PM Srettha's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
r/CannabisThailand Newsletter - Issue #91
Sawadee Everyone,
Ever heard the saying, “Well, sounds like you’ve really stepped in it this time”? That's what popped into my head when I caught wind of Prime Minister Settha Thavisin's latest cannabis commentary to FRANCE 24. Talk about a self-made mess.
Cannabis and Thailand have a relationship status of “It’s complicated”. And Settha? Oh, he went off-script in a way that's got everyone buzzing – and not in the good way.
Social media’s ablaze with folks asking if the government plans to compensate businesses and investors for their losses, given that Settha’s remarks could jeopardize an industry that's bringing in billions.
Then there’s the Minister of Public Health, scrambling to cover for Settha, saying, “No, no, we’re all about medical use,” while Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsuthin is calling for laws to catch up with kratom’s regulation pace.
And let’s not forget Anutin Charnvirakul, the guy behind the push for legalization, who nearly spit out his coffee at the notion that cannabis brings zero economic benefits to Thailand.
Even the opposition’s licking their chops over this gaffe.
So what exactly did Settha say to ruffle so many feathers? He basically shrugged off the booming cannabis industry as no biggie and a potential drag on Thailand's economy. Odd stance for a former business tycoon, right?
The other big revelation is that he wants to see jail time for cannabis users while his administration is also seeking to soften laws on meth.
The reason this is such a big deal is that when the Pheu Thai party was forming the current government they put forth a platform that everyone joining the coalition agreed to. His comments go way beyond what the other parties signed up for, especially Bhumjaithai, who was responsible for legalizing cannabis under the previous government.
That’s why the Minister of Public Health has been repeating over and over again that these are just the personal opinions of the Prime Minister and not official Pheu Thai policy.
This all goes down as Germany green-lights cannabis, leaving Settha looking out of touch. Is he the odd one out, or is the rest of the world missing something?
The timing couldn’t be worse. The government’s trying to boost the economy with casinos and longer booze hours, but Settha's anti-cannabis stance clashes with his pro-booze and gambling agenda.
And while I'm all for an appropriately aged single malt and a game of poker, even I can see the hypocrisy. You can’t demonize cannabis while championing booze and gambling without someone calling BS.
One one hand, it’s an indisputable fact that loosening laws around alcohol will lead to more alcohol related deaths. While on the other hand, he wants to ban cannabis because . . . it *might* be dangerous?
It’s almost like he’s gaslighting his opponents.
In a twist of fate, Settha's own words might just be what saves the cannabis industry from his tighter grip. His comments have sparked a bigger debate about the government's consistency and its impact on the little guy.
He’s shifted the argument away from public safety/health to economics, a debate he can’t possibly win since all of the data is against him.
Even those who are not supportive of recreational cannabis realize that the Prime Minister’s words don’t make sense when people see thousands of dispensaries and millions of Thais growing cannabis.
So, as Settha tries to navigate this self-made storm, we’re all watching to see if he can find a way out or if he’s just dug himself deeper. Stay tuned for more updates on this brewing saga.
Stay lifted and enlightened,
PS. Here’s a great reaction video from Integrity Legal.
Don’t forget that we’ve partnered with some dispensaries for exclusive deals available to members of this newsletter and the r/CannabisThailand sub on Reddit. Just type “Dank Deal” into the comments of any post and the AutoMod will send you the current discounts being offered.
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