Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul addressed the media following a cabinet meeting regarding Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s discussion with Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin about reclassifying cannabis as an illegal narcotic.
When Thai national media asked Anutin about his relationship with Somsak, he deferred to the Prime Minister, indicating mutual understanding and the need for regulatory legislation for cannabis. Anutin appreciated the Prime Minister’s decision to implement specific laws for cannabis control.
Anutin referred to reports that the Prime Minister favored controlling cannabis through laws passed by Parliament and the Senate, rather than using ministerial regulations to make cannabis illegal again, which could have led to imprisoning people for small amounts of marijuana. This decision followed a meeting with several senior Thai government leaders, including Anutin, before the cabinet meeting. It also came after weeks of protests and hunger strikes by pro-cannabis advocates calling for regulation, not recriminalization, of marijuana.
Regarding the Bhumjaithai Party’s stance, Anutin confirmed it remained unchanged and expressed gratitude for the decision to enact legislation. He mentioned that discussions would involve Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and others to draft the law, noting that Bhumjaithai already had a draft bill ready.
Anutin denied discussing cannabis policy or political topics with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whom he recently met for a golf game in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima. Meanwhile, the “Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future” network released a statement in response to the Prime Minister’s directive for cannabis control:
The network emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive cannabis control law and urged the public to follow the legislative process as cannabis remains regulated but not classified as an illegal narcotic. They pledged to continue their advocacy until the cannabis bill was approved by Parliament and enforced. The network thanked the Prime Minister and all responsible parties for their consideration, and Bhumjaithai Party for steadfastly defending cannabis policy, ensuring its control under specific legislation. The statement highlighted the collaborative effort across academic, political, and public sectors to establish a proper cannabis policy for Thailand.
