This board covers cannabis law and compliance as the legal texts themselves state it, not as news summaries report it. Here you can check three things. The first is what the Thai rules on controlled herbs actually say. The second is what they leave unsaid. The third is how Thailand compares with other Asian countries and the main export markets.
Translator’s note: News reports often mix up drafts with laws that are already in force. They also skip the date a rule takes effect. Before you change how you grow, sell or post because of a news item, check two things. Does it name the legal instrument (the official legal document)? Does it give the date that instrument takes effect? If it gives neither, treat it as unconfirmed.
How to read Thai legal names and dates
Thai laws use Buddhist Era years, shown as “B.E.” The Buddhist Era runs 543 years ahead of the Western calendar. So B.E. 2568 is 2025, and B.E. 2569 is 2026.
Thai rules come in several types, and each type carries different weight:
- Act (พระราชบัญญัติ): a law passed by the legislature.
- Ministerial Regulation (กฎกระทรวง): a rule a minister issues under the powers an Act gives.
- Notification (ประกาศ): a rule a ministry issues under the powers an Act gives. It is not a separate Act.
Once you know the type of a rule, you can tell which Act it comes from. You can also tell whether it can be changed without a vote in the legislature.
The three Thai rules in force
Most discussions on this board rely on three instruments. All three are in force today.
| Instrument | What it is | In force from |
|---|---|---|
| Notification of the Ministry of Public Health Re: Controlled Herbs (Cannabis), B.E. 2568 | A notification issued under the Protection and Promotion of Traditional Thai Medicine Knowledge Act B.E. 2542 (1999). It is not an Act in its own right. | 26 June 2025 |
| Ministerial Regulation on Cannabis or Hemp Extracts, B.E. 2569 | A ministerial regulation covering extracts | 26 April 2026 |
| Ministerial Regulation on Controlled Herbs (No. 2), B.E. 2569 | A ministerial regulation on controlled herbs | 30 April 2026 |
The 2568 Notification appeared in the Royal Gazette (ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, the official journal where Thai laws are published). It was published on 25 June 2025. To read the original text of any of the three instruments, search for its full Thai title on the Royal Gazette website (https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th).
The two Ministerial Regulations of B.E. 2569 came into force four days apart, at the end of April 2026.
Translator’s note: Under the extracts regulation, a licence for an extract containing more than 0.2% THC can go to only three kinds of applicant. The first is a Thai juristic person (a legally registered body, such as a company) that does not count as “foreign” under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542. The second is a state agency. The third is the Thai Red Cross Society. If your business has foreign shareholders, have a lawyer check its status under the Foreign Business Act before you plan any extraction work.
Translator’s note: The Controlled Herbs (No. 2) regulation tightens the criteria for a cannabis flower licence. If you hold a flower licence or are applying for one, read the full regulation. A summary will not tell you whether your current setup still meets the criteria.
The draft Cannabis Control Act has not been passed. It is not law.
Translator’s note: The Cabinet approved the draft on 22 September 2026 and sent it to the House of Representatives. Until it passes, the three instruments above are the rules that apply. If an article quotes the draft Act, read it as a proposal, not as a rule you must follow now.
Two points that affect every post on this forum
1. Only the flower is the controlled herb. “Controlled herb” (สมุนไพรควบคุม) here means a plant or plant part that the Ministry of Public Health has put under control using the 1999 Act. The 2568 Notification names only the cannabis flower (ช่อดอกกัญชา). So a rule written for the flower does not automatically cover every other part of the plant. Other parts and products can come under different rules. Extracts, for example, have their own 2569 regulation. Before you post about leaves, roots, seeds or extracts, check which instrument covers that part. That way you quote the right rule.
2. Advertising cannabis flower is prohibited, and so is selling it online. This is the reason this board treats compliant posting as a core subject, not a footnote. The ban also applies on this forum, including the buying and selling sections.
Translator’s note: Under the 2568 Notification, cannabis flower may be sold only against a PT 33 (ภ.ท.33) prescription, for no more than 30 days’ supply. Section 78 of the 1999 Act provides for up to 1 year in prison and/or a fine of up to 20,000 baht. The Act itself sets out which breaches carry this penalty, so check the Act and the Notification for your own situation. Before you post anything that mentions a flower price, stock, a shop name or how to buy, read the advertising and selling topic in the list below. Then remove anything that works as an offer to sell.
Where to start
Each topic below answers one practical question:
- Running a Cannabis Dispensary in Thailand Without Losing Your Licence. Read this if you run a shop or plan to open one. It covers what keeps a licence safe.
- Advertising and Selling Rules for Cannabis in Thailand. Read this before any post that mentions price, stock or where to buy. It explains what you can and cannot post on this forum.
- Thailand Cannabis Law Update 2026: What Farmers Need to Know. Read this if you grow. It covers the 2026 changes from a farm’s point of view.
- Cannabis Laws Across Asia and Key Global Markets: 2026 Update. Read this before you plan to sell abroad or cross a border. It shows where Thailand’s rules differ from those of its neighbours and export markets.
- Hemp vs Marijuana: The Chemical and Legal Divide. Read this to see which plant or plant part falls under which rule.
If you have a question about a specific rule, ask it below this topic. Give the name of the instrument and the section you mean. Other members can then check the same text and give you a precise answer.