BANGKOK, Aug 17 (Reuters) – Thailand’s well being minister on Wednesday discouraged vacationers from visiting the nation solely to smoke weed, simply two months after new legal guidelines had been handed which have largely decriminalised the drug.
“We do not welcome these sorts of vacationers,” Anutin Charnvirakul advised reporters when requested about leisure marijuana use amongst international guests.
In 2018, Thailand turned the primary Southeast Asian nation to legalise hashish for medical use. In June, the whole plant was decriminalised, resulting in widespread leisure use. learn extra
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Regardless of the federal government’s pleas in opposition to getting excessive, hashish companies with particular smoking rooms have been successful with locals and guests. learn extra
However these smoking in public danger going through a three-month jail sentence or fines of as much as 25,000 baht ($705.82).
Anutin’s feedback come at the same time as international arrivals begin to choose up within the tourism-reliant nation. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economic system expects 8 million to 10 million arrivals this 12 months, above an earlier forecast of seven million.
Final 12 months, the pandemic slashed international arrivals to simply 428,000, in contrast with a file of almost 40 million in 2019.
Thailand has centered its hashish coverage on the 28 billion baht ($790.29 million) business constructed round its medical and well being advantages.
Anutin mentioned, nevertheless, leisure use might be explored as soon as there was higher understanding of the drug.
“It’d come within the close to future,” he mentioned.
Thailand’s hashish coverage has additionally drawn curiosity from regional neighbours like Malaysia, which is learning the usage of hashish for medical functions. learn extra
($1 = 35.4300 baht)
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Enhancing by Kanupriya Kapoor
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