A Bhumjaithai Party list MP has denied the party ever supported free or recreational cannabis use, insisting its policy has always been medical use only under strict law.
Suphachai Jaisamut posted on Facebook yesterday, saying cannabis has become a heavily debated issue in politics, society and the media, with Bhumjaithai often wrongly blamed for the country’s cannabis problems.
He said the party’s stance has never changed. It supports cannabis for medicine and health, not recreation, with use requiring clear law, strict oversight and public safety as the priority.
Suphachai said the goal is to give patients access to treatment, support medical research, and create opportunities for farmers and legal operators.
He said removing cannabis from the narcotics list does not mean it should go unregulated. Thailand needs a specific law covering cultivation, production, distribution, advertising, prescription and use to prevent misuse.
Suphachai said Bhumjaithai’s cannabis bill failed to pass the House of Representatives in 2022 for political reasons. The two year gap without dedicated legislation, he said, led to illegal cannabis shops, uncontrolled recreational use and lax enforcement.
He said the lack of a specific law created a regulatory gap that all sides should work together to fix, rather than use as a political blame game.
Suphachai said Bhumjaithai backs several measures: limiting cannabis to medical purposes, controlling prescriptions through medical professionals, banning sales to children and young people, banning misleading advertising, and setting appropriate penalties for violators.
He said good policy must be based on evidence, not emotion or fear, and that Thailand could become a regional hub for medical cannabis with a transparent, trusted regulatory system.
Bhumjaithai submitted its Medical Cannabis Bill to the House of Representatives last week. Suphachai said the bill must be urgently considered when Parliament reconvenes in August, and called on MPs from every party to help pass it.
‘Bhumjaithai believes good policy must not choose sides between patients and society, but must protect both,’ Suphachai said, reported MGR Online.
‘Patients must not be denied treatment, while children and young people must be strongly protected. This is a responsibility Bhumjaithai is committed to and will continue to push forward.’
Get informed on the legal status, culture, and impact of weed in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai with The Thaiger’s Thailand Cannabis Guide.
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