The skies above Thailand got friendlier today with confirmation that travelers of legal age can carry cannabis on domestic flights.
While more than 10 calls to various departments at Airports of Thailand, or AOT, and the Civil Aviation Authority were met with “I don’t knows” and occasional laughter, Airports of Thailand’s Security Department today told Coconuts that their rules only prevented passengers under 20 from flying with cannabis.
Cannabis in liquid form cannot exceed 100 milliliters – just like any other liquid, the security department representative added.
Here’s where to buy cannabis right now in Bangkok (Weed Map)
There isn’t even any limit on how much one can carry, beyond, one presumes, the usual 7 kilograms for carry on or whatever airlines cap for checked luggage.
“There is no specific order as to how much one can carry weed at the moment,” the Airports of Thailand, or AOT, rep said by phone. “So we’ll just wait for that and follow the rules.”
In an email, AOT’s public relations team also confirmed that cannabis can be brought on a flight.
However flying with secondary cannabis products such as edibles, hashish or oils could be problematic, as airport security cannot test whether they exceed the legal limit of 0.2% THC.
“However, please note that AOT does not have the authority to check on THC percentage therefore the office of the Narcotics Control Board must also be informed and could cause a delay in security checks,” AOT said.
The policies further underscore how the delisting of cannabis has resulted in a legal vacuum.
Apart from what was in today’s emergency order establishing an age limit and prohibiting sale to pregnant and breastfeeding women, there are zero laws regulating cannabis since it was delisted as a Category 5 narcotic one week ago today.
Except for warning and potential prosecution under general public nuisance laws, one could conceivably sell it anyone over 20 from a wheelbarrow in the middle of Sukhumvit Road – just ask if they are lactating first.
However those abroad who are considering packing their kits and entering Thailand to smoke weed should reconsider.
In a brief statement, the Public Health Ministry today clarified that transporting any cannabis or hemp, in any form, is still illegal.
“It is illegal to transport the finished products containing Cannabis and Hemp and Hemp Derived Products across the Thai border,” read the statement from the Food and Drug Administration’s Public and Consumer Affairs Division, which added that any parts of cannabis or hemp were also forbidden to carry into the country.
Additional reporting Chayanit Itthipongmaetee