Cannabis in Thailand for tourists: what changed and what to do
If you visited Thailand between 2022 and 2025, the rules are now very different. What tourists can and cannot do with cannabis in 2026.
Many visitors still expect the open cannabis scene of 2022 to 2024. That era is over. Since June 2025 Thailand allows cannabis only for medical use, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand has warned visitors not to assume that cannabis on public display is legal.
What tourists can do
- See a licensed Thai practitioner and, if appropriate, get a PT33 prescription. The process is the same as for Thai residents. See how to get a PT33.
- Buy the prescribed amount from a licensed dispensary, in person, with your passport.
- Use it privately, for example in your own room where the hotel allows it.
What tourists cannot do
- Buy without a prescription
- Use a prescription or medical card from home
- Smoke in public, on the beach, or near temples and schools
- Order cannabis online or by delivery
- Bring cannabis into Thailand or take any out, even with a prescription
Leaving Thailand
This is where travellers get into the most serious trouble. Thai police warned in July 2026 that smuggling can mean prison in Thailand and much harsher sentences abroad. Customs now fines 30,000 baht per kilo seized, and the Customs Act allows up to 10 years in prison. Never carry a bag or parcel for anyone else.
Hotels and condos
Many hotels and condominium buildings ban smoking of any kind. A legal prescription does not override the rules of the place you are staying.
Quick checklist
- Passport with you
- Consultation at a licensed clinic or dispensary
- PT33 issued and signed
- Shop confirmed on the official MC-GIS map
- Use in private only
- Nothing left in your luggage when you fly