Champion of Thailand’s Cannabis Decriminalization Reforms Becomes Prime Minister 

Thai lawmakers have appointed Anutin Charnvirakul as the nation’s next prime minister, The Guardian reports. Anutin, 58, a former health minister and member of the Bhumjaithai Party, had championed the nation’s cannabis law reforms, which in 2022 led to broad decriminalization before lawmakers reclassified cannabis as a narcotic in June.  

Thailand had been the first country in Asia to adopt broad cannabis reforms, but the relaxed policies faced pushback from opponents who said the industry was under-regulated. The June pullback of the laws prohibited the sale of cannabis to individuals without a medical prescription. 

Thailand’s constitutional court removed the previous prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office in late August, finding that she had violated ethics rules in her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia. The Bhumjaithai Party had exited the ruling government coalition amid the fallout from a leaked phone call between Paetongtarn and a former leader of Cambodia.   

Anutin has said that the cannabis policy was always focused on medical use; however, he has not remarked on what the policies of his government would be on cannabis since his ascent. 

He secured enough votes after promising the pro-reform People’s Party that, were it to support his government, he would hold an election in four months, and commit to changing Thailand’s constitution, possibly through holding a referendum.