Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin has confirmed the government’s intention to reclassify cannabis as a Category 5 narcotic. This move marks a significant shift from the cannabis liberalization policy initiated in 2022. On June 18, 2025, Somsak expressed his commitment to prohibiting recreational cannabis use, attributing various regulatory and social issues to the cannabis policies of the Bhumjaithai Party.
Somsak declared that the Cannabis Control Bill proposed by the Bhumjaithai Party, which aimed to regulate cannabis use post-decriminalization, will not be approved by the current administration. He described the bill as unrealistic and characterized it as “a daydream.”
The previous deregulation effort, led by then-Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, removed cannabis from the narcotics list in 2022 to promote medical use and stimulate economic growth. However, this decision resulted in a chaotic landscape with over 10,000 cannabis shops operating without proper oversight. Critics assert that the deregulation created a legal grey area that facilitated unregulated access to cannabis.
Somsak criticized Anutin for failing to establish necessary regulations, which he claimed compromised public safety. He emphasized that the current crackdown on cannabis is not politically driven but rather a response to numerous complaints regarding cannabis misuse.
Following Bhumjaithai’s exit from the ruling coalition, the Srettha Thavisin administration previously designated cannabis as a “controlled herb.” Although this classification allowed cannabis shops to function, it did not provide a robust legal framework to restrict usage to medical applications.
On June 17, 2025, Somsak signed an order mandating that individuals seeking cannabis for medical purposes must present a doctor’s prescription and prove a certified medical condition. New regulations for cannabis shops will include the requirement for on-site doctors, monthly inspections, and a two-strike policy leading to license revocation for repeated violations. These regulations will be implemented through ministerial directive following public consultations held from May 22 to June 10, where the majority of public opinion favored stricter cannabis controls.
This tightening of cannabis policy has revived tensions with Bhumjaithai. Supachai Jaisamut, a senior party member, criticized the Ministry of Public Health for the lack of appropriate regulations post-deregulation. He reiterated that Bhumjaithai supports cannabis use solely for medical purposes and had aimed to manage it through the 2021 Cannabis Control Bill, which had received parliamentary approval, including votes from Pheu Thai MPs.
The cannabis debate has highlighted divisions within the government. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who took over as prime minister after Srettha’s departure, initially sought to balance support for cannabis in medical and economic contexts. However, following Bhumjaithai’s removal from the coalition, Somsak has adopted a stricter stance, endorsed by Prime Minister Paetongtarn, who directed him to enforce tighter regulations. Discussions between Somsak and the advisory team concluded on May 14, 2025, that cannabis should be limited strictly to medical use.
The anticipated reclassification of cannabis under Category 5 is expected to take place soon, signaling a complete reversal of cannabis liberalization in Thailand and effectively ending Bhumjaithai’s flagship policy under the current administration.
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