Thailand legalises importation of cannabis and hemp seeds
It is now legal to import cannabis and hemp seeds to Thailand, following a Department of Agriculture announcement published in the Royal Gazette website on Saturday.
The announcement stipulated that seeds of both plants can be imported from any country provided they meet the following criteria:
- The seeds must not be genetically modified.
- They must contain no organic or inorganic contaminants, including soil, sand, insects, etc.
- Importers must present lab evidence that they have been treated for or protected against pests, namely Pseudomonas syringae py cannabina, Xanthomonas campestris pv cannabis, Ditylenchus dipsaci, Arabis mosaic virus, Alfalfa mosaic virus, Orobanche ramosa, Cuscuta spp and Striga spp.
- Importers must present a phytosanitary certificate for export or re-export issued by the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) in the country of origin.
- The seeds must pass Department of Agriculture screening customs.
Thailand legalised marijuana and hemp on June 9, allowing the former narcotics to be grown freely, but recreational use of the plants remains prohibited. Selling to persons under 20 years old, pregnant and nursing women is also banned.
All extraction, processing, sales, import and export of marijuana must be approved by authorities. Furthermore, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana or hemp products for sale must be lower than 0.2 per cent.
