Weed smokers are not welcome in Thailand, health minister says, as country struggles to revive tourism

Through Nina Zdinjak

Thailand’s Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Wednesday that tourists visiting the country just to smoke marijuana are not welcome.

“We do not welcome these types of tourists,” Charnvirakul told reporters when asked about cannabis use in relation to tourists, Reuters reported.

The news follows recent reports of cannabis cafes as a possible boost to the country’s battered tourism industry. Visitor numbers fell from nearly 40 million in 2019 to 2 million in the first half of 2022. Locals tried to revive tourism through cannabis cafes, which had already attracted foreign visitors.

In 2018, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize medical marijuana. About four years later, it took those cannabis regulations to the next level, becoming the first in the region to decriminalize marijuana.

Photo by Florian Wehde via Unsplash

Thailand soon faced harsh criticism, mainly for its lack of cannabis regulations. While lawmakers are working on a new set of rules, both tourists and locals should be aware that some rules actually exist. For example, those caught smoking marijuana in public face a three-month prison sentence or fines of up to 25,000 baht ($705.82).

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Anutin also said recreational cannabis use can be explored once more research and a better understanding of the plant is available.

“It could come in the near future,” he said.

However, there are still countries facing the challenges of developing their own medical marijuana policies, and one aims to look to Thailand. Recently, neighboring Malaysia announced plans to learn from Thailand’s politics as the country researches medical marijuana.

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“We are developing our own framework for using cannabis for medicinal purposes and want to learn from Thailand,” a Malaysian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.