7,000 cannabis shops closed in 2025 in Thailand

Thailand's Minister of Public Health, Pattana Promphat, confirmed this week that more than 7,000 cannabis stores closed their doors in 2025 after failing to renew their licenses.

These closures follow the government's decision to’more supervision of cannabis sales.

According to Pattana, existing ministerial regulations were designed in a very different context and have proved insufficient to manage the scale and impact of today's cannabis market. A new regulatory project, recently approved by Cabinet, aims to introduce a clearer, more restrictive control mechanism for the’export, sale and processing of cannabis for commercial purposes, with the declared aim of protecting consumers and limiting negative effects on local communities.

Licenses limited to four types of legal establishment

Under the new system, the sale of cannabis will only be authorized in establishments explicitly recognized by law. These include medical facilities, and pharmacies, and retailers of herbal products and where traditional healers work.

Pattana said the settlement would specify that the cannabis must be prescribed by doctors and that its distribution must be carried out by clearly identified and authorized personnel.

The Minister insisted that Thailand has a sufficient number of qualified health professionals to support this model nationwide. By integrating cannabis distribution into the healthcare system, the government hopes to curb unregulated retail practices while maintaining medical oversight.

«The cannabis-related businesses will have to adapt,» said Pattana, adding that operators wishing to renew or apply for a license will have to comply with the new standards once the regulations come into force.

Thousands of stores forgo renewal

Official figures illustrate the scale of the contraction. On December 28, 2025, Thailand had 18,433 cannabis-related establishments throughout the country. In 2025 alone, 8,636 licenses expired, but only 1,339 renewal applications were submitted, representing approximately 15,5% of eligible companies. Visit 7,297 stores chose not to apply, leaving approximately 11,136 approved establishments still in operation.

Downsizing is far from over. The Ministry of Health is planning for the expiry of 4,587 licenses in 2026 and A further 5,210 in 2027, This points to further consolidation as operators assess their ability to comply with more stringent requirements.

Stricter standards for premises, storage and personnel

In addition to limiting the number of people authorized to sell cannabis, the draft regulations considerably tighten operational standards. Licensed premises will be required to install efficient odor elimination systems and smoke to avoid disturbing neighboring residents. Stores must also be located on premises owned by the applicant, or on which the applicant has clear legal rights to operate.

Storage and quality controls is another key point. Cannabis must be kept in a dedicated warehouse, stored separately to avoid contamination, and at controlled temperature and humidity, away from direct sunlight, No product should be placed directly on the floor.

Staff regulations have also been tightened. Each approved establishment must have at least one employee on duty at all times, who has completed the official training provided by the Department of Traditional and Alternative Thai Medicine, to ensure compliance with professional and safety standards.

Continuous access for patients

Despite the wave of closures, Pattana made it clear that patients would not be left without cannabis-based treatments. He emphasized that, since distribution will be carried out by doctors in medical establishments, the country's hospitals are well placed to meet demand.

«Patients who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes will certainly not face shortages,» he said, presenting the reform as a shift from a very open retail system to a more clinically integrated one.

During the transition period, existing licenses will remain valid until their expiry date. All renewals and pending applications will be assessed according to the new rules once the regulations officially come into force.

The amendments to the law are currently undergoing legal review, after which they will be signed and implemented, with no further details yet on the timetable.