This guide is for anyone visiting Thailand who wants to know the cannabis rules before buying or using it. It covers three things:
- the legal position today
- what a licensed shop may and may not do
- the mistakes that most often turn a holiday into a legal problem
The guide is updated when the rules change.
The rules since 26 June 2025
Thailand’s cannabis rules changed on 26 June 2025. On that date, the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health Re: Controlled Herbs (Cannabis), B.E. 2568 took effect. It was issued under the Thai Traditional Medicine Protection Act B.E. 2542 (1999).
Under this notification, cannabis flower is a controlled herb. This means it may only be sold under a licence and under fixed conditions. For you as a buyer, three rules follow:
- Prescription only. Flower may only be sold with a PT 33 prescription. In Thai the form is written ภ.ท. 33. A licensed practitioner writes it for their own patient. This can be a medical doctor, a dentist, a pharmacist, a Thai traditional or applied Thai traditional medicine practitioner, a Chinese medicine practitioner or a folk healer.
- Thirty days at most. One prescription covers no more than 30 days of supply.
- No advertising, no online sales. Advertising cannabis flower is prohibited, and so is selling it online. The details are in Advertising and Selling Rules for Cannabis in Thailand.
Some shops advertise flower, take online orders or sell without a prescription. A shop like that is breaking the core rules. If it ignores those, don’t trust what it tells you about the law either.
What to do: Before you pay, ask two questions. “Can I see your licence?” and “Who will write my prescription?” If the staff cannot answer both clearly, don’t buy there. The licence you are asking about is a licence to sell a controlled herb for commercial purposes, issued under Section 46 of the 1999 Act.
Translator’s note: The seller carries the main legal risk. Under Section 78 of the 1999 Act, selling a controlled herb without a licence carries up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
Translator’s note: The rules got stricter again in 2026. The Ministerial Regulation on Controlled Herbs (No. 2) B.E. 2569 came into force on 30 April 2026. It tightens the licence criteria for cannabis flower. A separate Cannabis Control Act is only a draft. The Cabinet approved it on 22 September 2026 and sent it to the House, but it is not law yet. For a wider summary, see Thailand Cannabis Law Update 2026.
Two mistakes that cost visitors the most
Taking cannabis out of Thailand
Anything you buy legally in Thailand must stay in Thailand. You may not carry it out of the country. Several neighbouring countries punish possession very severely. You can compare their laws in Cannabis Laws Across Asia and Key Global Markets, 2026 (Part 1).
So the biggest risk comes at the airport or border on your way out, not when you buy. At that point a forgotten item in your bag becomes a serious problem.
What to do: The day before you leave, check every bag, pocket and wash bag. Look for flower, pre-rolls, edibles and vape cartridges, and leave anything you find in Thailand. If your flight connects through another country, read that country’s rules too, because you will pass through its airport.
Translator’s note: This applies to land borders as well as flights, including crossings into Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar.
Trusting an English-language menu
Many shops hand visitors a menu in English. That only shows the shop wants foreign customers. It does not show that the shop has a licence or follows the prescription rule.
The legal duties fall on the seller. Do not assume, though, that buying from an unlicensed seller carries no risk for you. If you are unsure about your own position, ask a Thai lawyer.
What to do: Ask about the licence and the prescription before you look at the menu. Before you walk in, go through the checklist in How to Evaluate a Cannabis Shop in Thailand.
Why old shop lists and reviews are out of date
Many cannabis shops had to renew their licences in 2025, and most did not. The Nation, a Thai English-language news outlet, reported these Ministry of Public Health figures on 5 January 2026:
| Figure | Number |
|---|---|
| Cannabis establishments on record, 28 December 2025 | 18,433 |
| Shop licences that expired during 2025 | 8,636 |
| Shops that applied to renew | 1,339 (about 15.5%) |
| Shops that did not renew | 7,297 |
| Estimated shops remaining (18,433 − 7,297) | 11,136 |
The total of 18,433 still included the 7,297 shops that did not renew. Without them, about 11,136 remain. A shop in an old review or on an old map may have closed. It may also still be open but no longer operating legally.
What to do: Check the date on any review or shop list. Only rely on ones written after the 2025 changes, and still ask to see the licence. Read recent visitor reports, and add your own, in Reviewing Cannabis Shops in Thailand.
Three things to settle before you use cannabis
1. Plan not to drive
Driving under the influence is an offence. You stay impaired for longer than you feel high, so feeling normal again does not mean you are safe to drive.
What to do: On any day you use cannabis, do not drive a car or ride a motorbike or scooter. Book a taxi or a ride-hailing car instead.
Translator’s note: Many visitors to Thailand rent scooters. If you have an accident while impaired, your insurance may also refuse to pay. The next point explains why.
2. Read your travel insurance
Many travel insurance policies exclude claims linked to drug use. Some exclude cannabis even where it is legal locally. If your claim is refused, you pay the hospital or accident costs yourself.
What to do: Search your policy wording for “drug”, “cannabis”, “narcotic” and “intoxication”. If the wording is unclear, ask the insurer in writing before you travel and keep the reply. Then you will know whether an accident or illness after using cannabis is covered.
3. Think about drug tests back home
Cannabis can be detected for days to weeks after use. Workplace drug tests usually cannot tell legal medical use abroad apart from any other use.
What to do: If your job includes drug testing, check your employer’s policy before you use cannabis in Thailand. Then you can decide with the risk in mind.
Where to check the current rules
Each source below answers a different kind of question:
- The Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. They publish the notifications that govern cannabis. Read the rule itself here.
- Your own country’s embassy in Thailand. Ask here for advice aimed at citizens of your country.
- A licensed practitioner in Thailand. Ask here about medical questions.
- A Thai lawyer. Ask here about legal questions on your own situation.
Don’t rely on a shop’s account of the law or on a travel blog. A shop has a reason to make the sale. A blog may have been written before the rules changed.
What to do: Check the date of anything you read. Anything written before 26 June 2025 is out of date. Anything written before 30 April 2026 may also be out of date.
Ask a question
Post your question below this topic. Include your travel dates and what you plan to do, so other members can answer your exact case. More background on the law is in the Safety and Regulation section of the forum.
References
- Notification of the Ministry of Public Health Re: Controlled Herbs (Cannabis), B.E. 2568 (in force 26 June 2025).
- The Nation, 5 January 2026, reporting Ministry of Public Health figures on cannabis establishments as of 28 December 2025. 7,000+ cannabis shops close as rules tighten—patients assured
- Thai Traditional Medicine Protection Act B.E. 2542 (1999), Section 78 (added by the translator).
- Ministerial Regulation on Controlled Herbs (No. 2) B.E. 2569 (in force 30 April 2026; added by the translator).