British, at Samui Island’s international airport.
Officials explained that the suspects were recruited as tourists, sent to Samui—a popular tourist destination—where they would receive the suitcases filled with cannabis. They were then instructed to travel to Singapore and subsequently return to the U.K., where they were promised a payment of £2,000 ($2,682) for completing the task.
