A new movement by both government and private organizations may lead to the decriminalization of marijuana in the near future for its pain-relief benefits.

At a public forum on Monday about the possible decriminalization, four agencies all agreed that marijuana should be pulled from the list of illegal Category 5 drugs.

This does not mean that we’re about to be hanging out at weed cafes a la Amsterdam, but the movement will at least decriminalize it. Whether or how the drugs will be controlled still needs to be figured out.

The four organizations that sent representatives to the meeting were the Crime Suppression Police, Drug Suppression Police, National Agricultural Council and officials from the Council of State.

According to the current Narcotic Act B.E. 2522, the possession of marijuana for any reason could lead to five years imprisonment and/or a fine of THB100,000. The consumption of marijuana could land you one year in prison and/or a fine of THB20,000...

mammothboy2 wrote: A decade ago, a purchaser of a small baggie of grass in a quiet bar on Koh Samet questioned what he thought to
be rather a high price (300 Baht) and was told:

"It's very good. It's from Cambodia - and we have to pay the police."

[Minister of justice] Koomchaya says the country’s proposed new anti-narcotics laws will help shift the focus toward rehabilitation, rather than incarceration. “To deal with [drug offenders] we will focus on their rights to access proper healthcare services and the right to be cured,” the minister says. “Access to proper medication can help them stop taking drugs.”

But Koomchaya also wants it to be clear that Thailand is going soft on drugs, and capital punishment for major drug offenses will continue to be applied. “Big-time drug dealers will face harsh penalties. Even as we soften the drug policy, we will still have the death penalty,” says...