Is Weed Legal In Thailand?

Thailand is a fun country to visit especially if you are looking to relax and party on one of the many party islands around the country. With that some people want to enjoy smoking weed while visiting Thailand, Thailand is well known for its strict laws on drugs. So, is weed legal in Thailand?

Marijuana/weed is illegal in Thailand, Thailand has strict laws regarding drugs and if caught with weed can lead to imprisonment or a large fine. Even being in possession of drugs can also carry the death penalty in Thailand. In 2018, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize medical marijuana. There are strict laws around the use of medical marijuana.

Update – In June 2022, Thailand removed cannabis from the Category 5 narcotics list. This only means it can be used for medical and industrial use. But not for recreational use. But there are cannabis shops everywhere and a lot of people seem to be smoking weed everywhere.

In this post, we will go through if weed is legal in Thailand. So let’s get started!

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Is Weed Legal In Thailand?

Weed is illegal in Thailand. Thailand is well known for its strict laws regarding drugs and if caught with weed can lead to imprisonment or a super large fine. There is also the risk of the death penalty in Thailand.

In 2018, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize medical marijuana. There are strict laws around the use of medical marijuana. You will need to go through the proper channels to be able to get medical marijuana in Thailand.

Update – In June 2022, Thailand removed cannabis from the Category 5 narcotics list. This only means it can be used for medical and industrial use. But not for recreational use. But there are cannabis shops everywhere and a lot of people seem to be smoking weed everywhere.

What Are The Main Drugs In Thailand?

Ya ba is properly the most used illegal In Thailand. It is also known as the ‘crazy drug’ and can cause a lot of permanent damage to the human body in particular the mind. The next popular illegal drugs in Thailand are cannabis(weed), cocaine, ecstasy, and proper ice with all four widely available in tourist areas.

Remember that the Thai police are watching these areas. They do be undercover and even pose as drug dealers. And it is well known that tuk-tuk drivers work with the police and try to upsell drugs.

What Drugs Are Illegal In Thailand?

Thailand has 5 categories of drug classification. The Thai Narcotics Act defines narcotics as something that is consumed that can have a negative physiological or mental effect. The drugs are classified into 5 categories with category 1 being the worse. These are as follows.

• Category 1 – Heroin, Ecstasy, Methamphetamines such as Ya ba, and Ice.
• Category 2 – Cocaine, Morphine, Ketamine, Opium, and medicinal opium.
• Category 3 – Medicinal drugs whose formula contains narcotics of category 2.
• Category 4 – Drugs that used chemicals used to make categories 1 and 2.
• Category 5 – Marijuana (weed) and the Kratom plant.

The best advice is to stay away from drugs in Thailand.

What Is The Sentence For Drugs In Thailand?

Thailand has very strict laws regarding drugs. If you are found to be in possession of 20 grams of a class A drug such as an ecstasy or cocaine you run the risk of receiving the death penalty. Anyone in possession of drugs that are illegal also runs the risk of imprisonment for anywhere from 1 to 10 years or a large fine.

What Do You Do If You Get Caught With Drugs In Thailand?

Unfortunately, the situation of a tourist getting caught with illegal drugs in Thailand is not uncommon situation. What to do if you get arrested for drug possession in Thailand as a foreigner stuck in a Thai jail? Here is what to do.

• You first need to contact your embassy. The embassy will not get you out of jail but they can inform you, your family, and your friends, as well as help to find you a proper Thai lawyer.
• Next, you will need a Thai lawyer that speaks your language. The problem in Thailand is that quite a few lawyers prey on people in desperate situations. And take the money they are paid, do nothing, and disappear. You need to be careful when deciding on a lawyer and before handing over money.
• The Thai court system has very slow progress. You may have to wait months for your first court date. For small offenses, you may have to wait to get out on bail and this can be very expensive because of the flight risk.
• You can remain silent under Thai law until you get your lawyer. And you should not say anything. As you might get yourself in more trouble.

My Advice About Drugs In Thailand For Foreigners

I have only 3 bits of advice regarding illegal drugs in Thailand. These are as follows.

• The best thing to do is stay away from drugs in Thailand. It is not worth the hassle or risk.
• If a stranger or someone gives you a package or bag to carry, just say no.
• If you are in a bar or cafe shop and you smell weed, it is safer to leave. The Thais in general are any drugs so someone will more than likely report it to the police.

Wrapping Up

Finally, weed is illegal in Thailand but in June 2022, Thailand removed cannabis from the Category 5 narcotics list. This means it can be used for medical use but it’s widely available. Thailand is well known for its strict laws regarding drugs and if caught with weed can lead to imprisonment or a large fine. The safest thing to do when in Thailand is to stay away from drugs, overall it is not worth the risk and you don’t want to be on the TV series banged up aboard.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on is weed legal in Thailand has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

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