BANGKOK, THAILAND – A leading cannabis network called on the Bhumjaithai Party to swiftly amend Thailand’s current cannabis regulations, warning of unfair burdens on legal operators, a growing black market and weaker youth protections.
Activists confront ruling coalition party
The network “Write the Future of Thai Cannabis” said it represented growers, shop owners and both medical and recreational users. In a letter dated 21 November 2025 to the leadership of the Bhumjaithai Party, the alliance described new control measures as “unfair and counterproductive.”
Bhumjaithai had played a key role in driving cannabis liberalization in recent years and currently holds the Health Ministry portfolio. According to the activists, the latest regulation threatened to erode the party’s core political brand on cannabis reform.
Criticism of ministerial order signed by Somsak
At the center of the complaint stood a ministerial announcement signed in early 2025 by former health minister Somsak Thepsutin. The network said the order imposed immediate and strict quality requirements for cannabis flowers sold in licensed shops, without any transition period.
Operators reportedly suffered significant financial losses because existing stock no longer met the new standards. The group argued that the abrupt rules weakened legal traders and pushed consumers toward the black market.
Prescription-only sales and youth safeguards
Another key criticism concerned the requirement for a doctor’s involvement in every cannabis purchase. The network said the mandatory medical prescription discouraged many users from registering in the legal system because they did not wish to be recorded as patients.
This, it argued, led consumers to seek illegal supplies instead. The letter also claimed that the order removed previous age-based safeguards, allowing minors to buy cannabis if they presented a medical certificate, certificates that were now widely available for purchase.
Extra testing burdens for growers and shop reclassification plan
Beyond sales rules, the network objected to overlapping and costly testing obligations for growers. Producers with existing recognized cultivation licenses and testing certificates still had to pay for additional examinations.
Sharp criticism was also directed at a draft ministerial regulation still awaiting cabinet approval. The draft would classify cannabis retail outlets as “medical premises” under the Medical Premises Act, a move the network called excessive and substantively inappropriate.
Four-point reform package proposed
In its letter, the group outlined four specific proposals to improve the regulatory framework. First, it urged a return to earlier protection rules from the tenure of Anutin Charnvirakul and the creation of a dual system: medical prescriptions for registered patients and a one-year “Cannabis Wellness User Card” for adult non-medical users.
Second, the activists called for the abolition of duplicate flower tests for growers who already held recognized cultivation credentials. Third, they proposed dropping plans to classify cannabis shops as medical facilities and instead developing separate standards for “controlled herb vendors” under the existing Thai Traditional Medicine Act.
Fourth, the network pressed for the delayed Health Ministry cannabis bill to be fast-tracked to cabinet and parliament in order to establish a comprehensive and balanced legal framework.
Warning over impact on party policy and child protection
The network warned that failing to correct the measures would undermine Bhumjaithai’s central cannabis liberalization policy. It also said mechanisms to protect children were being weakened under the current rules.
The letter further cautioned that the situation could create the impression the party’s original election promises mainly benefited certain interest groups.
“We will continue to monitor this matter until fair changes are made.”
said the network, a coalition of cannabis industry and user representatives.
No response yet from key figures
According to the network, Bhumjaithai, as the party controlling the Health Ministry, had the direct leverage to resolve the disputed issues. However, there was no public response from the main actors by the time of publication.
Neither Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai Party leader, nor Somsak Thepsutin had commented on the network’s demands, the report from The Pattaya News said.