Cannabis shops must become medical facilities to renew licences

A new ministerial regulation, published in the Royal Gazette on 29 April and in force from 30 April 2026, changes who can hold a licence to sell cannabis flower.

Who can get or renew a licence now

New licences and renewals are limited to:

• medical facilities (hospitals and clinics)
• pharmacies
• herbal product retailers
• the workplaces of traditional healers

The rules also bring clinic-style standards: professional odour and smoke control, proper storage in place of open jars, and trained staff. Businesses that have been suspended or had a licence revoked can be refused a renewal.

What happens to existing shops

Shops with valid licences can keep operating until those licences expire. When they renew, they must meet the new rules. Officials have described a three-year transition:

• 2026: the first large batch of licences expires
• 2027: roughly another 5,000 expire
• 2028: the final batch expires, and any venue selling flower is expected to have a qualified practitioner on site during opening hours

The numbers

Thailand had 18,433 cannabis businesses at the end of 2025. Licences for 8,636 of them expired during 2025, and only 1,339 owners (about 15.5%) applied to renew. The Ministry of Public Health said 4,587 licences are due to expire in 2026 and 5,210 in 2027. In April 2026, DTAM put the number of shops still operating legally at 11,386.

For patients: expect fewer, more clinic-like shops, and expect every legal shop to ask for your PT33 prescription. Use our clinic and dispensary directory and always check the licence.