Anutin Charnvirnvirakul, minister of public health, said on June 9 that Thais may cultivate an unlimited number of cannabis plants for personal consumption. Anutin asserts that marijuana and hemp are beneficial and profitable products, which is why his party and government want Thais to cultivate them for consumption and other usage.

Anutin said that his party first campaigned to enable people to cultivate up to six plants for personal use in their own homes, but they wanted to do better. They accomplished so by increasing the maximum number of cannabis plants that can be grown at home from the initial six to an unlimited number.

Individuals will not need a license to produce marijuana, but they will be required to submit their plant count to the authorities. This is required under a treaty that Thailand has ratified.

The public must wait until June 9, when Thailand’s Public Health Ministry formally decriminalizes the plant. Once cannabis becomes decriminalized, the Ministry of Public Health plans to introduce a law to regulate usage. The minister did not provide a timeline for the planned legislation.