An Expat’s Guide to Cannabis in Thailand
In Thailand, we call marijuana gan-chaa (กัญชา), derived from the original Sanskrit term, ganja – a favored synonym for the Devil’s lettuce in many countries around the world and an easy one to remember.
Back in August of 2022 when this article was first written, we were all on eggshells, the sudden boom in cannabis business was too good to believe. Every day there seemed to be some rumour of the government trying to put the cat back in the bag. But here we are, as I update the article in March of 2023, and Thailand is still swimming in a haze of ganja smoke.
All over the country, cafes, restaurants, and bars are cashing in on the trend by selling THC-laden products along with more innocuous CBD and hemp offerings for various health benefits.
Yes, you can get high legally in Thailand now but it is important to know the laws so you do not cross a line that could get you in trouble.