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Upon venturing out for lunch a few months ago, I came across one of the ubiquitous boat noodle stalls perched on the sidewalks of the streets of Bangkok. The broth was pure deliciousness, packed with umami – the essential fifth taste, as it is commonly referred to.
The secret ingredient, the elders in my family tell me in dramatic hushed whispers, is ganja.
Commonly used until its ban in 1934 due to international pressure, cannabis has deep roots in Thailand (no pun intended). From its potential to add savoury flavour in Thai dishes to its traditional herbal medicinal benefits, Thais have historically recognised that the plant may just have been more boon than bane. And recently, the government seemed to recognise this too.
On 4/20, it seems fitting to reflect on Thailand’s unlikely recent policy towards the partial decriminalisation of cannabis, advanced by Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai party.
In 2019, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise cannabis for medical use through amending the Narcotics Act B.E. 2522. In December last year, the government moved to further remove the stem, roots, stumps, leaves and stalks of cannabis from the country’s narcotics list, paving the way towards the use of those parts in food, medicine, clothing, and cosmetics. As of now, cannabis products are being advertised on social media and normalised across the country.
However, cannabis has not been completely decriminalised. Cannabis buds, which contain tetrahydrocannabinol (the psychoactive component in cannabis commonly referred to as THC), are still categorised under Class V of the Narcotic Drugs Act, with one of the harshest penalties in the world. So slurping (legal) cannabis-infused boat noodles won’t get you high since it can only contain the parts above, which has only trace amounts of THC.
Although the misunderstanding that one can get high from these products still persists, the recent government decision reflects a baby step towards the right direction. The policy thus far partially decriminalises a herb that has been strongly perceived as a damning narcotic with no possible medical nor scientific benefits. It will be beneficial to rid Thailand of this wrong impression for two reasons.
Firstly, to deny the benefits of cannabis is to deny ancient local Thai wisdom. For generations, Thai villagers had used cannabis for a variety of reasons before its ban (and illicitly afterwards until the government cracked down on its use), and are returning to it now. As alluded to, cannabis is used as an ingredient in Thai cuisine. It gives Thai dishes a savoury flavour – not just noodles, but also kra pao, tea, tempura, and most recently, shabu. After all, Thai cuisine is known for its flavour, and cannabis certainly adds some.
Moreover, many Thai traditional medicines incorporate cannabis. Just to name a few, Suksaiyas (ยาศุขไสยาศน์) aids with sleep and appetite; Akiniwakana (ยาอัคคินีวคณะ) alleviates nausea and vomiting; Paisali (ยาไพสาลี) aids with insomnia and fainting; Muay Thai boxers used marijuana-infused ointments. Given this, it will not be prudent to entirely deny research into the benefits of cannabis.
One must not also forget the economic benefits cannabis poses to the two key sectors of the Thai economy: agriculture and tourism. As the Ministry of Public Health has promoted through its medical marijuana project at Buri Ram, the cultivation of cannabis can provide an avenue to diversify income for local farmers and become an economic crop for export. The Tobacco Authority of Thailand has announced that this is a viable option to raise the income of tobacco farmers. If played right, this will benefit local communities, which can certainly build their brand from Thailand’s traditional, long-standing acceptance of cannabis.
Furthermore, Thailand already has a reputation for tourism, especially medical tourism. Adding medical marijuana tourism into the picture, coupled with Thailand’s cultural and historical background of marijuana use, can feasibly contribute to Thailand’s post-pandemic recovery process and sustain livelihoods of Thais in the tourism sector.
It is high time that the deep-rooted cultural ties to cannabis are returned to, and the benefits of cannabis researched. It seems counterproductive to punish Thais for their use of this traditional herb, even recreationally, instead of recognising and capitalising on its potential. At the end of the day, it might just help our economy hit that high.