Pattaya —
At 11:00 AM, on June 26th, 2024, over 100 cannabis supporters, including local and foreign individuals, gathered in front of Pattaya City Hall to sign a petition against the reclassification of cannabis as a type 5 illegal narcotic substance. Participants also shared their opinions on a white canvas displayed on the city wall.
A video of the protest can be found here on our YouTube channel.
This gathering followed a public consultation period from June 11th to 25th, during which approximately 100,000 people participated. According to Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, over 80% of participants allegedly supported the reclassification of cannabis as a narcotic.
Mr. Jirawat Tanyapirom, one of the cannabis supporters, stated that the purpose of the gathering was to oppose the reclassification of cannabis. He urged the Thai government to recognize the overall benefits of cannabis and thoroughly review the decision.
Jirawat emphasized that many cannabis business operators would suffer significant losses if the reclassification proceeded as the government planned. People would also face the possibility of extensive jail time and fines once again for even small amounts of marijuana if the plant is recriminalized.
The event included signing the petition, which will be submitted to relevant agencies for review and reconsideration. Pattaya City police and officials managed traffic and facilitated the gathering without any incidents of violence.
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