More than 100,000 people rushed to register to grow cannabis and hemp plants, through the Thai Food and Drug Administration’s (TFDA) website https://plookganja.fda.moph.go.th, and the “plookganja” application this morning (Thursday), as the removal of the two plants from the Category 5 narcotics list becomes effective. The stampede overwhelmed the capacity of the original site.

An alternative portal, https://plookganjaweb.fda.moph.go.th/, has now been set up.

TFDA Secretary-General Paisarn Dunkum said that the app was downloaded more than 50,000 times today, adding that they will try to certify the registration applications electronically.

He warned that the certification can be revoked any time if it is discovered that the growers are not complying with the regulations.

The registration is meant for those who want to grow cannabis and/or hemp for household use only.  Growing of either of the two plants for non-household use, such as for sale, requires official permission.

Panthep Puapongpan, spokesman for the Public Health Ministry’s communication and public relations committee for the use of cannabis, however, assured that it is not against the law to carry cannabis in public, even if one has not yet registered with the TFDA.