Precis

It's the country which gave us the words "bong" and "ganja".

In Thailand, cannabis has been used for centuries in traditional medicine.

But when the US launched its 'war on drugs' in the 1970s, Thailand became a key partner, placing cannabis on the narcotics list and toughening penalties against it.

This June, the country took it off that list, meaning cannabis sellers and recreational users no longer risked jail for selling or possessing cannabis.

In tourist hotspots, a "ganja-culture" is fast taking hold. In Bangkok's Khao San Road nightspot, it seems easier to buy a joint than a Pad Thai.

"Now it's legal – God gave a gift for us," says Choco Gonzales, a cannabis seller in Bangkok.

And it's party time for tourists at the famous full moon party at Koh Phangnan in the country's south.

"Wherever you go now, it's Amsterdam again in Asia," says an Italian tourist at the party.

As Australia reignites on its own debate about legalising cannabis, Southeast Asia correspondent Mazoe Ford travels around Thailand to meet the new crop of 'ganja-preneurs' cashing in on the green rush.

In Bangkok, Kitty Chopaka, a shop owner selling cannabis products and a leading advocate of decriminalisation, is still pinching herself.

"I never thought in my lifetime that this would actually happen ... But at the same time I knew it had to be done."

In the southern island of Samui, resort owner Carl Lamb reckons the liberalisation of the laws is attracting overseas tourists.

"You can really feel it's reinvigorated the market. There's a new energy here."

Ford also hitches a ride on the private jet of the politician behind the policy – Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

He takes us to Thailand's east to spruik the medicinal cannabis industry which the government hopes will become a billion-dollar industry.

"It turned out that majority of my voters chose to vote for my party ... some people even called my party (the) 'Cannabis Party'," he tells Ford.

But not everyone welcomes the change. More than a thousand doctors have warned that the drug was delisted before proper safeguards and regulations were in place.

"We don't want to be the cannabis haven of the world," say Doctor Chanchai Sittipunt from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

But Kitty Chopaka says going back isn't possible — the genie is out of the bottle.

"That broke ... that bottle is broken. It's gone!"

Episode teaser

Music

00:10

MAZOE FORD, Reporter:  In Thailand, cannabis is out of the bag. Just a few months ago people risked jail for using it. Now, this country has the one of the most liberal approaches in the world.

00:15

PARTY GOER: It was a little bit surprising that every corner you can find weed 

00:28

Music

00:33

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Cannabis, or 'ganja', as it's traditionally known here, has been decriminalised.  And that's lead to a bonanza, potentially worth billions of dollars.

00:38

Super:
Mazoe Ford
Reporter

In Thailand's party hotspots cannabis has burst into the open – you can literally smell it.  Flowers, leaves, the whole plant. You want it? You can get it.

00:49

'BEER': [laughing] But it's been a good ride and success.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Business is booming?

'BEER': Booming. Yes.

00:59

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Officially, the Thai government says cannabis should only be for medical or therapeutic use.

01:09

ANUTIN: And then you put under your tongue.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Under my tongue?

ANUTIN: Yes.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: And that will help me sleep better?

ANUTIN: Yes.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: I don't want to take it now then, I'm still working.

01:14

But the change in the law has left a grey area when it comes to recreational use, and not everyone's on board.

01:23

DR CHANCHAI: We don't want to be the cannabis haven of the world.

01:30

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: I want to find out how Thailand got to this point, and whether it's destined to become the Amsterdam of Asia.

01:33

Title: Thai High

Music

01:43

Bangkok skyline

01:49

Kitty walks

01:56

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: In Bangkok's upmarket Sukhumvit area Kitty Chopaka is still feeling shocked that cannabis has been unleashed.

02:01

KITTY:  Oh my god, I never thought in my lifetime that this would actually happen. But at the same time I knew that it has to be done.

02:09

Kitty opens shop

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Kitty is one of scores of new so-called 'ganja-preneurs'.  She can now legally sell real cannabis, alongside the cannabis-flavoured lollies she's known for. 

02:21

Mazoe visits Kitty in shop

"I'm Mazoe."

KITTY:  Hi, I'm Kitty. So welcome to Chopaka.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: So what have you got here?

KITTY: We have terpene gummies which has been available since before the legalisation.

02:34

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Terpene gummies don't have the potent cannabis chemicals, just the flavour. 

