Phuket is calling for stricter cannabis regulations following a surge in incidents involving foreign tourists whose erratic behaviour has tarnished its tourism image.
Phuket Tourism Association vice-president Sarayut Mallum said many recent cases of foreign visitors acting strangely were linked to excessive cannabis use. “Some tourists smoked several joints in succession, leading to hallucinations and dangerous actions,” he said. He cited an incident involving a group of French motorcyclists who smoked cannabis before riding. “The misuse of cannabis has become a growing concern for the tourism industry,” he said.
Mr Sarayut said the private sector supported reclassifying cannabis for medical rather than recreational use. Local cannabis vendors should be consulted on responsible sales.
He also urged the government to reconsider its cannabis policy, similar to the approach under former justice minister Somsak Thepsutin, who once established a committee to study whether cannabis should again be listed as a narcotic.
Chalermpong Saengdee, Phuket MP of the People’s Party, echoed these concerns, proposing a zoning approach to regulate cannabis use. He suggested smoking be permitted only in designated areas such as Patong, while prohibiting cannabis shops in Old Phuket Town, where the odour disrupts the area’s historic and cultural ambience.
“Phuket ranks second in Thailand for the number of cannabis shops, after Bangkok, with over 1,600 licensed outlets and additional unlicensed kiosks. Police cannot enforce the law alone and must coordinate with the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office for inspections and enforcement,” he said.
Mr Chalermpong added the oversupply of poor-quality cannabis flowers and unregulated pricing had led to health problems among tourists, including hospitalisations for cannabis-induced psychosis or jaundice.
He warned that such cases increase the burden on local medical staff and damage Phuket’s image as a family-friendly destination. “Phuket could lose quality tourists to destinations such as Vietnam, Singapore and Japan if the situation persists,” he said.
Phuket Governor Saransak Srikruanet said the province will gather opinions from local tourism, hotel and business associations to submit to the government for policy review. He added the issue would also be raised with the House of Representatives’ Tourism Committee and the provincial food and health board to develop coordinated measures.
Ratchadaporn O-in, director of Phuket’s Tourism and Sports Office, said social media clips showing intoxicated tourists engaging in indecent acts — such as public nudity and lewd behaviour — had harmed the island’s reputation. She called for stronger law enforcement, clearer communication of local regulations, and awareness campaigns to educate tourists on acceptable conduct in Thailand.