Following the Thai government’s landmark decision to allow for personal medicinal cannabis use – making it the first country in the region to do so – ministries are now planning to launch a medicinal cannabis tour next year.
Bangkok Post reports that as part of the new initiative, the government is aiming to launch an educational platform to help inform those that are interested in learning more about the drug’s potential health benefits.
To start with, the programme would reportedly target local people and businesspeople. The proposal indicates that up to eight provinces could be included in the tour – namely, Mae Hong Son, Lampang, Samut Songkhram, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Phatthalung and Chon Buri.
The Tourism and Sports minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said: “In the early stages, the programme aims to educate locals who would like to form a community enterprise and bid to become authorised cannabis growers.
“This programme will pave the way for a basic understanding of marijuana and its economic benefits”
According to Ratchakitprakarn, the Tourism Department and the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department will be working together in promoting medicinal tourism as well as the use of medicinal cannabis and herbs in treatments.
The tour will showcase a number of processes concerning medicinal cannabis, including cultivating and regulating the plant, while participants will learn everything about the business opportunities in connection with the drug.
It is hoped that the tour will get some attention from domestic and foreign businesses in the industry. Thailand is very serious in utilising the plant, and the next step will be the cannabis expo that will be held in the country next year.
Mr Ratchakitprakarn added: “We should consider cannabis as a legacy from the past worth preserving. Thais have used this plant as medicine since the King Narai era.
“Its medicinal properties were later verified by modern research.”
Cannabis was legalised for medicinal and research purposes in Thailand in 2018 – however, adult-use, as in every country in the region, is illegal.
