Picture: Thai Rath
Thai Rath reported on the latest comments of Thr health minister and DPM Anutin Charvirakul and senior doctors as the great marijuana debate in Thailand was racheted up.
Anutin was speaking at the Health Ministry in Nonthaburi where he sung the praises of marijuana for "wellness tourism" something that was described as a 2.3 trillion baht worldwide business post pandemic.
Anutin - as leader of the Bhumjaithai political party - has been a key advocate of the decriminalization of marijuana and hemp that came in on June 9th.
But groups ranging from Muslims in the south to a group of 851 doctors and medical personnel at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok as well as the Forensic Physicians' Association have called for a suspension of the liberalization.
They claim that youth are at risk despite bans on the drug being used by under 20s in legislation that already exists.
Anutin was quoted in Thailand's English print media that the country has come too far to turn back now saying that marijuana will not be illegal again.
He said that the committee scrutinising the change in the law and coming up with new guidelines will report at the end of next month and PM Prayuth Chan-ocha has promised to push through government, and subsequently Royal sssent, before the end of this parliament.
Anutin said yesterday that marijuana products provide a great opportunity for people to make money in the health tourism arena and provide a "better quality of life" for sick people.
Dr Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, deputy at the MoPH, spoke of their use in health and beauty spas though stressed that must be legal.
He said there are 11,543 wellness tourism facilities in Thailand that would use hemp and marijuana products.
These comprised 1,051 spas, 10,248 health massage shops and 241 beauty massage establishments.
Hemp oil from seeds would be used in the spas and compresses containing ganja would be allowed too.
The drugs would also play a part in "spa cuisine" though this was not adequately explained in the Thai Rath story.
The overriding message coming from Anutin and his doctors was that marijuana is here to stay in Thailand despite the furor over recreational use and worries about access by under age teens, notes ASEAN NOW.
There is too much money involved to turn back now.
But many will be eagerly anticipating the findings of the House committee due to report at the end of August.
Their recommendations could shape the liberalization and industry for years to come
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