Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is urging members of the public
to give their opinions about a draft ministerial regulation, which would allow each household to grow up
to 0.06 hectares of hemp plants.
Mr. Anutin’s concept is to make hemp a new cash crop for Thai farmers. The plant contains two
important chemicals, namely tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinoid (CBD), and is related to
cannabis.
Currently, hemp is classed as a Category 5 narcotic, in accordance with the Narcotics Act and, hence,
cultivation of hemp is currently illegal.
THC is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. It acts much like the
cannabidiol chemicals made naturally by the body. CBD is a chemical compound from the cannabinoid
family which occurs naturally in the cannabis plant.
Both substances are in high demand for industrial and medicinal use and in the food, drink and cosmetic
industries.
Mr. Anutin’s Bhumjaithai party has been very pro-active in their efforts to decriminalize cannabis and
hemp for certain applications, and enable the plant species to become a new cash crop to boost the
revenues of Thai farmers.
