Thailand’s ‘weed wild west’ faces new rules as smuggling to UK rises

Thailand tries to restrain the free marijuana market.

The government has agreed to new measures, which will soon restrict the drug consumption for those who have a prescription for the doctor – in the hope that this will help organize an industry, some of which describe it from control.

The Minister of Public Health also said that marijuana consumption will be criminalized again, although it is unclear when this could happen.

Since the drug was criminalized in 2022, there has been madness of investment.

There are now about 11,000 registered clinics in Thailand. In parts of the capital, Bangkok, it is impossible to escape from the gentle green glow of neon brands and the ongoing smell of people who smoke their products.

In the famous Khao San Road, in the historical royal district, there is a complete commercial center for selling hallucinogenic flowers or marijuana accessories.

Degenerable products such as cakes and dictionaries are open online – although this is technically illegal – and can be connected to your door within an hour.

There was a talk about the restriction of industry before. The largest party in the government coalition wanted to return the cannabis to the banned drug list after he took office in 2023, but its former coalition partner, who made criminalization of the distinguished election policy, prevented this plan.

But it seems that the last straw was pressure from the United Kingdom, which witnessed the flood of Thai marijuana smuggling to the country.

Young travelers are often seduced by drugs in Britain to bags that carry bags filled with trips from Thailand.

Last month, two small British women were arrested in Georgia and Sri Lanka, with large quantities of marijuana from Thailand. Both are now facing long prison sentences.

“It has increased significantly over the past two years,” says Picky Wright, a spokesman for the National Crime Agency in London. NCA says that 142 carriers carrying five tons were intercepted in 2023. This number rose to 800 cranes in 2024 with 26 tons, and this number continued to rise this year.

“We really want to stop the people who do it. Because if you stop, in this country or many others, you are facing changing consequences for life, because many of them think it is low risk. If you bring illegal drugs to the UK, it may pass them the first time, but you will be found in the end, and you will likely go to prison.”

So far this year, 173 people accused of smuggling hashish – almost all of them from Thailand – through the UK court system and received rulings totaling 230 years.

NCA works with Thai authorities to try to deter young people from the temptation to smuggle cannabis to Britain. But this has proven that it is difficult, due to the very few in Thailand to control the drug.

“This is a gap,” says Pantong Lukolnanta, a spokesman for the Thai Customs Department.

“The profit is very high, but the sanctions here are not high. Most of the time we pick up people at the airport, they give up their luggage. But then there is no penalty. If they insist on verifying the luggage, we can arrest them, but they only pay back and try again.”

In 2022, the legalization of cannabis was supposed to follow a new regulatory framework by the Thai Parliament.

But this never happened, partly, one of the deputy participating in the drafting process, because of obstruction through the interests acquired with ties to the marijuana industry. A new cannabis law was established last year, but it may take two years of passing it.

The result was weed Wild West, as it is tolerated with anything that can earn money from marijuana.

There was also a flow of foreign drugs hidden behind Thai candidates, as huge amounts of marijuana strains increased in bright air -conditioned, air -conditioned containers.

This market was immersed and the price was paid down, which attracted the smugglers.

Even if more than half of the people who hold marijuana are stopped, they can still earn money, which reaches the United Kingdom due to the high prices there.

“You can not have free for everyone, right? This is a bar battle instead of boxing match,” says Tom Crossopon, a businessman who had a role in giving the legitimate character to marijuana, but now believes that things have gone now.

“When there is a herbal store in every corner, when people smoke while walking on the street, when tourists rise on our beaches, other countries are affected by our laws, with illegally shipping them – these are negatives.”

He argues that the proposed new Ministry of Public Health regulations will restrict supply and demand, and restore the industry to what was always supposed to be, focusing only on the medical use of marijuana.

There is a lot of opposition to this idea of ​​cannabis lovers who believe that the new rules will do nothing to reduce the vaginal or unlicensed farmers.

They say measures will wipe small companies that are already struggling due to the inheritance caused by excessive production.

Earlier this month, many of these young farmers descended at the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangkok to file an official complaint to the government, and they called for a more organized industry, and not only what they believe is a reaction to the knee to foreign exchange.

“I completely understand that the government may scream during international meetings,” says Kitty Shobaka, the most voted defender of the smaller producers.

“The countries that say” all of their herbs are smuggling to our country, “this is very embarrassing. But at the present time they do not impose on the rules that already exist. If they do so, it is possible that it will reduce many issues such as smuggling or selling without a license.”

The price collapse forced her earlier this year to close the hashish closure, one of the first to open three years ago.

Parina Sanjbrasert, one of the farmers in protest, argues that illegal farmers are already outside the law in Thailand – and they will ignore the new regulations as well.

It is certain that people cannot come to his farm and buy only 46 kg (101 lbs) of marijuana – the quantity that is usually carried in two bags by the “mules” trying to reach the United Kingdom.

On his phone, he submitted a copy of the official form to fill it every time he sells.

“If you want to buy or sell a large amount of hashish, you need a license issued by our government. Every herbal store must get this to buy marijuana, and there are records kept from the farm that was sold to it.”

Meanwhile, Thai customs officers continue their efforts to stop the hemp flood despite their airports.

They use the intelligence that has been collected on travel patterns to target potential smugglers, and give them to verify their polluted luggage, and risk the harsh prison sentences in their intended countries.

They are increasingly using a purchase, sale, or export of quantities of marijuana to try those who object, but the penalty is rarely more than a fine.

The confiscated bags, filled with a void sealing of dried marijuana heads, with names such as “Rentz” and “Zkittlez”, still accumulate in the back rooms at airports. There were about 200 in one room allowed the BBC, which contained between two to three tons, was taken only last month.