Medical Cannabis in Thailand: An Interview with Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai Founder of ThaiKanya

Women holding trays of cannabis from ThaiKanya — Harvesting Cannabis at ThaiKanya

I arrived in Thailand with no awareness that cannabis had been decriminalised, but it didn’t me long to figure it out because cannabis flower and cannabis infused products are everywhere.

Hotels, cafes, restaurants, pop-ups, roadside and beach-side stalls, specialist cannabis shops, 7/11s – you name a place, you’ll probably find cannabis there.

Want a ready rolled joint? You can buy one. Want some cannabis flower? Cool – what strength? Fancy a cannabis infused coffee? Yep, you can have one.

Cannabis is everywhere.

And so I became very curious…

I was curious for two reasons:

1) I am interested in the therapeutic aspect of cannabis, after struggling with a health issue for the last six months.

2) I’d always associated Thailand with very strict drug laws and so I couldn’t quite fathom the abundance of cannabis and wanted to learn more.

A cafe board showing Open, coffee, cannabis, food — Cannabis cannabis everywhere

I began by doing a bit of research on the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand and quite honestly, I became even more confused!

Here’s what I learnt –

In 2018 the use of cannabis for medical purposes with a prescription was made legal. Following on from this, June 9, 2022, Thailand became the first country in Asia, and third in the world, to decriminalise cannabis nationwide. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially removed it from the Category 5 narcotics list, making possession, cultivation, distribution, consumption and sale of all parts of the cannabis plant legal.

This was a momentous change in policy because not so long ago, you could get up to 15 years imprisonment for possession.

However, here is where the confusion lies – whilst the Thai government removed it from its list of banned substances, they still insisted that they are not legalising recreational marijuana use and that it can only be used for medical purposes.

Furthermore, whilst decriminalisation has very clearly led to for a bit of a free for all on cannabis trading, the government is yet to decide on the legislation that regulates its trade.

Currently, the law states that to sell infused products e.g., drinks and food, they must contain less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – which is the stuff that makes you high. However, in terms of the cannabis flower/bud there are few restrictions in relation to THC levels.

Following the sudden eruption of cannabis sellers, there was unsurprisingly opposition from various sectors of society including some areas of the medical profession. The government met this opposition by stating that it is illegal for anyone under 20, pregnant or breastfeeding to use cannabis without a medical prescription and continued to insist that it’s not legal to use recreationally and anyone found smoking in public would be met with a hefty fine. They also insisted that marijuana tourists will not be welcome in Thailand (though there is talk of creating a ‘cannabis sandbox’ for recreational consumption).

Despite these amendments, there is still a lot that is up in the air on the specifics of what is legal and what is not, and it’s currently being battled over by the government.

(Information taken from Lonely Planet, Time & The Guardian)

So, my research left me none the wiser and still confused by what is legal and what is not legal.

Personally, I am not interested in smoking cannabis, my interest was in using the CBD oil. However, this didn’t stop my curiosity. I couldn’t help but feel that this ambiguity puts tourists in rather a rather vulnerable position, leaving them open to possible arrest and not knowing enough about the quality of the cannabis they are using.

An Interview with Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai Founder of ThaiKanya

Staff standing in front of jars of cannabis at their shop Medicinal Cannabis — Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai, with staff at a Medicinal Cannabis clinic – ThaiKanya

I decided to ask Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai, Pharmacist and Founder of Thaikanya, supplier of medicinal cannabis products, for an interview, as I was eager to understand more about the beneficial effects of cannabis and how people visiting Thailand can be sure to get cannabis products from a reputable supplier working within the woolly law and she very kindly accepted.

So, whilst sipping a delicious cannabis infused coffee with coconut milk I learnt all about this fascinating homegrown company and a little more about the law.

Enjoying ThaiKanya’s products whilst interviewing Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai

Dr.Cannabis by ThaiKanya specializes in wellbeing and health as a lifestyle through the use of traditional natural medicine including cannabis, herbal flowers, mushroom and many other natural ingredients that constitute the base of traditional Thai Medicine.

Today the Na Nongkhai family produces century old formulas in the form of medical cannabis oils, wellness treatments and other cannabis products using pure extraction, no chemicals and medical grade quality sanctioned by the FDA. They were the first cannabis clinic in Thailand to gain FDA approval.

The Na Nongkhai family began making products at home for family and friends, and have rapidly expanded, with four shops now open in Hua Hin, Thailand and their products being distributed by the Anantara group and Avani spas around the world.

The Interview

What is the difference between CBD oil and Cannabis?

CBD oil is made from the leaves and roots of the cannabis plant and contains no THC.

THC is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, which means it causes the sensation of getting high that’s often associated with cannabis. CBD is not psychoactive.

CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from the cannabis plant and then diluting it with a carrier oil like coconut oil or hemp seed oil.

CBD can be used for pain relief and other symptoms without the mind-altering effects of cannabis or the side effects of some pharmaceutical drugs.

Why is cannabis beneficial?

From birth we have naturally occurring cannabinoids in our body called endocannabinoids (ECS). ECS are found throughout our entire body and the ECS system includes the brain, organs, tissues, immune cells and glands. The purpose of the system is to maintain balance and keep everything working together.

