Four Chonburi cops transferred after arresting woman for growing marijuana
Chonburi police chief Atthasit Kijjahan on Wednesday issued an order to transfer four Sriracha station police officers to inactive positions at the Chonburi police operation centre effective immediately until further notice.
The order came after the four – an investigative inspector and his deputy and two senior sergeant majors – on May 30 arrested a 55-year-old woman at her house in Bang Phra subdistrict on a charge of growing marijuana without permission. They confiscated one marijuana plant weighing around 20 grams.
The woman said she had been growing the plant for personal use to treat her diabetes.
The bust came in for wide criticisism on social media, prompting the Chonburi police chief to take action.
Atthasit also said in the order that a committee would be appointed to investigate the incident and decide appropriate disciplinary action, and that he had ordered all police officers in Chonburi to use discretion and political science principles before making such arrests, as their actions could affect the image of the Royal Thai Police.
The Public Health Ministry’s directive decriminalising marijuana as a category 5 narcotics plant will go into effect on June 9.
Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in May that from June 9 people would be allowed to grow “as many cannabis plants” as they like in their homes.
The marijuana grown must be of medical grade and used for medicinal purposes only. Official registration is not required for growing the weed at home. However, large marijuana-related businesses must request permission from the Food and Drug Administration, he added.
