The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives opened a one-stop service centre to educate people about cannabis, hemp and kratom plants at Kasetsart University on Thursday.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Mananya Thaiset chaired the opening ceremony. She said the Department of Agriculture (DoA) has carried out extensive research to harness cannabis, hemp and kratom plants medically.
The research will ensure good strains of the formerly narcotic plants will be produced to meet growing demand, together with technological improvements and plant selection to meet the government's policy of promoting them as cash crops and for medical use.
The DoA must regulate the use of cannabis, hemp and kratom under the law and control the import and export as well as registration of these plants.
According to Ms Mananya, the plants have caught the public attention since they were delisted as narcotics. However, many people still lack knowledge about them and the regulations governing their import, export and registration.
Ms Mananya said the DoA decided to launch the one-stop service centre at Kasetsart University's Bang Khen campus to provide information and consultation.
Cannabis and hemp plants will also be given out. They will have a QR code attached offering details of the species and how to look after them, said Ms Mananya.
Meanwhile, DoA director-general Rapibhat Chandarasrivongs said the centre is in line with the deputy minister's policy to dispense information about the plants.
People can make inquiries to the centre via its 1174 hotline, Mr Rapibhat said.
In addition, the department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Public Health Ministry to use cannabis for medical benefits and research, which will be vital to the ministry's efforts to promote cannabis for household use.
The government has set a target to distribute a million cannabis plants, two plants each per household, free of charge.
The strains of the giveaway cannabis were developed jointly by the DoA, the Department of Medical Services, and the Organic Agro-Forestry Foundation.
