“Our team, the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Group, conducts inspections almost every day. If we find any offenders, and most of the violations we find are related, their licenses will be suspended. We do this all the time,” Somsuk Samphanprathip, one of the PPHO’s two ‘Deputy Directors’, told The Phuket News.
“Currently, the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Group approves licenses under the authority granted by the central government. There are currently approximately 1,500 cannabis shops registered under the Public Health Act,” Mr Somsuk said.
“On-site inspections are ongoing. We can confirm that we’ve been doing this consistently… We have already inspected 313 shops,” he added.
Mr Somsuk confirmed that the inspections found 96 cannabis shops were found not complying with the new regulations handed down in June, namely failing to comply with the PorTor 27 and PorTor 28 reporting of cannabis sales and sources, or running foul of the rules regarding advertising or providing smoking facilities.
As a result, the 96 operators had their licences suspended, Mr Somsuk said.
However, more severe consequences have been short in coming. Only three operators had their licences revoked, and only eight operators had been prosecuted for breach of cannabis laws, Mr Somsuk confirmed.
Mr Somsuk again defended efforts by his officers. “Regarding license suspensions, reports have been sent to the local police stations, stating that the business must temporarily close until the suspension period of 10 or 30 days, allowing them to prepare and take appropriate action,” he said.
“Fines will be imposed only on some businesses. In some cases, fines are not imposed, but rather license suspensions,” he added.
Mr Somsuk noted that efforts to continue the checks remain hampered by a lack of personnel.
“We intend to continue monitoring as much as we can, but we do not a set deadline as we do not have enough officers,” he said.
“We are currently requesting the Ministry of Public Health to increase the team size, not just within a department, but also at the district level,” he added.
NEW RULES
Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat on July 9 announced the new regulations for cannabis businesses following the Ministry of Public Health’s recent designation of cannabis as a controlled herb. The move, effective since June 26 after publication in the Royal Gazette, allows cannabis use mainly for medical purposes under strict conditions.
Somsuk Sampanprateep, Deputy Director of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, explained that shops may sell cannabis only to patients with prescriptions issued by qualified professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, Thai traditional medicine doctors, and registered folk doctors. Prescriptions must be kept on file for at least one year.
Retailers must source products exclusively from farms certified under Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. At present, only four farms in Phuket are certified.
Key rules include:
* Smoking cannabis on premises is banned.
* Advertising is prohibited in all forms.
* Shops must submit monthly reports detailing product sources (Form PorTor 27) and usage (Form PorTor 28).
Violations can lead to suspension or revocation of licences, with offenders barred from operating under the Protection and Promotion of Traditional Thai Medicine Wisdom Act for two years. Selling without a licence carries penalties of up to one year in prison, fines of up to B20,000, or both.
Mr Somsuk said the provincial health office will initially focus on report reviews and compliance education, before moving to inspections and legal action, while Governor Sophon urged businesses to follow the rules to protect public safety and support Phuket’s ambition to lead in sustainable health tourism.
IMPACT
A major concern has been the lack of public knowledge of the inspections. Asked whether he had noticed any effect on the number of cannabis shops in tourist-heavy Patong, Weerawit Kruesombat, President of Patong Municipality Council, said plainly, “I don’t know, but I see they’re still open everywhere.”
Asked whether he had witnessed any inspections in Patong, he laughed, “I haven’t seen them.”
The PPHO and its Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Group have together reported only two series of inspections since the July 9 handing down of the regulations in Phuket.
In all of August, the group reported only inspecting a handful of shops on Bangla Rd. No other shops were reported as inspected, and there were no reports of any transgressions.
The group reported on July 29 the arrest of a licensee for distributing or processing controlled herbs for commercial purposes, after violating a suspension order.
The arrest involved charges under Section 46 of the Act, which carries a penalty under Section 98 of up to one year imprisonment, a fine of up to B20,000, or both. The licensee’s license was revoked and he will be unable to apply for any licenses under the Act for two years, the PPHO group reported.
Regardless, the number of cannabis shops operating in Phuket ‒ legally or illegally ‒ is actually falling.
In June, Poonwarit Wangpatravanich, President of the Phuket Cannabis Association, estimated that Phuket was home to more than 2,000 cannabis shops on the island, while Mr Somsuk last week confirmed that there were “about 1,500” cannabis operators legally registered under the Public Health Act.
Yet, according to online cannabis retailer website ‘Weed in Thailand’ there are ‘only’ 1,004 cannabis shops currently trading on the island
STIGMA REMAINS
Despite the warnings from officials, the new rules ‒ and their enforcement ‒ are still deemed to be ineffective in “correcting the market” fast enough to help prevent any impact on tourism.
Early last month during a visit to Patong by then-Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thienthong heard from key officials and tourism business operators that marijuana use in public areas remained a vital issue.
During the minister’s visit, Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee submitted a formal letter urging the government to address growing concerns over the spread of cannabis shops across the province, citing their potential impact on Phuket’s image as a quality tourist destination.
MP Chalermpong warned of a lack of clear legal frameworks governing cannabis use, especially in tourist areas, which has led to confusion about consumption, odour control and age restrictions.
He noted that while some tourists may be attracted to cannabis tourism, many visitors from countries such as China, Singapore and Japan still view cannabis as illegal, leading to discomfort and safety concerns.
This had negatively affected the image of Phuket as a family-friendly destination and could deter high-spending segments such as families, the elderly, and group travellers, MP Chalermpong said.
MP Chalermpong also raised concerns over the mental health impact on children and youth exposed to cannabis use, as well as the burden on public health systems dealing with cannabis-related psychiatric issues.
He called on the Tourism Minister to consider regulatory measures such as strict licensing, designated cannabis zones, clearer advertising rules, and stronger enforcement to separate cannabis-related activities from mainstream tourist areas.
While acknowledging that cannabis tourism has niche potential, MP Chalermpong stressed that long-term planning is needed to protect both public health and the quality image of Thailand’s tourism sector.