Sopon estimates that the research team would be able to extract 10 to 15 litres – or 18,000 bottles – of concentrated cannabis oil from the first 100 kilograms of marijuana.

He says the GPO expected to produce the preliminary results of its research by the end of this year.

It is estimated that the research team will better understand the quality, cannabinoid substances, and unique medicinal properties of marijuana through various regional sources. These breakthroughs will allow the GPO to assess the feasibility for upscaling the medicine development to clinical trial level and further plan for commercial production.

GPO managing director Dr Withoon Danwiboon revealed that if the outcome of the research indicated hopeful signs for medicine development and commercial production of new medical products, his organisation planned to expand production to an industrial scale.

“Initially at this stage, the main base for medical research and development on marijuana remains at our head office in Bangkok,” Withoon said.

“In the next step, for increased production scale and research project expansion, we plan to develop a special facility for the entire chain of cannabis medicine development and production at our land plots in Chon Buri.”