Thousands of Thai Cannabis Shops Face Closure Under New Regulations

Up to 12,000 existing cannabis flower retailers may be forced to shut down as new rules will require specific medical professionals to be on-site, limiting sales to prescription only

 

A sweeping regulatory change is set to dramatically reshape Thailand's burgeoning cannabis industry, with an estimated 12,000 cannabis flower shops facing potential closure as their current operating licenses expire later this year. 

 

New draft ministerial regulations from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) will mandate the presence of specific medical professionals at these establishments.

 

Dr Somruek Chungsaman, Director-General of the DTAM, announced on 30 June 2025, that a new departmental notification regarding cannabis flower prescriptions is imminent. Once published in the Royal Gazette, this notification will introduce a stricter prescription form.

 

This form will require clear identification of the certifying professional, who must belong to one of seven designated fields: General Medicine, Thai Traditional Medicine, Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Chinese Traditional Medicine practitioners, or Folk Doctors.

 

Crucially, their license number must be recorded with every prescription. 

 

Patient details, including name, age, nationality, ID card number, and diagnosis, must also be meticulously documented, with prescribed quantities limited to a 30-day supply.
  


"Originally, 15 diseases or symptom groups were specified, but these have now been removed," Dr Somruek explained. "Instead, each professional group is allowed to specify symptoms according to their respective guidelines. Currently, only the Medical Council and Thai Traditional Medicine have established guidelines; the remaining five are still developing theirs. Until these are completed, they cannot issue prescriptions. This means that, for now, shops can only operate with prescriptions issued by general medical doctors and Thai traditional medical practitioners."


 

Current medical guidelines in modern medicine permit cannabis use for four conditions: epilepsy, nausea and vomiting from cancer treatment, neuropathic pain, and muscle spasticity. 

 

Thai Traditional Medicine guidelines cover eight symptom groups, including nausea, vomiting, headaches, appetite loss, and cancer-related pain.

 

Dr Somruek reiterated that all cannabis flower shops must obtain a proper operating license, adhering strictly to medical guidelines. Smoking cannabis on-site will be prohibited, and sales to the public or patients will only be permitted with a valid prescription from a designated professional. 

  

 



 

Shops will be required to retain these prescriptions as evidence for monthly departmental inspections, while patients are advised to keep copies, particularly if possessing larger quantities of cannabis flowers.

 


"In the future, these shops will have to become clinics or healthcare facilities," Dr Somruek stated. "Of the 18,000 existing shops, 12,000 will see their licenses expire by the end of this year and will need to renew. This renewal will require them to transform into clinics or healthcare facilities with resident professionals. This means that by the end of this year, shops will gradually adjust their models until there are no longer any operating without on-site professionals. This will lead to the complete medical use of cannabis."


 

The Director-General added that the drafting of new ministerial regulations concerning shop licensing is currently underway. Public hearings on these regulations are being held and are set to conclude on 12 July. 

 

Following this, the Committee for the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medical Wisdom will convene before the draft is submitted to the Minister of Public Health and subsequently to the Cabinet for final approval.

(2025/06/30-00:00)