October 4, 2022
What is allowed and what isn’t allowed? There was a lot of hype earlier this year about the delisting of cannabis and hemp plants from the Narcotics Code in Thailand. However, there appears to be some confusion about cannabis use within the country and in particular, what is permitted and not permitted without a license. In order to prevent misuse and a society-wide problem, the Thai government has been elaborating on the permitted use and sale of cannabis in the last few months. This article examines the current state of the law pertaining to cannabis, with a particular focus on employee use and the employer’s rights in those circumstances. Current status of the law The delisting of cannabis and hemp plants applies to their unprocessed parts and extracts containing less than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”). Therefore only extracts that contain more than 0.2% of THC are still regulated by the Narcotics Code and require a license from the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Smoking cannabis in public remains prohibited and the maximum penalty for doing so is three-month imprisonment and a THB 25,000 fine.[1] However, in practice, the delisting has led to misuse and abuse of cannabis products in Thailand, which has in turn led to societal problems. Tourists seem to be able to readily purchase cannabis or cannabis-infused products from street vendors. Overseas governments and embassies in Thailand have issued warnings to their citizens, informing them of improper use and ensuring they do not bring any cannabis back into their home countries. There have been major health concerns, with instances of young people overdosing on cannabis. As...