BANGKOK — A stone’s throw away from the Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, against a backdrop of girlie bars, massage parlors, and smaller shops selling marijuana, business in an upscale medical cannabis dispensary was “good but not great.”

It was a Sunday, and half of the smoking rooms, which a patron could use for 600 to 1,400 baht of consumable weed, were occupied by “regulars,” according to store tender Chai.

In perfect English, behind the counter where an array of marijuana varieties was on display with prices and their relative strengths, Chai was explaining to a Caucasian couple the “punch” of the varieties they were pointing at.

Before the “noob” (newbie) customers came in, Chai was on a roll, ranting against the Bangkok Post, saying, “We do not read that; it’s trash, just like (the American news outlet) CNN.”

The wiry young man was taking issue with the paper’s reporting on the challenges and concerns regarding the recreational use of marijuana, such as the associated public health risks, economic implications, and impact on criminality.

Chai can’t seem to find peace through the smoke with Bangkok Post’s multifaceted coverage of cannabis, including its medical use for pain management, epilepsy, and other health conditions.

Stricter regulations

Like Bun, a weed seller in a rundown shop across the street, Chai was agitated by questions on the future of their business following pronouncements by Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and former Health minister.

Anutin has advocated for stricter regulation of cannabis use in the country after its initial experiment with decriminalization in June 2022. He has pushed for a return to allowing cannabis only for medical purposes, warning of concerns about widespread recreational use and potential social harms.

The official has suggested a stricter regulatory framework for the cannabis industry, with greater oversight of cultivation and sales. He, likewise, emphasized the need for public education and awareness campaigns to address potential addiction issues and irresponsible use.

“The worst are those who are high,” Chaba, a “street walker,” said while drinking outside a bar, recounting incidents with her customers who had come from the cannabis shops after having absolutely no experience with the “stuff.”

“Some can be very violent. They hurt you, the foreigners who come to Bangkok to have a good time with booze, drugs, and women,” she said. “But we can’t go to the police.”

“Then, there are those who are so high they can’t get it up. They are so frustrated, they either hit you or just leave. Of course, they have to pay. We can’t have their sh*t,” she added.

According to Chai, cannabis, which can be smoked or added to cookies or ice cream, has certainly revitalized tourism in their area, coming off the Covid-19 pandemic.

“But with these stupid politicians, Thailand would soon be the laughingstock of the world. A new Prime Minister comes in, and he changes the law,” the college-educated Chai said.

Living in the moment

“They’re like kids; one day, they give, and the next day, they take it all away. Anything can happen, but they can f**king do what they want. We’re living in the moment,” he said.

For Bun, criminalizing anew the recreational use of marijuana would only kick it back underground, where there’s “far less government control” back to the fold of syndicates.

“Legalizing marijuana took off its edge and mainstreamed it. The issues being raised against it now are out of proportion. Sex sells, and so does cannabis. They won’t go away just because a politician woke up one day on the wrong side of the bed,” he averred.

About one thousand Filipinos have been to his shop since 2022, Chai said, many just curious because they hadn’t tried cannabis for being illegal back in the Philippines.

“The brownies, they repack them and bring them home. Not that I am saying they should do that if that’s not allowed in your country. To each his own,” he said.

Thailand legalized medical cannabis in 2018, making it the first Southeast Asian country to do so, allowing patients with prescriptions to access cannabis-based medicine for specific conditions.

Thailand decriminalized cannabis in June 2022, which meant that possession, cultivation, and consumption were no longer considered criminal offenses.

The limitations include smoking or vaping cannabis in public spaces, which is considered a public nuisance, and can be fined. Products with high THC content (above 0.2 percent) remain illegal. Driving under the influence of cannabis is also illegal.

The irony is that Anutin was among those who sought the decriminalization of cannabis in 2022, with the belated caveat that he never intended to back it for recreational use.

Medical purposes

“Thailand will promote cannabis policies for medical purposes. There has never once been a moment that we would think about advocating people to use cannabis in terms of recreation — or use it in a way that it could irritate others,” Anutin had said in an interview.

In decriminalizing cannabis, Anutin had said in 2022 that it would reduce prison overcrowding as 80 percent of detainees were in for drug-related offenses. According to CNN, the Thai cannabis market is projected to reach $9.6 billion by 2030.

The Philippines’ experience with trying to decriminalize cannabis, where several lawmakers and government officials are advocating for the legalization of cannabis for medical use, at least, may parallel Thailand’s.

(To be continued)