The Public Health Ministry will issue a new regulation to tighten control of the production, import, export, sale and possession of cannabis and hemp extracts.
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) said on Wednesday the cabinet on Tuesday approved in principle the draft of the regulation.
The draft, proposed by the Public Health Ministry, will be submitted to the Council of State for scrutiny.
The regulation will lay down the criteria for applying for, granting and renewing licences and licence fees for the production, import, export, sale and possession of cannabis and hemp extracts for medical, commercial, industrial purposes, scientific research, as well as for anti-drug operations.
When it takes effect, those who are not granted the licence to engage in those activities will be liable to a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine of up to 500,000 baht.
On Monday, the ONCB secretary-general met British Ambassador Mark Gooding to discuss measures to tackle the smuggling of cannabis from Thailand to the UK.
The ambassador said more than 200 smugglers from Thailand have been arrested in the UK so far this year.
