Thailand Cannabis Law Update 2026 — What Farmers and Businesses Need to Know
Current Status (July 2026)
Cannabis flower is classified as a controlled herb under the Ministry of Public Health’s Notification on Controlled Herbs (Cannabis) B.E. 2568, effective June 26, 2025.
Key Changes
1. Cannabis Flower = Controlled Herb
- A valid PT33 prescription is required from a licensed Thai doctor, pharmacist, dentist, or approved traditional medicine practitioner
- Prescriptions are valid for 30 days for a 30-day supply
- Recreational use is illegal — penalties include up to 1 year imprisonment and 20,000 THB fine
2. Two Ministerial Regulations B.E. 2569
Regulation 1 — High-THC Extracts (published March 26, effective April 26, 2026)
- Controls production, import, export, sale and possession of cannabis/hemp extracts exceeding 0.2% THC
- Permits only 4 purposes: government narcotics control, medical use, medical/scientific research, industrial use
- Licenses restricted to Thai juristic persons (not “foreign” under the Foreign Business Act), government agencies, and the Thai Red Cross Society
Regulation 2 — Controlled Herb Licensing (effective April 30, 2026)
- Amends the controlled-herb licensing framework for cannabis flowers with additional approval criteria and ongoing operating obligations
3. What’s Still Legal Without Prescription
- Cannabis extracts with less than 0.2% THC — unrestricted
- Roots, stems, and leaves (not flowers) — not classified as controlled herbs
4. What’s Prohibited
- Online sales and vending machine distribution
- Public smoking of cannabis
- Sales to persons under 20 years old
Impact on Farms
- 7,297 shops closed out of 18,433 (as of February 2026) — 11,136 still operating
- A further 4,587 licenses expire in 2026, and 5,210 in 2027
- Properly licensed farms can still operate — but must have medical supervision and certified traditional medicine practitioners on-site
Sources
- Ministerial Regulation No. 2 B.E. 2569 — JusLaws
- Two New Ministerial Regulations — Lexology
- Cannabis Law Updates May 2026 — Cannabis Law Report
- Cannabis for Thailand — Legal Updates
- 7,000+ Cannabis Shops Shut — Siam Legal
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