Deputy Governor Chakkhaphan Phewngam held a meeting at Din Daeng City Hall on July 5, 2022, to hear vendors’ requests to make Khao San Road a “cannabis hotspot.” The president of the Khao San Road Business Association said it could help Thailand’s economy and tourism.
BMA, however, said it was impossible to implement the plan. The Ministry of Public Health has set cannabis rules and regulations that prohibit the sale and use of cannabis in public places.
At present, cannabis is decriminalized in Thailand, but clear legislation regarding consumption, purchase, and sale is still pending. Cannabis use cannot be regulated without clear legislation.
In an effort to clarify some of the confusion, the Ministry of Public Health is working on a “Cannabis and Hemp Act.”
Khao San, however, appears to already be crowded with cannabis vendors. Vendors are selling pre-rolled “joints” like ice cream on the street of Bangkok like ice cream. The mobile vendors are selling cannabis in public places, so what they are doing is illegal, according to Chakkaphan.
“Cannabis dispensaries,” on the other hand, are registered to sell marijuana in registered establishments.
Further, the Khao San Cannabis Hub promotes the consumption of cannabis in public places, which is also illegal. A criminal offense for smoking marijuana has been created in recent legislation and is punishable by up to three months in prison and a fine of 25,000 baht.