02:48

KITTY: It will give you a very light effect but at the same time we now have flowers grown in Thailand and it smells like…

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Very strong.

KITTY:  …absolutely wonderful.

02:54

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Kitty's a cannabis smoker and a passionate advocate for what she says are the beneficial effects of 'ganja'.

03:09

Kitty with customer

CUSTOMER: "Do you recommend a strain today? Never tried it before."

03:17

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: These cannabis flowers have high levels of THC – that's the psychoactive chemical that gets people high.  But Kitty says with responsible use it's not harmful.

03:23

KITTY: The actual first question we ask is have you used it before, and then kind of really go through the process of what they want out of it. How to use safely is one of the key thing. And how to use responsibly.

03:35

CUSTOMER:  'Is this a bong? How do I use it?'

KITTY: The 'bong', the word itself is actually a Thai word.

03:48

Kitty interview

We are bringing back the culture.

03:59

Close up on marijuana

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Cannabis used to grow wild in Thailand and was valued in traditional medicine before it was clamped down on with a tough Narcotics Act in the 1970s, during the US led 'war on drugs'.

KITTY: My great-grandmother would sell cannabis

04:01

Kitty interview

and she would cure them with honey. Traditional, traditional . She'd put it on the ground and sell it to farmers on their way back from going out to the rice field.

04:19

Kitty and Mazoe. Kitty divides up marijuana

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: For 50 years growers, dealers and users faced stiff penalties. Not anymore.

04:3

Kitty weighs marijuana

How much is that worth?

KITTY: Let's see how much that weighs. So that's about five grams, so about over a little bit over a hundred Australian dollars. 

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: It was taken off the banned narcotics list in June this year, but there was no law spelling out who could use it or how.

04:39

Draft legislation is still being debated in Parliament and Kitty's been advising on that.

KITTY: I never thought that

04:55

Kitty interview

Thailand would let something be delisted before they put in rules for it. But then again, Thai politics surprise me all the time.

05:01

Anutin with cannabis plant, handing out plants to public. Super:
June 2022

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: This is Thailand's Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, the day after cannabis was decriminalised.

ANUTIN: "How beautiful it is."

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Government-controlled medicinal cannabis had already been legal for four years, but Anutin put the plant back in the hands of the people, literally handing it out for free.

05:16

Anutin campaigning

At the last election he campaigned, promising that people could grow and use the plant at home as medicine, and farmers would have a new cash crop. And it was a winner. Anutin's party got the votes, the people got the cannabis.

05:43

Anutin press stop

ANUTIN: "We are here to make a living, make a better living, make a better quality of life." 

05:59

WOMAN: I'm very happy. Now villagers like us can grow it legally, we no longer have to hide.

06:03

Guy holding plants

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: But delisting cannabis opened the door to people using it recreationally, and unless you're under 20, pregnant, or breastfeeding it's pretty much a free for all.

06:13

Weed sellers on Khao San Road

06:24

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: While the government advocates cannabis for medicinal use, I can't see many sick people when Kitty takes me down Bangkok's popular nightlife strip, Khao San Road.

06:30

Kitty and Mazoe walk Khao San Road

"It's early, but it's busy already."

KITTY:  "Yeah it's going to get worse!"

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: "Worse, or better?"

06:41

Tourist hubs have roared back to life after COVID and cannabis has added an extra attraction.

06:47

KITTY: I can smell it in the air a little bit.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Technically, people can be charged with being a nuisance for smoking in public, but no-one seems to be complaining.

06:55

Have heaps of little cannabis shops popped up since June 9th? 

KITTY: Yeah, and the later it is, the more pop up.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: And are they all licensed?

KITTY: No.

07:06

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Those who are licensed are happy to tell us how it's going. 

07:20

Kitty and Mazoe into licensed store

07:24

Choco interview. Super:
Choco Gonzales

CHOCO GONZALES: God has given a gift for us. Society calls us fucking criminal shit. But right now, no criminal any more. We're just business.

07:28

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Just four months ago none of this was here.  Now it seems easier to get a joint than a pad Thai.

07:40

Kitty and Mazoe into another store, with saleswoman

07:46

SALESWOMAN: "What kind of effect do you want?"

KITTY: "I want a flavour. I want something more on the sour side. What do you have?"

