Do you need a prescription to buy weed in Thailand?
Last updated
Short answer: Yes. Since June 2025, licensed dispensaries can no longer sell cannabis flower to walk-in customers without a valid prescription on Form PT 33. A shop that sells flower without asking for one may be operating outside the law. Products with less than 0.2% THC, such as many CBD products, are reported to be exempt.
Key facts
- For flower: a PT 33 prescription from a licensed practitioner, covering no more than 30 days.
- Age: sources report a minimum of 20 years.
- Online and vending-machine sales: banned.
- What a licensed outlet must do: verify your details, keep the prescription for at least a year, and have a licensed practitioner on site.
- Penalty for an outlet that breaks the prescription rules: up to one year in prison or a 20,000 baht fine, according to Tilleke & Gibbins.
Do you need a prescription to buy weed in Thailand?
Yes, for cannabis flower. Tilleke & Gibbins reports that since the June 2025 notification licensed dispensaries can no longer sell to walk-in customers without a valid prescription. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says the same applies to tourists and adds that shops offering cannabis for smoking, especially to walk-ins, may be operating outside the law.
What does a shop that follows the rules do?
- Asks for your ID and your PT 33 before it hands over flower.
- Has a licensed practitioner on site who can assess you and issue the PT 33.
- Keeps the prescription for at least a year.
- Holds a licence and can show it. Registered outlets are listed on the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine's website with their licence expiry dates.
How to spot a shop that does not follow the rules
- It sells flower to walk-ins and never asks for a PT 33.
- No licensed practitioner is present, only a certificate on the wall.
- It is not on the Department's list of registered outlets.
- It sells online, through a vending machine, or advertises. All three are banned.
- It offers a "certificate" with no consultation, or a PT 33 that was signed in advance. Reports say a form signed in advance does not meet the standard expected.
How can you check a shop is licensed?
Ask to see the licence and the practitioner's licence number. You can also call the Cannabis Medical Coordination Center of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine on 0 2257 7042 (Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:00), or the Food and Drug Administration hotline, 1556.
What happens if you buy without a prescription?
The sources we reviewed give a penalty for outlets, up to one year in prison or a 20,000 baht fine, but none states a specific penalty for buyers. That does not mean buying without a prescription is safe. TAT says tourists are strictly prohibited from buying or carrying flower without one, and an unlicensed shop can be closed at any time.
What can you buy without a prescription?
Products with less than 0.2% THC, such as many CBD products, are reported to remain available without one. Check the label and ask the shop to show the THC content.
FAQ
How old do you have to be to buy weed in Thailand?
Sources report a minimum age of 20. Confirm with the outlet.
Can I buy weed online in Thailand?
No. TAT says online sales are banned.
Is weed still sold on the street or in tourist areas?
Some shops still operate, but TAT warns that what looked tolerated in the past was never legally authorised, and that authorities are cracking down on unlicensed businesses in tourist areas.
Do I need a prescription for CBD?
Not for products reported to contain less than 0.2% THC.
Sources
Not for emergencies: call 1669. This article is general information, not medical or legal advice.