Over 100,000 people register to grow cannabisSriranchakri Rirkrit, an academic at the provincial public health office of Samut Prakan, shows cannabis plants in the compound of the office in Muang district on Thursday as cannabis cultivation is legalised. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)More than 100,000 people registered to cultivate cannabis via the application and website of the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday morning as the legalisation of cannabis and hemp took effect. FDA secretary-general Dr Paisarn Dunkum said on Thursday that the new law allows people to grow hemp and cannabis only if they register with the FDA via the "ปลูกกัญ" app and https://plookganja.fda.moph.go.th. Dr Paisarn said that apart from the online registration, growers would not have to seek permission to cultivate the plants. If the certification is later found to have been abused, it will be revoked, Dr Paisarn said.

The online shop has been set up under cooperation between the Thai space agency and the Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry in a bid to sell high-resolution satellite images, maps of flooded areas, thermal images of hotspots, maps of economic crop cultivation, maps of dust particles (PM2.5 and PM10) nationwide with complete statistics and updates every two weeks. The Awagad shop also provides GIS-related services such as multimedia and podcasts that focus on space and GIS technology. Furthermore, GISTDA is holding a promotional campaign from now until the year-end. Every item in the form of a digital file is priced at THB0. Just register and download your selected digital maps & satellite images for free.

Phetchaburi province is hosting Phetchaburi Harmony World Shadow Puppet Festival 2022 from Sept 9 to 11. The event also gathers Nang Yai from across Thailand, including Nang Yai Wat Khanon, Nang Yai Wat Ban Don, Nang Yai Wat Sawang Arom, Nang Yai of King Rama IX, and Nang Tailung, from the South, the Central, and Nang Bug Tue from the Northeastern region. Phetchaburi Harmony World Shadow Puppet Festival 2022 will be held at the King Mongkut Memorial Park, Phra Nakhon Khiri in Phetchaburi and the exhibition “Life In Shadows” will present collections of puppet art photos from Southeast Asia. Vietjet resumes Phuket-Ho Chi Minh routeVietjet airline recently announced the resumption of its Phuket-Ho Chi Minh City route following the easing of travel restrictions. Coming the other way, the flight departs from Ho Chi Minh City at 9am and lands in Phuket at 11am.

The public do not need to seek permission to grow the plants but they must register via the Food and Drug Administration’s Plookganja app or website http://plookganja.fda.moph.go.th. However, a lot of people found it difficult to access the app and website, both of which were down. To solve the problem, the FDA has opened another website for registration at https://plookganjaweb.fda.moph.go.th.

Passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport go through immigration procedures under the Thailand Pass system, which is expected to be cancelled on July 1. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)The 300-baht tourism fee faces a delay in implementation, beginning in the fourth quarter at the earliest, while the cancellation of Thailand Pass is expected from July 1, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry. The tourism fee was previously on the agenda for the cabinet meeting this week, but the ministry withdrew the proposal to sort out fee collection for land entry. He said the ministry plans to resubmit the proposal to the cabinet within two months, with fee collection beginning 90 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. "Eliminating the Thailand Pass system means tourists don't have to buy travel insurance anymore, which should help make travel more convenient," he said.

Starting on Thursday, Thais will be able to cultivate cannabis and hemp for home and medicinal use, though there are unresolved questions. In a highly anticipated move, Thailand is set to decriminalise cannabis and hemp on June 9 as a new law takes effect. A new draft law on cannabis control is being deliberated in parliament. Kulkanya Vorawanichar, senior associate at Bangkok-based law firm LawPlus, said the Cannabis and Hemp Act is still in draft form. “In the interim period [before the draft act becomes law], there is no specific law imposing penalties on people who fail to notify the FDA that they wish to grow cannabis.

Rapiphat said those who want to import seeds of the three crops must present a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin and a certificate that the seeds are not GMO produce. The import licence will be issued a day after the required documents are submitted, Rapiphat explained. He advised those who want to sell seeds of the three crops to sell only seeds that are endorsed by the Agriculture Department. “So, I would like to invite researchers and developers of hemp, marijuana and kratom to register with the Agriculture Department to seek endorsement of their species,” Rapipat said. Rapipat said his department is in charge of the three crops’ seeds now that they are no longer narcotics starting from Thursday.

