Anutin, Thailand’s New Prime Minister, Faces Cannabis Crossroads

Thailand’s political scene is once again surprising. Anutin Charnvirakul has become the country’s new prime minister. You might recognize him for a single, historic move. He led the decriminalization of cannabis in 2022. Now he leads the government at a time when the fate of cannabis is once again hanging in the balance. What does this mean for the future of green business in Thailand?

Anutin Charnvirakul received his royal appointment on Sunday, September 7th, 2025. His rise to power was short and full of twists and turns. To understand the enormous challenge he faces, one must first understand Thailand’s current, highly complex cannabis laws.

What is the legal situation of cannabis in Thailand today?

In June 2022, Thailand removed cannabis from its list of illegal drugs. However, this wasn’t full legalization, but rather decriminalization, which created legal confusion. On the one hand, this allowed thousands of shops to open, and the country became a destination for cannabis tourism.

On the other hand, the lack of clear regulations led to chaos.

Decriminalization in a legal vacuum

Currently, the situation looks like this:

Cultivation and possession: They are legal.
Sale: Allowed, but extracts cannot contain more than 0.2% THC.
Recreational use: Smoking in public places is prohibited and punishable as a “public nuisance.” This can result in arrest or a hefty fine.

Regulatory chaos: The lack of a comprehensive law meant the market operated in a grey area, which drew criticism from some members of the public and politicians concerned about the easy access to cannabis by young people.

A Turn Toward Severity – Cannabis Again Prescription-Only

It was this chaos that led to a political U-turn. The previous government, led by the Pheu Thai Party, finally tightened the regulations in June 2025.

Under the new regulation, cannabis buds have been reclassified as a “controlled herb.” Crucially, shops are prohibited from selling cannabis to customers without a valid medical prescription. Sellers who violate this ban face severe penalties, including a maximum of one year in prison and a fine of 20,000 baht (approximately 2,500 złoty).

In September, the Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine, which oversees regulations, clarified the rules. Pharmacies and specialized stores (dispensaries) can sell a limited amount of dried herb to patients for personal use. However, a prescription can only be issued for one of five specific ailments:

insomnia,
chronic pain,
migraines,
Parkinson’s disease,
loss of appetite.

This is a radical change from the freedom of the past three years and effectively ends the era of legal recreational use in Thailand.

A Turbulent Road to Power: How Did Anutin Charnvirakul Become Prime Minister?

To understand Anutin’s success, we need to go back a few weeks. He didn’t win the election. He exploited a political crisis he helped create and took power in a country that had just reversed his flagship reforms.

Until recently, Anutin served as deputy prime minister in Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government. However, her career abruptly ended after a court dismissed her for ethical violations. When the scandal came to light, Anutin made a swift decision. He resigned and withdrew his Bhumjaithai party from the ruling coalition. This weakened the government and hastened the prime minister’s downfall. That’s when Anutin entered the fray. He won the opposition’s support, and on Friday, parliament elected him the new prime minister.

Anutin Charnvirakul – a man who has to clean up after his own revolution

For cannabis advocates worldwide, Anutin’s name is well-known. He was the face of liberalization. Now he faces a difficult task: balancing social expectations, economic benefits, and political pressure.

His Bhumjaithai party has from the outset promoted cannabis primarily as a source of income for farmers and a medicinal product, rather than a purely recreational use. The new, stricter regulations are therefore closer to their original intentions than a complete ban, but they also end the “Wild West” era in the cannabis market.

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(Featured image by NickyPe via Pixabay)

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First published in FaktyKonopne. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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