Short answer
On 22 September 2026 Thailand's Cabinet approved a draft cannabis control bill and sent it to the House of Representatives. The draft would limit cannabis use to medical purposes with a doctor's prescription, register cultivation sites, require licences for sale, ban sales to under-20s, and ban advertising. It is not law yet. Shops still operate under their current three-year licences, which expire between 2026 and 2028, and the Public Health Ministry says inspections will increase, particularly in tourist areas.
What the Cabinet approved
Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat announced on 22 September 2026 that the Cabinet had approved a draft cannabis control bill, The Nation and The Thaiger reported. It goes next to the House of Representatives. The draft limits cannabis use to medical purposes, which means a document signed by a doctor, and allows research under conditions set by law.
The draft also requires cultivation plots to be registered by size and location, and licences for growing, producing, importing, exporting and selling, generally valid for three years. Sales to people under 20, pregnant women and breastfeeding women would be banned, along with sales near schools, temples, dormitories and parks. Advertising of cannabis flower, resin and smoking equipment would be prohibited. The Thaiger adds that using cannabis outside permitted purposes could bring fines.
What happens to the shops
Nothing changes overnight. The minister said shops that sell cannabis still operate under their existing licences, valid for three years, which expire in stages between 2026 and 2028. A shop that is not a medical facility would not be able to renew once the new law applies. A medical facility needs a doctor on the premises. The minister estimated that more than half of the shops would have to convert to renew.
The ministry has previously said that around 12,000 outlets were active nationwide. Inspections are expected to increase in major cities and tourist areas. The Thaiger reported that Phuket had already revoked 35 licences and suspended 112, according to provincial figures published earlier in September. The public can check licensed sites on the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine's MC-GIS platform.
What a visitor should take from it
The direction is clear, even if the law is not passed: cannabis in Thailand is moving towards medical use only. The Nation reported in July that the ministry's draft aims to end recreational use, and that the first removal of cannabis from the narcotics list had left gaps that officials filled with other laws.
We are a tour company, not a legal adviser, so we cannot tell you what is allowed in a given shop. If you are unsure, read the Public Health Ministry's notices and ask your hotel. Two points are firm: do not carry cannabis out of Thailand, which is the subject of a separate customs warning, and check official notices rather than a shop's own claims.
Where our tours fit
Nothing on our tours involves cannabis. On our Bangkok night tuk-tuk food tour, from $40 per person, the stops are Wat Arun after dark, the Giant Swing, the Pak Khlong Talat flower market and a street-food dinner in Chinatown.
For the wider rules on visitors, see our guide to Thailand's cannabis rules. We update it when parliament votes.
Practical checklist
- Treat cannabis in Thailand as a regulated medical product, and do not assume a shop's offer is legal for you.
- Never pack cannabis in your luggage when you leave Thailand.
- Check the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine's MC-GIS platform if you need to know whether a shop is licensed.
- Watch for news of the House of Representatives vote on the bill.
Questions and answers
Is cannabis illegal in Thailand now?
The Cabinet's draft bill is not law yet. The Public Health Ministry says the aim is medical use only, and shops still operate under existing licences. Rules are changing, so check the ministry's notices before you travel.
When will the new cannabis law start?
No date is set. The draft must pass the House of Representatives and the rest of the legislative process before it can take effect, The Thaiger reported.
Will cannabis shops close?
Licences expire in stages between 2026 and 2028. Shops that are not medical facilities, with a doctor on site, could not renew under the new law, according to the minister.
Can tourists buy cannabis legally?
We cannot give legal advice. The draft would limit use to medical purposes with a doctor's prescription, and inspections are increasing in tourist areas, so ask the ministry or your hotel.