A flutter of unfounded news on Tuesday morning claimed that Thailand’s first medical marijuana farm was going to open in northeastern Sakhon Nakhon province shortly. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha opened his mouth on the subject at an afternoon cabinet meeting the same day to put the kibosh on the rumor.
He said he did not know of any plans and that Thailand currently has no legislation to allow the cultivation of weed for medical or recreational uses, reported The Nation.
Yesterday, Sakhon Nakhon Governor Witthaya Chanchalong confirmed that the province was planning nothing of the sort.
The only legislation related to the rumor is an announcement made on Jan. 6 that some cultivation of hemp may be allowed in the country for medical research purposes, reported Bangkok Post.
This may have made pot-loving hopefuls and advocates jump to conclusions. However, hemp and marijuana are not the same thing and any pilot program is still in the early research stages, far from legislation putting legal weed in the hands of the public for any purpose in Thailand.
In response to the viral rumors, the National Farmers Council has announced support for medical marijuana cultivation and legalization as a new business opportunity for the country’s many farmers.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Sommai Kongwisaisuk, Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) chief, has also spoken out in favor of medical marijuana, but his reasoning is different. He said “It will help alleviate the burden on the NSB, which polices this narcotic plant.”
So basically, he hopes the substance is legalized so that his job becomes easier.
If you’re into weed, check out Coconuts TV’s three-part docuseries for Netflix on the subject:
