The decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand in June 2022 has led to an explosion in marijuana shops across the country – especially in its tourist areas. It is sold at trendy dispensaries in Bangkok, at beachside bars across resort islands and even on river cruises. On bustling streets, green leaf logos glow in neon above shop fronts, and small stalls, set up with rows of glass jars, dot the pavement.
Tourists and street advertiser in Patong, Phuket
More than 7,000 cannabis shops are estimated to have opened across the country which, until recent years, was known for having some of the world’s toughest drugs laws.
There is, however, uncertainty about the future of the industry. Elections last year brought a change in government, and the Pheu Thai party, which had campaigned on a pledge to ban recreational use of the drug, now leads the ruling coalition. The prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, has said he wants cannabis to be relisted as a narcotic by the end of the year.
Tourists on the Khaosan Road in Bangkok
Tourists in Bangkok’s Khaosan Road, a loud party street that has attracted backpackers for decades, are not impressed by the possibility of a U-turn on the law. “No, no, no, please, no change,” remarks Nazif Turkan, 32, as he relaxes in an indoor smoking area. Cannabis makes the country even more attractive as a tourist destination, he says, on top of its rich culture, excellent food and wealth of natural sites. “This is a bonus [for tourists], it’s a good thing to have.”
Critics say decriminalisation was rushed and there are loopholes and inconsistencies in the rules and their enforcement. There have been particular concerns about teenagers accessing the drug, even though it is illegal to sell it to under-20s.
Visitors to the old market area in Krabi, and below
Others say reversing the law and ridding the streets of cannabis would be virtually impossible. Cannabis has become a part of the nightlife in tourist hotspots, such as Krabi and Phuket, where weed shops and stalls have opened up alongside bars, and Thailand’s famous street food vendors. Decriminalisation has boosted the economy in since the Covid pandemic, and created new opportunities for entrepreneurs, they say.
The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce estimated in 2022 that the sector could be worth $1.2bn (£950m) by next year.
Tourists on the island of Kho Phi Phi, and below
A few years ago, Malee, who asked not to give her real name, worked with her partner bulk-buying vegetables in their home province of Chachoengsao and selling it on to local markets. They would buy greens, such as spring onions, coriander and morning glory, from farmers and package the goods ready to be sold. But when cannabis was legalised in 2022, they set up a business growing it at home. “He saw the opportunity and thought he would earn a lot more money than just selling vegetables,” Malee says of her partner.
Kho Phi Phi
At first, they made a good profit, she says, but then there was an influx of illegal foreign cannabis imports and go-betweens, which she blames for driving down prices. The couple decided to sell directly to tourists, and they now commute at least an hour to Bangkok to sell their produce on Khaosan Road, mostly to Europeans. “It’s quite hard [to make profit] because this weed is grown indoors and it takes four to five months – and you have to put in money for the electricity, the water, the seed. It’s a lot of money.” Malee will invest about 10,000 baht (£217) in growing a batch of cannabis, and will normally sell it for 30,000 baht in tourist areas.
Patong, Phuket, and below, the Old Town
She worries about the possibility of a legal clampdown, she says. “I keep following the news constantly. But in reality I don’t think it will impact our business that much. If it becomes illegal it will make our price higher,” she says, explaining that a hidden market will inevitably emerge.
Political analysts are also sceptical as to whether the government will impose dramatic legal changes. “There have been so many profits made [from] marijuana since it became decriminalised that it’s going to be virtually impossible to take it out of the economy to the extent that it is right now,” says Paul Chambers, a visiting fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, in Singapore, and a lecturer at Naresuan University, in Thailand.
Tourists in Patong, in Phuket
The most likely outcome is that stricter licences will be required to sell, or a doctor’s note needed to buy, cannabis, adds Chambers. In practice, this could make little difference to consumers. “It just means you’ve got to pay more money indirectly.”
Somyos Saetae, who works in the Greenday Dispensary on Khaosan Road, was a barista before he began working in weed shops, seeing it as an opportunity to advance his career. It’s hard to know what impact any legal change could have on the business because there is a lack of clarity about what could be introduced.
Tourists in Patong, in Phuket
He blames what he considers to be unfair media coverage for adding to the negative perception among the public.
“When you talk about recreational use, maybe people only think about parties. But actually there are a lot of people who come to smoke weed to relax or sleep,” he says. On the counter, rows of jars are labelled with the effect the products will have – ranging from energetic, creative and talkative, to sleepy.
“Usually the customer will tell me what they need, whether they want to party, to relax or sleep, and I will recommend a different strain,” says Somyos.
Edible cannabis for sale in Kho Phi Phi
Outside, music from nightclubs thumps across the road, and bar staff wave promotional signs. A male dancer in shorts and cowboy boots dances flamboyantly over the tables outside a nearby bar. Tourists hold their phones in the air, capturing the scene.
Not everyone is ready for a big night out. Near to Somyos’s shop, Sho, 23, from Japan, explains that weed was a factor in drawing him to visit Thailand, as his friend snoozes opposite.
A Tuktuk driver on the Khaosan Rd, Bangkok
“One hour ago it was mostly Japanese people [here],” he explains, sitting away from the hustle and bustle of the street. It’s illegal back home and he’s never smoked it there, he adds. He’s staying for one week, and has been sightseeing to temples, tried Thai food – and smoked every day.