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: For a young industry operating in a legal grey area

07:52

Rolling joints

it's looking pretty well established, and that's because before decriminalisation there was a thriving underground scene here.

08:10

Mazoe walks with 'Beer'

'BEER': The richest part of Bangkok is on that side, but this is the hood baby! 

08:24

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Soranut Masaya-vanich, or 'Beer' as he's known, is a licensed cannabis dispenser. He opened his shop on the day the law changed. 

08:29

'Beer' and Mazoe into store

'BEER': Let's go to the counter. This is Mindy Green, she will explain to you what we got on the shelves. She's our budtender.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Your budtender? Not a bar tender a budtender. Does it just blow your mind that you can do this all out in the open now.

'BEER': It's living the dream every day. Have to pinch myself. You know, like sometimes I used to cry driving here and like, fuck is this real?

08:39

Weed supplier enters store

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Where does the weed come from?

'BEER': For this month we have underground growers from Kanchanaburi, from Chiang Mai… Oh, oh… whassup, special delivery. This is Thai Loy from local farmer on the border with Laos. 

09:07

Excerpt 'Beer' on TV program

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Back when he was a teenager, 'Beer's' use of cannabis cost him dearly. He was an actor starring in TV series and movies. 

09:31

'Beer' interview

How famous were you?

'BEER': It was actually number one rating sitcom in Thailand. 11 years. But I left in about maybe a year five.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Why did you leave?

'BEER':  They wrote me out.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: They wrote you out. Why?

'BEER': Of course, my bad behaviours and images around cannabis. You know, I got busted with weed.

09:43

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: 'Beer' avoided jail, but the stigma ended his acting career. He went into the illegal cannabis industry, raking in thousands of dollars a month.

10:01

'BEER':  But I love this more. This is my dream job. This is not business. This fucking personal. 

10:13

Salesman with customers

SALESMAN: "This one so special, sticky Jasmine, this one floral taste. Smooth and when you smoke that's when it's really, really good. You want some like, lacy, chill, do nothings?

10:20

Mazoe to camera in shop

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: I'm shaking my head I just can't get my head around this yet. In Thailand cannabis is so out in the open now they're talking about flavours, varieties, strengths, and just a couple of months ago that would have been unthinkable here.    

10:34

'Beer' interview

And in the space of about 10 minutes here this afternoon, you've sold about 10,000 baht worth of stuff. So about 500, just under a 500 Australian dollars in less than 10 minutes.

'BEER': That's a good day. 

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: That's a good day.

'BEER': Yeah.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Well that's a good 10 minutes.

'BEER': Yeah. Good 10 minutes. This is making me look good on camera.

10:55

Tossaporn and Peerapat on motorbike

Music

11:12

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: The change in the law has been life-changing for many. In the past, being caught with cannabis meant jail for thousands of people. Tossaporn and Peerapat were two of them. 

11:19

- I appreciate the outside world so much more than before.

11:31

- In jail I couldn't see anything, only walls and sky.

11:34

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: On the day cannabis was no longer classed as a narcotic, they were released, along with 3,000 other prisoners. An unbelievable turnaround in a nation known for its zero tolerance to drugs. In January this year Tossaporn and Peerapat were recruited by a drug syndicate to transport 355 kilograms of compressed 'brick weed'.  The job was only supposed to take a few hours and pay them around two thousand dollars. 

11:39

Tossaporn and Peerapat interview

- I wanted the money as I had a child and I needed to buy formula for him.  I was stressed so I made a decision to do it.

12:13

- I knew it was cannabis . I also wanted the money so I went. I didn't have a job.

12:30

Thai news report of arrest. Super:
30 January 2022

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Police had been tipped off and were waiting for them. Their arrest was big news in Thailand's north-east where they live.

12:41

NEWS REPORT: "After searching they found 355 weed bricks equal to 355 kilograms wrapped in foil and taped with black gaffer tape into eight packs."

12:52

Tossaporn and Peerapat interview

- I was shocked. I was so shocked, we didn't know what to do.

- We were so busted.

- Busted. Game over!

13:06

Thai prison cell

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Thai prisons are notorious, and they were sentenced to seven years inside.

- The cell would have around 200 – 300 people.

13:13

Tossaporn and Peerapat interview

People would sleep like this. If there were a lot of people, we had to fold our knees up, interlock our legs and sleep head to toe.