Whilst experts are yet to fully understand how the ECS works, it has been linked to a range of bodily processes including digestion, inflammation, reproduction, nerve function, sleep and memory.

Cannabis products works naturally with your body to regulate the ECS and balance any deficiencies.

There’s still a huge amount of research being done, but experts believe that low endocannabinoid levels in your body can contribute to a range of medical conditions.

Which conditions can CBD oil and cannabis help?

It can help many different symptoms, for example stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, chronic pain, neuropathy, epilepsy, drug, and alcohol addiction, Parkinson’s disease, skin problems, IBS, cancer and many more.

We have a whole range of products, and it will depend on your symptoms as to which products we would recommend. For example, we have:

CBD oils – these include isolate, which is pure CBD with no other cannabis compounds and therefore virtually THC free. We also have broad-spectrum CBD which contains cannabinoids, but no THC and then full spectrum CBD oil which contains THC.

I use four drops of CBD oil a day and I have felt a big difference, I’m nearly 50 and have a child, and yet I feel like a teenager! I used to take everything so seriously, even little things stressed me out and now I’m like whatever…much more Bob Marley….

Creams, balms and oils for external use – we have a whole range of products that can be used externally, for example we have a Cannabis massage Oil and Cannabis Pain Relief Balm which were the first two products we developed. These can help with skin conditions such as psoriasis, acne and eczema, general aches and pains and are good for general relaxation.

Drinks – we have teas and coffees with CBD. The tea is good for relaxation and the coffee will give you a boost.

Cannabis flower – we sell different types of cannabis flower, of varying strengths.

What type of people come to your shop?

All different types and all ages – most people come with a problem that they want help with whether that be mental or physical. They are looking for an alternative route, and have often either lost trust in the medical route because they’ve had no success, or they simply want to try a herbal approach.

Why should I buy cannabis from you as opposed to a coffee shops or a vendor on the street?

There are several reasons:

Knowledge – I’m a trained pharmacist and all the staff at Thaikanya are educated to provide the best advice to our customers. We want people to benefit from using cannabis products, to make their lives better. For example, if they are interested in buying the cannabis flower, we explain fully the THC levels, the benefits, the possible side effects and what would be best for them. If they want to buy CBD oil, we explain the different types and what would best suit their symptom.

We promote responsible and safe use. When you buy from a coffee shop or street vendor, it’s unlikely you’ll get this type of advice.

Consultations – we provide both in person and online consultations and then advise on suitable products. We then provide ongoing support.

Some people, for instance come saying they can’t sleep and want to buy some cannabis flower, and we say well how about trying the tea first? And the customer tries it for a few weeks, it helps them, and they then stick to it.

FDA approved – we were the first cannabis clinic in Thailand to gain FDA approval.

Organic products – cannabis is very sensitive; it absorbs all the toxins in the soil. All our products are organic and grown locally.

What should people look out for when buying cannabis? How do they know they are operating within the law?

1) Check they have a license; this is key because if they don’t they are operating illegally. Cannabis seeds must be approved by the government, and you get a registration number for this.

2) Check they have FDA approval – they must be able to show you their certificate.

3) Ask where they get their cannabis from? If they cannot tell you then you shouldn’t buy it. A lot of cannabis is still being imported and this is illegal. Also, many illegal Thai growers spray their plants with chemicals to make the flowers more bountiful but we don’t know the harmful effects this could be having.

There is clearly a lot of confusion at the moment around what is legal and what is not, and what might be legal in the future. What do you hope the government’s decision will be on controlling cannabis?

I want there to be tighter controls. We promote cannabis use for health and wellbeing and our cannabis, and other suppliers like us provide high quality cannabis products. We educate people on how to use them safely. Without control, cannabis production is left open to bad quality which could have very harmful side effects. We’re also don’t want Thailand to be a cannabis playground for tourists, I don’t think this sends out the right message about cannabis and it’s not the way tourism should go.

Thank you Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai for a fascinating interview

My final thoughts

I really enjoyed chatting to Dr. Kan Na Nongkhai and I think the overriding conclusion, is that if you want to buy cannabis in Thailand safely, buy from an approved clinic and buy for medical purposes.

Cannabis infused products available at a ThaiKanya shop

The products I’m trying

I left the shop with a number of products to try – CBD Isolate, Cannabis & Lavender massage oil, Cannabis Leaf Pain Relief Balm, Cannabis Tea (and a lovely teapot) and a Cannabis oil roller, which is good for mosquito bites.

I’m one week in using the CBD Isolate and I know that this will be no quick fix, so I’ll see how it goes (watch this space). However, I am absolutely loving the other products – the Cannabis & Lavender oil is a dream, it feels deeply nourishing and my skin is very happy, and quite frankly it’s not going to last very long as I love it! I’ve also used the Cannabis Pain Relief Balm on my lower back to ease pre-menstrual back pain and that worked beautifully, and the tea is just divine.

Time to book in for a cannabis infused oil massage at an Anantara Spa I think…..

For more information on ThaiKanya and their products you find them here.