Bangkok/Pattaya, Thailand--Thai cannabis growers and sellers struggle with competition from illegal US imports almost a year after Thailand decriminalized cannabis. These imports sell for a fraction of the price of locally grown products. Local businesses claim that foreign money dominates the market. Many dispensaries across Thailand now push low-cost, untaxed cannabis smuggled from the US.
[Image via Al Jazeera]
According to an Al Jazeera report, illegal imports are sold at two to five times their original price, with prices for local strains starting at 300 baht ($9) per gram, while imports sell for 150-180 baht ($4.50-5.30) per gram. The product is often smuggled in furniture and fruit or vegetable containers, making it difficult for customs officials to detect.
Recreational cannabis use remains illegal in Thailand. However, enforcement is inconsistent, with cannabis shops and stalls in significant towns and cities. The report notes that the Bhumjaithai Party, which pushed for decriminalization, blames corrupt officials for the flood of illegal imports and political opportunism for the negative headlines about cannabis reform. The party's members call for the passage of the Cannabis Act to tackle weed smuggling specifically.
The Thai Chambers of Commerce estimated the cannabis industry generated around 40 billion baht ($1.2 billion) for the local economy last year. However, local growers and sellers find competing with cheap imports dominating the market complex.
Learn more in the story on Al Jazeera.