Patong’s Bangla Road on the island of Phuket is infamous as the kind of tourist strip where anything goes. A chaotic assault on the senses served with a generous dollop of sleaze; it’s a place where hedonism thrives.

Now a new element has arrived in the form of an avalanche of weed from bar fronts, dispensaries, and street kiosks typifying the ‘wild west’ imagery that has accompanied Thailand’s sudden and unexpected change of law regarding cannabis.  It was in June 2022 that the Thai government officially took the brakes off cannabis prohibition, overturning strict anti-weed laws and allowing cannabis to be cultivated legally.

The result is a green rush that is unlike any other national cannabis legalization model which has gone before it. It is an experiment that has been let run, with little regulation, prompting a scramble to cash in on a green economy which arrived overnight and seemed to come as a surprise to everyone. At this point, it is worth putting in a small disclaimer - by the time you read this article, the situation may have changed again. In the world of cannabis legality, the sands are constantly shifting, but in Thailand, these sands have been shifting in a different gear entirely.

Nevertheless, what everyone seems to agree on – Thais and Farang (the Thai word for foreigners) who live in Phuket – is that cannabis legalization is here to stay. What they can’t agree on - and don’t even try to guess - is what happens next and what regulation will look like.“Nobody imagined that there would be legalization. It took everybody, and I mean everybody, by surprise!” comments the European owner of a cannabis-friendly backpacker hostel who has lived in Thailand for 30 years. In the old days, his hostel would supply a discreet service, sorting out guests with ubiquitous Thai brick weed that guests would puff away in hammocks or by the beach bar; the local cops paid to stay away. Now guests can buy buds and ready-rolled joints directly from the bar.

Yet he has been in the country long enough to know that the unbridled freedom of this current honeymoon period could change tomorrow. “For now, the government is letting it run, but they are watching very closely. I think it will carry on, but ultimately everyone from top to bottom will be looking for a way to get paid.

That’s the way things work.” Already there has been some political backlash to the widespread availability of recreational cannabis. The original law change decriminalized medical and industrial cultivation, but lack of definition has meant that recreational sale and use has thrived in the grey area between. This has led to an exploding de-facto recreational market, and the excesses have prompted lawmakers to start tightening up in the face of criticism that it is out of control. In November, regulations tightened, including restrictions on advertising, banning dispensaries within 200 meters of schools and temples, and limiting consumption on premises without a doctor on site.

Measures have also been put in place requiring certification to import cannabis seeds. Anyone living in Thailand can now grow cannabis (up to 15 plants a household), but commercial production needs to be licensed, and licenses are also required to sell weed from dispensaries. Between June and November, there were 1 million grow licenses granted (cultivators also have to register their crops on the Plookganja app), estimated that 35,000 dispensaries opened across the country. While some, especially in Bangkok, are more upmarket, the dispensary network is a mix of different spaces – from bars and stores to street kiosks.Yuwathida Sukna and  Stefano Pierobon are the founders of Green Lab Corporation.

Originally from Italy, Green Lab has had a license to grow cannabis in Thailand since 2018 and grows hemp in the north of Thailand, which is used to extract CBD for Green Lab’s range of products: CBD oils, soft drinks, snacks, and a full line of hemp and cannabis for cooking (there are over 30 traditional Thai recipes which use ‘ganja’ as it is known in the country) which are sold in a major Thai supermarket chain, hotels, and restaurants. The company has also been supplying THC cannabis to Thai hospitals, which it has grown in partnership with local farmers.“Growing and providing medical cannabis has been our primary focus since 2018,” says Stefano, whose cannabis path began cultivating CBD strains in Sardinia several years ago. “We set the company up based on our belief in the potential of the cannabis plant.

Cannabis has a long tradition of use in this country. As well as supplying THC cannabis for use in Thai hospitals we provide medical cannabis through charitable networks as it is important that everyone benefits and not just those who can afford to pay the prices charged by the pharmaceutical industry. But medical is just one of 50,000 uses for this plant. In Thailand, cannabis could contribute in other areas of life – for example, using hemp as a building product because of its breathability, which would be advantageous in such a humid environment.”He also admits that the 2022 law change surprised him, but he has quickly adapted. In December, he opened a medical cannabis clinic in Patong and has plans to create a focused ‘Soi Cannabis’ in a side street off the famous Bangla Road, housing several cannabis dispensaries and a cannabis-themed hotel. Through his Well Weed brand, he also has 12 outlets and two bars selling cannabis in Phuket.

