Thailand is preparing to tighten control over its booming cannabis industry, following rising international concern—particularly from the UK—about illegal exports. The new regulations, approved by the government, will limit marijuana consumption to medical use only, requiring a doctor’s prescription.

Public Health Minister Chonnan Srikaew has announced that recreational use of marijuana will be criminalised again, though no date has been set for its enforcement.

A Free-for-All Since Decriminalization

Since Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis in 2022, the industry has grown rapidly. Around 11,000 dispensaries are now registered, and cannabis shops with neon signs have become a fixture in cities like Bangkok. In areas such as Khao San Road, entire malls are dedicated to cannabis products and accessories.

Edibles like marijuana-laced brownies and gummies are sold openly online, even though they remain technically illegal. Despite earlier attempts to regulate the sector, a lack of legal framework has left it largely unmonitored.

UK Alarmed by Surge in Smuggling

One of the key drivers behind Thailand’s new push for regulation is mounting pressure from the UK, where cannabis smuggling from Thailand has spiked. In 2023, UK authorities intercepted 142 drug couriers with five tonnes of cannabis. That number surged to 800 couriers carrying 26 tonnes in 2024, with the upward trend continuing into 2025.

Beki Wright from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) warned: “If you bring illicit drugs into the UK, you might get through the first time, but you will be caught—and you will likely go to jail.”

So far in 2025, 173 people—almost all with cannabis sourced from Thailand—have been convicted in UK courts, receiving a combined 230 years in prison.

Weak Laws and Loopholes in Thailand

Thai officials acknowledge that the legal vacuum has made enforcement difficult. Panthong Loykulnanta, spokesman for the Thai Customs Department, said smugglers often abandon their bags at airports to avoid arrest, knowing the penalties are minor. Unless they check the bags in personally, prosecution is often impossible.

A regulatory framework was supposed to follow the 2022 decriminalization law, but progress has stalled due to political disagreements and lobbying from powerful business interests. A new draft law was completed in 2023 but may take another two years to pass.

Market Saturation and Foreign Syndicates

The lack of oversight has allowed foreign criminal groups to enter the Thai cannabis market through local fronts. They grow high-potency marijuana strains in hidden facilities, flooding the market and causing prices to plummet. This price drop has made large-scale smuggling to higher-priced markets like the UK more profitable—even if only part of the shipment gets through.

“There’s been a shift from a regulated vision to a market gone wild,” said Tom Kruesopon, one of the original advocates for legalization. “Weed shops are on every corner, people are smoking in the streets and on the beaches—this wasn’t the goal.”

Kruesopon supports the new restrictions, arguing that they will restore the medical focus of cannabis use in Thailand.

Small Growers Push Back

However, many small-scale Thai growers oppose the changes. They argue that enforcing existing laws would be more effective than imposing new restrictions. They also fear the new rules will harm legitimate businesses and fail to stop illegal activity.

Kitty Chopaka, a prominent advocate for small producers, recently closed her dispensary due to falling prices. “We understand the government is under pressure internationally,” she said, “but the root of the problem is the lack of enforcement, not over-permissiveness.”

Dozens of growers recently marched to the Prime Minister’s office in Bangkok to protest the planned changes and demand a more balanced regulatory approach.

Enforcement Challenges Continue

Thai customs officials are now using intelligence and surveillance to identify smuggling suspects at airports. But even when smugglers are caught, the penalties are often limited to fines. Authorities say they are beginning to prosecute offenders under existing licensing laws, which require documentation for large-scale sales and exports.

Still, confiscated luggage continues to pile up. In one Bangkok airport storage room visited by the BBC, about 200 suitcases—containing up to three tonnes of vacuum-packed cannabis—were seized in just a single month.

As Thailand moves toward tighter controls, the challenge remains: balancing international expectations, domestic economic interests, and the original goal of a safe, medical-based cannabis industry.