Thailand’s PM wants to outlaw cannabis two years after drug was decriminalised

Rattapon Sanrak founder of the Highland Cafe prepares a flower bud of marijuana for a customer, at Highland cafe shop in Bangkok, Thailand (Sakchai Lalit/AP)

The prime minister of Thailand, the first country in Asia to legalise cannabis two years ago, has said that he wants to outlaw the drug again amid concerns that lack of regulation had made it available to children and increased crimes.

Srettha Thavisin wrote on the social media platform X that he asked the Health Ministry to amend its list of narcotics to again include cannabis, and issue new rules to allow its use for medical purposes only.