Well Weed stocks 75 strains, including high-end Cali exotics and cheap lower-end quality. The business has been booming since June, with tourists from around the world converging on Phuket to sample the delights on offer. “I would say that 75% of our customers are well educated about cannabis and interested in top quality. They are coming to Green Lab and Well Weed outlets to see and smell the quality of the buds. But we also sell many pre-roll pure joints - 200 baht (approximately $5.50 US) for Thai Stick and 400 baht for exotics.”    Stefano believes it is almost certain that further regulation will see a clamp down on unlicensed cultivation for the recreational market.

Areas of concern for the Thai authorities include ensuring minors are protected (hence age restrictions) and avoiding the kind of negative publicity that comes with hedonistic tourists not knowing when to stop. Stefano says that edibles, in particular, pose a risk with a lack of knowledge about dosage levels and how to consume them safely. This is one of the reasons why the law now requires establishments to have a resident doctor on site before consumption on the premises is allowed.Inevitably many foreign interests are looking to move into the new Thai cannabis market.

They are also likely to feel the pinch in the future as the government seeks to ensure that Thais keep control of their new market. One of the locals to grasp the unique opportunity is Top, a long-time Thai grower well respected on the Phuket grow scene. Top sells buds from his shop to a mixture of locals and foreigners and confirms Stefano’s view that most foreigners opt for exotic strains like the Ice Cream Cake and OG Kush. Orange Sherbert is displayed on the counter, while Thais generally buy Thai Stick which is much cheaper. Top’s main business, however, is selling grow supplies, and under the Farm Lung brand, he sells soil products that have been fertilized with fishing industry by-products, which he buys from local fishermen.             

He has been growing cannabis for many years and was among the first wave of Thai’s adapting to indoor growing, trialing European and US cannabis genetics to find the best strains. Cultivation was strictly underground, and he was arrested several times during this time and forced to pay heavy fines to stay out of jail. In familiar with other underground growers in Thailand, secret Facebook groups were used to share knowledge. The top still spends several hours daily advising Thai growers via social media and Whatsapp. Through a translator, Top says that although he has seen sales rocket since legalization he doesn’t want his business to grow too big. It’s not just about business, ‘heart’ is essential as love for the cannabis plant.

He wants to encourage more local people to grow and gain income from cannabis. Tom from Gromore Thailand agrees and says, “Decriminalization has created a ripple effect. It’s not just cultivation or cannabis tourism; many local people and businesses in Phuket are gaining from providing services around the growing of cannabis. In Phuket, where tourism is so important, Covid hit the economy very hard, and it was tough times for many locals.” An experienced grower, originally from the UK, Tom launched Gromore with his Thai business partner, Dream, soon after the law change. The company is a cannabis consultancy, growing under license and advising clients on setting up grows and supplying high-end grow equipment, from LED lights to soil-based nutrients.

“What’s important for us is to promote Thailand and encourage domestic cultivation. We provide content in English and Thai, supplying growth tips through our social media channels. Education is a key aspect for us – we want Thais to have the tools to benefit from legalization.”    His Gromore partner, Dream, graduated with a degree in tourism but recognized the potential of the new cannabis industry. “Thailand has a long tradition of growing cannabis, but many growers are using traditional methods and growing outdoor plants.

The foreign cannabis community has much more knowledge – especially of growing indoors – and we need to get Thai growers to learn more about growing to supply a good product for the market. It’s important to speak to them in their language.”The day in Patong quickly turns to night, and the neon lights fizzle with new energy. A group of drunk Australians stumbles out of a bar, smoking ready-rolled joints like cigarettes. Thailand is Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, and tourism accounted for 20% of GDP in 2019 (Phuket attracted just over 9 million visitors per year to the island pre-pandemic).

A sign of how significant weed is for reviving fortunes is reflected in how even the Thai Tourism Authority has been promoting cannabis tourism. Most people agree that the cannabis effect has turbo-charged the tourist economy this year, but some wonder if this kind of hedonistic tourism could create an image problem down the line. Elsewhere around the world, cannabis-tolerant spots such as Amsterdam and Barcelona have faced sudden backlashes to their reputations as havens of high times as locals seek a different kind of tourist.

For now, however, this unexpected addition to the list of tourist attractions is proving very popular. “We’ve always loved Thailand,” says Steve, who’s sharing a joint with his wife Linda at a street-side table in another one of Bangla Road’s bars. “But now I can safely say we love it more than ever!