13:25

- If there were a lot of people, the feet of the person above you would be on your shoulders.

13:35

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Just four months in, everything changed.  They were released and their cannabis-related criminal records were deleted. 

13:41

- It felt like winning, better than winning first prize in the lottery.

- Even the lottery doesn't get you out of jail.

- Yeah!

- We got to go home.

13:48

Mazoe boards Minister Anutin's jet

Music

13:59

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: On a humid Bangkok afternoon, Public Health Minister Anutin has invited me to travel with him on his private jet. For him, the medicinal cannabis industry is the main game, and he wants to take me to see how it's taken off.

14:06

Onboard plane

ANUTIN: Okay. Welcome aboard.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Thank you. This is very nice.

ANUTIN: My pleasure.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Where are we headed today?

14:25

ANUTIN:  We want to bring you to Buriram to witness what we are doing. You'll definitely see the cannabis cultivation. Not only the plant, but how it becomes industrialised.

14:31

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Before politics, Anutin was a businessman who ran his family's construction conglomerate. His personal wealth is listed at 170 million dollars.

14:46

And this is your plane?

ANUTIN: This is my plane. I fly quite a lot as a Minister of Public Health of Thailand, I have to go to almost every city. I'm more than willing to provide this convenience to myself.

14:57

Arrival at Buriram

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: After a 40 minute flight from Bangkok we arrive at Buriram province in the north east. It's Anutin's home base and his party's stronghold. He's popular here. Cannabis has also raised his profile nationwide and some say it's put him on track to be a future Prime Minister. We join the ministerial convoy into town. 

15:14

Anutin and Mazoe at cannabis farm

The medicinal cannabis industry has flourished under Anutin, and the minister checks our cameraman is ready for the tour.

ANUTIN: Where is Craig?... Ok we go inside.

15:51

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: This is one of the first community-run farms to be licensed. It started off growing cannabis high in the therapeutic chemical CBD for a local hospital, but is now also planning to sell plants directly to the public.

16:03

ANUTIN: This is cloning from the mother plant and after it can stand alone. They move this into the farm.

16:16

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: They're trying to work out the best conditions for each variety. 

16:24

ANUTIN: This produces 14% THC. They are trying to do experiment to see if they can plant it outdoors.

16:28

But it's currently monsoon season here in Thailand, so hot houses are more reliable. 

ANUTIN: In another two weeks they will collect the flowers and send to the process factory.

16:37

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: And what will these flowers be used for?

ANUTIN: Extraction. 

16:49

Cannabis oil extraction

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Cannabis extracts are tightly regulated. They must have low levels of the psychoactive chemical THC.

16:54

This is the cannabis oil that was made from that extract over there? 

ANUTIN: Yeah. 

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: It's a CBD oil which can be used for epilepsy, anxiety, nausea, and insomnia.

17:01

Anutin shows oil

ANUTIN: Mix with olive oil. 

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: And what is this used for?

ANUTIN: For sleeping. You can try. Put one drop on your knuckle. And then you put under your tongue.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Under my tongue. And that will help me sleep better.  

ANUTIN: Yes.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: I don't want to take it now then, I'm still working. 

ANUTIN: Keep it.

17:12

Driving to cannabis farm

Music

17:37

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Farmers right across the country can now apply to grow all types of cannabis.  I'm about to meet two sisters cashing in. 

17:43

Their farm was known for Japanese melons, then four years ago they pivoted to cannabis and haven't looked back.

17:55

Jomkwan and Jomsuda

JOMSUDA:  We are on the TV right? We love each other.

18:06

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Jomkwan and Jomsuda are loving life as 'ganja-preneurs'.  Jomsuda handles the business side, Jomkwan's the grower. They started with hundreds of seeds, but it didn't go so well.

18:13

Talk me through how it kind of went.

JOMKWAN: It started with 612.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: 612 seeds?

JOMKWAN: Yeah. After that we-

JOMSUDA: And all failed.

JOMKWAN: Yeah. That first time.

JOMSUDA:  It's no way going to be success on the first time.

18:27

We did try many, many things. Turn on the music, we talk with them, like, 'Hi beautiful girls, how are you? You look so green.'

18:41

JOMKWAN: When they have someone to care about them.

JOMSUDA: Like, 'Hi kids.'

