JakartaPost/AFP-Dec 16
From sleek boutiques to rickety stalls, hundreds of cannabis dispensaries have sprouted up across Bangkok following decriminalization, but in a nation once infamous for tough drug laws, Thai vendors are asking: Can the high times last? In a Southeast Asian first, the kingdom removed parts of the marijuana plant from its narcotics list in June, effectively legalizing the substance – albeit with a confusing lack of detail. It could be a lucrative change for a tourism-heavy economy badly dented by the pandemic, with the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce predicting the market may be worth US$1.2 billion by 2025. But in the absence of clear regulations, Thailand is fast becoming a free-wheeling weed Wild West, sparking jitters among some suppliers that the rush may send everything up in smoke. “The barrier to enter the market is so low,” said Kajkanit “Gem” Sakdisubha, who started growing cannabis after his father was diagnosed with cancer. His shop, named The Dispensary, which looks more like a luxury goods store, places an emphasis on locally sourced weed, administered by expert “bud-tenders”. “I know there’s a lot of groups and other people that jump into the business because they see money in it, and there’s not much passion in it,” he said. Online map firm WEED.in.th has registered 1,750 stores, with another 450 awaiting approval. But sellers like Gem are anxious about what the government may do next. “We need to see that plan in five and 10 years, not month-by-month,” he said. “I know some people that close down shops because they have no certainty.” Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2022/12/16/let-the-good-times-roll-bangkok-becomes-southeast-asias-weed-wild-west.html
