New Thailand Cannabis Law
Phuket’s dispensary culture has been thriving, but with growth comes new rules. The Thai Traditional Medical Wisdom Protection Act has just rolled out a fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that gives police more direct authority over how shops and users handle medical weed in Phuket.
This is a shift that affects everyone. Dispensary owners, farm operators, and even everyday users now face tighter checks. Police can step into stores during business hours, search vehicles if they suspect wrongdoing, and seize herb or documents on the spot.
The biggest source of confusion? What counts as compliant and what doesn’t. With cannabis laws in Thailand still evolving, the line between “legal” and “illegal” feels blurry. That’s why breaking down the SOP is important, it’s the difference between staying safe and facing fines, arrests, or even license suspensions.
Here’s what the new SOP really means for dispensaries and users in Phuket.
Police Authority Under the New SOP
One of the most important takeaways from the update is expanded police authority. Under the new SOP, officers can:
- Enter dispensaries during business hours without a warrant.
- Search vehicles if they suspect someone is carrying controlled herbs.
- Confiscate or freeze documents, bags, or other evidence.
- Summon individuals for questioning or documents.
- Order people to leave restricted areas or stop unlawful activity immediately.
For users, that means carrying herb in Phuket without documentation (such as a doctor’s certificate or proof of a medical cannabis prescription in Phuket) is now riskier than ever. At checkpoints, police don’t need extra approval to seize and check your bag.
For dispensaries, it means compliance has to be airtight. If authorities show up, every license condition must be in place and visible.
If There’s No License in Dispensaries in Phuket
Operating dispensaries in Phuket without a license? That’s no longer just a gray area. According to the new SOP:
- Police will check during business hours.
- Officers must show their ID, then verify yours.
- If there’s no valid license, the shop can be shut down immediately.
- Allegations include unauthorized sale of marijuana under Article 46.
- Penalty: up to one year in prison, a fine of 20,000 baht, or both.
- All intermediate items (flower, stalks, documents) can be seized.
Shops caught unlicensed are treated as criminal cases and passed directly to prosecution.
Bangkok Post coverage on cannabis crackdowns confirms that enforcement is stepping up under the new regulations.
If There’s a Valid License
Having a license doesn’t mean you’re untouchable, the new SOP makes that clear for dispensaries in Phuket. Police are now checking not just the existence of a license, but also whether every license condition is being followed.
Key requirements include:
- No sales to under-20s, students, or pregnant/nursing women (unless there’s a doctor’s prescription).
- No smoking inside shops (with very limited exceptions).
- No vending machines, online sales, or ads.
- No sales in temples, parks, schools, dorms, or amusement areas.
- Shops must also collect source information and report it regularly to the Department of Thai Traditional Medicine.
If any of these conditions are broken, the process is strict: warning → suspension → revocation. Once a license is suspended, operating counts as unlicensed, and the penalties jump back to Article 46: jail, fines, or both.
What This Means for Customers
For users, the rules are just as important:
- Police checkpoints can search you and seize herb if you don’t have proof of medical use.
- A medical cannabis prescription in Phuket is what protects you if questioned.
- Buying from unlicensed shops risks your safety. If the store is shut down during a raid, you could get caught up in the mess.
Think of it this way: the new SOP shifted the focus from “everyone’s relaxed” to “everyone’s being checked.” That means being prepared is smarter than assuming nobody cares.
Learn more about what You need to know before visiting any Dispensaries in Phuket.
What This Means for Dispensaries and Farms
For dispensary owners, compliance is now survival. Having the Section 33 license is essential, but meeting every condition is what keeps the doors open. Farms, too, are under pressure unlicensed grows risk being traced and shut down.
The government’s message is simple: operate with full paperwork, or risk losing everything. For Phuket shops, this is the time to double down on compliance, record-keeping, and transparency with both authorities and customers.
Access to Medical Weed in Phuket
The new police SOP under the Thai Traditional Medical Wisdom Protection Act makes one thing clear: the era of casual shortcuts is over. Whether you’re carrying flower for personal use or running a dispensary, documentation and compliance are now non-negotiable.
At Phuket High, we’re committed to keeping it clear and compliant. That means working with licensed growers, following every regulation, and making sure our community knows the rules before they walk into a shop.
So if you want to explore medical cannabis in Phuket without stress, start here. Visit Phuket High, talk to our budtenders, and get the real guidance you need to enjoy responsibly.