JOMKWAN: Like, 'That's my girl.'

18:51

Aerial. Greenhouses

Music

18:59

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: It was a case of third time lucky. They started off supplying the local hospital, now they're branching out into the recreational market.

19:01

Mazoe and Jomkwan visit plants

Jomkwan is taking me to see her pride and joy.

19:10

JOMKWAN: We come from the outside area so I don't want anything like to cross with my baby.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: The cannabis are your babies? 

JOMKWAN: Yes that's my girls.  She is still watching us, so I don't want anyone to touch her.

19:14

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Put these on my feet? Okay.

19:30

JOMKWAN: So here is my girls at the flowering stage.  You can touch.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: It feels quite spongy.

19:41

JOMKWAN: Come in. You don't have to be scared.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Don't have to be worried about the police here.

JOMKWAN: Yeah, no.

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: They had to outlay $80,000 to set this business up, and broke even in the first year.  It’s like we're in the middle of the jungle.

19:51

A square metre of melons used to earn them about $20. Cannabis fetches close to a thousand.

20:03

Jomkwan and Jomsuda

JOMSUDA:  So I think it's better, right? Better. So much better.  All the love.

20:12

Aerial. Farmland

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Out on the land though, many farmers are finding growing cannabis is harder than you think.

20:23

Pongsak on farm

Pongsak Maneethun is a rice farmer in Buriram.  Today the paddies need spraying with fertiliser, but the sprayer is playing up.  He makes about four and a half thousand dollars a year in a good season, so the promise of a new cash crop was welcome.

20:33

Pongsak interview

PONGSAK:  We tried to grow it. We planted the seeds, when they grew we put them into the soil, but later they withered and died.

20:53

Pongsak on farm

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Pongsak's worked the family's three acre landholding all his life, and he knows what works. 

21:07

PONGSAK:  It's about the weather, investment, and my farming space.

21:14

Pongsak interview

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: So when Khun Anutin says that farmers can get rich from cannabis, what do you think of that?  

21:19

PONGSAK: I wanted to try as well but the investment is too big. I don't have the money to invest.

21:24

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Have you spoken to other farmers, are they trying to grow it? 

21:35

PONGSAK: Everyone who got seeds got training. They planted them, but they died.

21:38

Pongsak sprays fertiliser

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Pongsak says neither the hot weather nor the soil here are suitable for growing cannabis.  

21:50

PONGSAK: People with money will want to take part in this experiment, but grassroots people, we wouldn't dare invest, to take such a risk.

21:55

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: And he says people are worried about growing it out in the open where children could get their hands on it.  

22:09

PONGSAK: People are still scared of it because it was a narcotic drug. They're afraid their children or grandchildren will use it and get addicted.

22:15

City traffic, school children GVs

Music

22:28

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Lots of people are worried about children. A national survey found the majority of Thais don't want them getting into 'ganja' culture.

22:32

Tippimol and daughter

"Do you feel as though Thailand rushed into this?"  

22:41

Tippimol interview

TIPPIMOL: Allowing cannabis is fine but it should have come with rules, regulations, advice and policies. Instead they legalised it, leaving us to work it out, or use it without knowing much.

22:44

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Tippimol Kiatwateeratana runs a popular parenting and education website.  She says teachers are confused about what to teach students.

23:03

TIPPIMOL: There's no curriculum on drugs and cannabis. It's out of date. The minimarts opposite schools can sell drinks infused with cannabis water. This shows the policy to legalise cannabis came out, but without any precautions.

23:14

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: 17 year old Phimbun says she's seen cannabis at school and is a little curious. 

23:37

Phimbun interview

PHIMBUN: If all my friends try it and I'm the only one who hasn't, I may try it.  But I won't get addicted. I just want to try so I know what it's like.

23:43

Tippimol interview

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: What do you think about that? 

TIPPIMOL:  I'm not shocked. If she tells me about trying it it's a good thing. If she tried it without telling me, that would be worse. 

23:56

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Tippimol does worry, though,  for teenagers who might not speak as openly with their parents. 

24:10

TIPPIMOL: They have no one to ask or give them information. They can search on Google or social media or talk to friends, and there's no guarantee the information is correct. 

