Shops and retail
Accounting and tax basics for a Thai cannabis business
Thailand Cannabis Report · Reefers Club Co., Ltd. · Last checked 31 October 2026
A cannabis licence does not change the basics of running a Thai company. The business still registers for tax, files returns and produces audited accounts. What has changed is that its accounts now sit next to a second set of records, the controlled-herb reports, and the two should tell the same story.
The ordinary obligations
- Corporate income tax on profits, with half-year and annual returns.
- VAT registration once turnover passes the threshold, and monthly VAT returns after that.
- Withholding tax on payments such as rent and services, filed monthly.
- Payroll tax and social security for staff.
- Audited financial statements each year, filed with the Department of Business Development, plus the annual shareholder list.
These are general Thai company duties. Verified How a particular product or sale is treated for VAT or excise can turn on detail, so take advice from a Thai accountant.
The cannabis-specific layer
A licensed shop also files monthly PT.27 and PT.28 reports on the controlled herb it takes in and what it does with it. Estimated Stock purchases in the accounts should match stock received in PT.27; sales in the accounts should match what PT.28 and the PT.33 prescriptions show. See PT.27 and PT.28 explained.
Why reconciliation matters now
Under the guideline announced on 22 June 2026, a missing PT.27 or PT.28 report is a 30-day suspension and a false one is revocation. Estimated Accounts that do not reconcile with the controlled-herb records are the first thing an inspector, a buyer or an auditor will question. Since 22 October 2026, renewals are directed to follow inspection.
Practical steps
- Use one stock system for both the accounts and the controlled-herb records.
- Reconcile monthly, before filing the PT reports.
- Keep supplier invoices with the certificates for each batch.
- Keep company records, shareholdings and directors current with the Department of Business Development.
Our compliance audit checks accounting and company records alongside the licence. See what a compliance audit checks. Section 3 of the report is free to read.
Sources
- Section 3 of the 2026 report, The rules in force (free to read)
- Thairath, DTAM guideline on administrative orders for cannabis shops, 22 June 2026
- Tilleke & Gibbins, Cannabis and Hemp Business Guide Thailand 2025
This article is market intelligence, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change by notification; check the current text with the relevant authority or Thai counsel before you act.
In short
Do cannabis businesses in Thailand pay normal taxes?
Yes. A licensed cannabis company is taxed like any Thai company: corporate income tax, VAT once it passes the registration threshold, and withholding tax where it applies.
What filings does a Thai company make?
Monthly tax returns such as VAT and withholding, half-year and annual corporate income tax returns, and audited financial statements filed with the Department of Business Development.
Why should the books match the cannabis records?
Because stock bought and sold in the accounts should reconcile with the PT.27 and PT.28 records an inspector can check.
Is advice on tax treatment of cannabis sales available?
Treatment of specific products can turn on detail. Take advice from a Thai accountant or tax adviser.
Does the audit look at accounts?
Yes. A compliance audit checks accounting and company records alongside the licence and controlled-herb records.
Want the numbers behind this?
This article gives you the argument. The figures, where they come from and how sure we are of each one are in the report.