DTAC-True merger poses risk to growthDTAC customers at a service centre in Bangkok. This would translate to a reduction in GDP growth worth between 8.2 billion baht and 323 billion baht, based on the country’s GDP in 2021. The study also looked into efficiency gain assumptions following the merger by categorising them into three levels — zero, 5% and 10% efficiency gains. Efficiency gain pertains to the percentage of cost reduction as a result of the merger. A reduction in GDP growth by 0.170.33% could be expected when there is tacit collusion, and a decline of 0.581.99% could happen if a cartel develops, he said.

Importing marijuana, hemp seedsPeople can import cannabis and hemp seeds or other parts of the plants without seeking permission. However, they need to seek import permission according to the 1964 Plant Quarantine Act and the 1975 Plants Act. People who import plant parts that fall under the Category 5 Narcotics list need to seek permission. Can you smoke cannabis? According to the Public Health Act, people who smoke cannabis and/or hemp and their smoke or odour are considered a nuisance without any appropriate reason will face a jail term of up to 1 month or a fine of up to THB2,000.

The third edition of the "BGJF Virtual Trade Fair", scheduled from Monday to June 17, will once again offer a unique platform for entrepreneurs in the gems and jewellery industry to get connected and grow their business together. Conceived by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) in 2020, this digital edition of the "Bangkok Gems And Jewelry Fair (BGJF)" is designed to support the export of gems and jewellery during the pandemic. The online platform combines product showcases and online business matching sessions, enabling entrepreneurs to trade without borders. This virtual trade fair will be a prelude to the fullscale 67th "Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair" which will take place at Impact, Muang Thong Thani, between Sept 7 and 11. To join the virtual trade fair, visit http://bgjf-vtf.com.

Vietnam arrests minister, mayor over Covid scandalPolice officers, wearing protective masks, stand guard in front of a communist logo at the National Convention Center, the venue for the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam during the Covid-19 outbreak in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan 28, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)Vietnam's police have arrested the health minister and Hanoi mayor following accusations they were involved in a US$170 million coronavirus test-kit scandal, the public security ministry said Tuesday. The Public Security Ministry issued an arrest warrant late Tuesday for health minister Ngoc Anh over accusations of "violating regulations on management and use of State assets, causing loss and waste" during his term as minister of science and technology, according to a statement on the public security ministry website. A warrant has also been issued for Hanoi mayor Nguyen Thanh Long for "abusing positions and powers while performing official duties". "After being approved by the Supreme People's Procuracy, the Ministry of Public Security has implemented the decisions and orders in accordance with law," the statement on the website added.

30-day visa on arrival for Saudi visitorsVisitors from Saudi Arabia arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Feb 28 as direct commercial flights resumed after a 32-year hiatus. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The cabinet on Tuesday resolved to allow Saudi Arabian visitors to get an extended 30-day visa on arrival, to help stimulate the economy. The decision was considered as a further development of successful efforts by the government and the private sector to restore bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia. Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said Saudi Arabians could previously get a 15-day visa on arrival. Previously, Riyadh had allowed about 30,000 Saudi visitors to Thailand each year, she said.

Q: Can people import cannabis and hemp extracts? A: They can but they will need to seek permission because cannabis and hemp extracts with more than 0.2 per cent THC still fall under the Category 5 Narcotics list. Q: Will cannabis and hemp extract included in medical devices be considered Category 5 Narcotics and how should they be imported? Q: Do people need to seek permission when importing finished products that contain cannabis or hemp extracts? Food and cosmetics with hemp and cannabis extracts cannot be imported, but health or herbal products can.

He explained that it was one of the measures to help recovery for operators who were affected by the pandemic. Meanwhile, the department’s director-general, Wanchai Phanomchai, said that the Cabinet has approved the decision and it will be published in the Royal Gazette, to be enforced from June 10, 2022, to June 9, 2023. He said that there are 60,344 Category 2 and 3 factories this year while the total annual factory licence fee collection amounts to THB280 million. Wanchai said that there is a growing investment trend. The number of factories has grown by 3.5 per cent in fiscal 2022, with an investment budget of THB45.477 billion.

Fiscal, monetary policy must align to ensure full recovery: ArkhomFinance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith speaks during an interview with Reuters in Bangkok. (Reuters photo)Thailand's fiscal and monetary policies must continue to align to ensure the economy will recover fully, the finance minister said on Monday. The central bank, however, may consider raising its key interest rate when the economy recovers strongly, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told the Forbes Thailand Forum 2022, in the face of surging inflation. "But for now, fiscal and monetary policies must go together," he said, as the government tries to support an otherwise slow economic recovery. "The central bank must strike a balance between capital inflows and outflows, and economic matters to ensure that our economy can fully recover," Mr Arkhom said.