Thailand's cannabis industry is eyeing a new lease of life under new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul – a politician who pioneered its decriminalization and early success. Since Mr Anutin decriminalized marijuana in 2022 as health minister, making Thailand the first Asian nation to do so, the industry has been whiplashed by a series of policy reversals.
Regulation of widespread use has been difficult without a cannabis law in place, prompting the authorities to consider classifying it as a narcotic once again. With Mr Anutin and his Bhumjaithai Party at the helm, thousands of dispensary owners, cannabis growers and other stakeholders now see that threat easing, according to advocacy group Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future.
Mr Anutin, a conservative with strong royalist ties, will lead a minority government after securing the prime minister position last week with backing from the pro-democracy People's Party, Parliament's largest bloc. He has pledged to hold new elections within four months and launch steps to rewrite the Constitution.
"The idea of reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic is unlikely to happen once Bhumjaithai leads the government," said Mr Prasitchai Nunual, secretary-general of Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future. "Since it became clear Anutin will be prime minister, officials have been friendlier, speaking more positively. That's a visible change."
Read more at The Straits Times
