Licences and rules
Kratom vs cannabis in Thailand: two herbs, two very different rules
Thailand Cannabis Report · Reefers Club Co., Ltd. · Last checked 31 October 2026
Thailand took two traditional herbs off its narcotics list within a year of each other: kratom in 2021 and cannabis in 2022. It then regulated them in opposite ways. The comparison explains a lot about why the cannabis market has been so unstable.
Kratom: delisted with an Act
Kratom left the narcotics list in August 2021. Its use and trade are now governed by a dedicated law, the Kratom Plant Act B.E. 2565 (2022), passed by Parliament. Verified The Act sets out who may sell, where and to whom, including restrictions on sales to minors and to pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Cannabis: delisted without one
Cannabis left the narcotics list on 9 June 2022 without an Act to replace it. A 2022 bill lapsed when the House was dissolved in March 2023. Since then, almost every cannabis rule has been a ministerial notification or regulation: the controlled-herb notifications of 2022, the prescription rule of 2025 and Ministerial Regulation No. 2 of 2026. Verified See Thailand's cannabis timeline.
Why the difference matters
- Stability: an Act changes only through Parliament. A notification changes by signature, as the cannabis prescription rule did on 26 June 2025.
- Clarity: one Act puts the rules in one place. Cannabis rules are spread across notifications, regulations and guidelines from several agencies.
- Investment risk: a business built under an Act can plan further ahead than one built under notifications.
Will cannabis follow kratom?
The Cabinet approved a draft Cannabis Control Act in principle on 22 September 2026, which would put cannabis rules into an Act. As reported, it would also restrict cannabis to medical use. Estimated Until it passes, cannabis remains the notification-driven market. See how the Cannabis Control Act becomes law.
Section 3 of the report, free to read, sets out the instruments cannabis rests on today.
Sources
- Section 3 of the 2026 report, The rules in force (free to read)
- Nation Thailand, Thai cabinet endorses draft cannabis control bill for medical use, 22 September 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
Is kratom legal in Thailand?
Kratom was removed from the narcotics list in August 2021 and is regulated by its own Act, the Kratom Plant Act B.E. 2565 (2022).
How is kratom regulated differently from cannabis?
Kratom got a dedicated Act passed by Parliament. Cannabis is still regulated mainly by ministerial notifications and regulations.
Are there sale restrictions on kratom?
Yes. The Kratom Act restricts sales to minors and pregnant or breastfeeding women, and in certain places.
Why does the comparison matter?
It shows the difference between a market built on an Act, which is slower to change, and one built on notifications, which change by signature.
Will cannabis get its own Act?
The Cabinet approved a draft Cannabis Control Act in principle on 22 September 2026. It still has to pass Parliament.
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.