24:16

Hospital exterior

24:28

Dr Chanchai at hospital

DR CHANCHAI: If you use it properly, it's have some benefits effects for sure. But if you use it improperly, it can cause some damage

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Doctor Chanchai Sittinpunt is the dean of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine. He's concerned by the recreational use he's seen.

24:33

Dr Chanchai interview

DR CHANCHAI: In the hospital we see cases that have some side effects from cannabis use, especially with edible cannabis that sometimes they don't know it contains cannabis.

24:51

Dr Chanchai at hospital

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: More than a thousand Thai doctors have pleaded with the government to suspend cannabis decriminalisation until the new law is finalised by the parliament.

25:02

Dr Chanchai interview

DR CHANCHAI:  Obviously we worry for young people that we have data suggesting that it might cause a problem in their cognitive function in the long term basis.

25:12

But I want to emphasise that for my belief nobody should use cannabis as a recreation on regular basis. I mean, because even you are grown up man, if you use it long term, I still believe that there might have some side effects in the future.

25:23

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: He's hopeful the proposed new law will clamp down on recreational use.

25:40

"Do you think Thailand could become the Amsterdam of Asia?"

25:45

DR CHANCHAI:  I mean, it depends on the law.  I don't want Thailand to be thought of as that destination. We don't want to be the cannabis haven of the world. 

25:48

Mazoe meets with Anutin

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: For the man who's driven the policy there are no regrets.

26:03

Anutin interview. Super:
Anutin Charnivirakul
Public Health Minister

ANUTIN:  I never once tried to promote people using it from smoking or from entertainment purpose. All the studies that we were given clearly stated that if we used cannabis plants in the correct way, it would create lots of opportunities, not only on revenue part, but also the better health of the people.

26:08

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: But this was a big shift, wasn't it, from completely illegal to now it's allowed. That's really significant, Isn't it?

ANUTIN: We don't see it from that point. As long as we have created or established the regulations and the law to control the use of this plant we cannot step back.

26:38

Full moon party

Music

26:59

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: On Thailand's islands some tourists are already noticing a difference.  Thailand is famous among young travellers for its full moon parties on Koh Phangnan. Some take drugs here, but no one's hiding cannabis anymore.  

27:04

WOMAN PARTYGOER: I think it's a good thing, because young people like to try it out and I can try it out here without being punished.

27:22

MALE PARTYGOER: Wherever you go now it's Amsterdam again, in Asia.

27:34

Music

27:41

Beach club resort

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: It's not just young people lighting up at parties. Across the water on Koh Samui this upmarket beach club is catering for everyone. Ready rolled joints are now a feature of the menu.

27:52

CARL: Marijuana couldn't have come at a better time. You know, you can really feel

28:04

Carl interview

it's reinvigorated the market. There's a new energy here.

28:08

Chi Beach Club

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: Resort owner Carl Lamb's lived on Samui for 25 years.  Chi Beach Club and his 200 other properties were just about deserted during COVID, but they're bouncing back. 

28:11

Carl interview

CARL: Most of our inquiries are, is it true you can smoke and sell marijuana in Thailand. And we can see from the bookings for Christmas, they're crazy. You know, I haven't seen this kind of appetite for Koh Samui in 10 years.

28:24

MAZOE FORD, Reporter:  And you put that down to cannabis. 

CARL: Yeah, absolutely. It's a game changer. Yeah.

28:40

Resort guest with wine

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: The customers we meet can't believe their luck. 

MALE TOURIST: We came when marijuana wasn't available,

28:44

Male tourist

then a month into our trip you could buy weed everywhere, in the bars, in the cafés, on the street. So we smoke it and it's like how cool is this?

28:50

Marijuana menu

CARL: They are writing new regulations at the moment. 

29:01

Carl interview

We actually kind of welcome some sort of regulation. We don't think it's a bad thing. 

29:04

Waiter serves marijuana to resort guests

MAZOE FORD, Reporter: While Thailand's gone from zero tolerance to one of the most lax cannabis regimes in the world, it's still grappling with the laws, the politics, and the freedoms. For many, there's no going back. 

29:09

Kitty

"Is the genie out of the bottle now?"

KITTY: Hell, yeah. Like there's no way, like we're not going back in. There's like, there's no way in hell. That broke. That bottle is broken. It's gone.

29:30

Full moon party.
Credits [see below]

Music

29:41

Outpoint

30:06