Is Weed Legal in Phuket? What Travelers Need to Know in 2026

Quick answer

Yes, cannabis is legal in Phuket, under the same national rules that apply everywhere else in Thailand. Phuket doesn’t have its own specific cannabis law. Since 26 June 2025, though, purchasing cannabis flower legally requires a prescription from a licensed practitioner. You also need to be 20 or older, and consuming in public is a punishable nuisance offense. Phuket has also seen a province-wide crackdown on licensing since July 2026, so a shop trading last season may not be trading now.

Key facts

Cannabis flower is not a narcotic in Thailand. It was removed from the narcotics list on 9 June 2022 and, as of 10 September 2026, it has not been put back.
A Ministry of Public Health notification effective 26 June 2025 limits sales to medical use. A licensed practitioner issues the prescription, on the form commonly called a PT33, and it covers a supply of up to 30 days.
The minimum age is 20, not 18. Sales to anyone under 20, and to pregnant or breastfeeding women, are prohibited.
Consuming in public is treated as a nuisance under the Public Health Act. Officials can order it stopped, and ignoring that order carries up to three months in prison, a fine of up to twenty-five thousand baht, or both.
Phuket had 1,065 cannabis shops as of 28 August 2026, down from 1,089, with 35 licenses revoked and 112 suspended.
Carrying cannabis out of Thailand is an export offense under the Customs Act B.E. 2560, which allows up to ten years in prison, with a fine of either four times the value of the goods or up to five hundred thousand baht depending on the section charged. Since 17 June 2026 the Customs Department has calculated cannabis fines at thirty thousand baht per kilogram.

Is cannabis legal in Phuket in 2026?

Yes. Thailand removed cannabis from its narcotics schedule in June 2022 and hasn’t reversed that decision. Phuket follows these national rules, just like every other province. We haven’t found any cannabis ordinance specific to Phuket as of 10 September 2026, only tougher enforcement of the national regulations.

Cannabis flower is treated as a controlled herb, not a narcotic. Extracts are the exception: anything above 0.2 percent THC by weight remains a Category 5 narcotic.

Do you need a prescription for cannabis in Phuket?

Yes, and this is where things have changed most since 2022.

A Ministry of Public Health notification signed on 23 June 2025 kicked in on 26 June 2025, limiting sales to medical use. Law firms who’ve been tracking the notification as published in the Royal Gazette confirm that the prescribing categories extend beyond hospital doctors. This includes Thai traditional practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, and registered herbalists. The form records the practitioner’s license number, diagnosis, product, dose, and storage details, covering a maximum 30-day supply.

The same notification bans online sales, vending machines, and advertising. It also prohibits smoking on shop premises unless it’s under licensed medical supervision. A summary of these new controls suggests a seller ignoring the prescription rule could face up to a year in prison, a fine of up to twenty thousand baht, or both.

It’s not entirely clear whether the consultation happens at a clinic attached to the shop or requires a separate appointment. We haven’t found a single, official process for this. Treat a shop that says no paperwork is needed as one gambling with its license. For the mechanics, see our explainer on how a Thai prescription is issued.

What changed in Phuket during 2026?

On 11 July 2026, the Deputy Interior Minister ordered a province-wide inspection of every cannabis establishment in Phuket. This was reported as a 90-day operation. The crackdown focused on unlicensed shops, prohibited products, cannabis discreetly added to food, and smuggling via the airport and bus routes. This came after arrests at Phuket International Airport two days earlier involving two travelers carrying over 32 kilograms.

The clearest figures, presented to a provincial committee in early September 2026 and accurate as of 28 August, show 1,065 shops operating, down from 1,089. Alongside this, 35 licenses were revoked and 112 suspended.

These numbers don’t add up neatly. A suspension isn’t a closure, and a revoked license doesn’t always mean a shop is immediately shuttered. So, the shop count adjusts more slowly than the enforcement figures might suggest. Both were still moving when this was written.

Where can you legally consume cannabis in Phuket?

Private property is the only place the law allows consumption. That’s a big deal since so much of Phuket’s day happens outdoors.

A Ministry of Public Health announcement specifically categorizes cannabis smoke and smell as a nuisance under the Public Health Act B.E. 2535. Local officials can tell you to stop, and ignoring that order can land you up to three months in prison, a fine of up to twenty-five thousand baht, or both. Beaches, streets, bars, malls, and public transport all fall into the ‘public’ category. Hotels are the operator’s decision rather than yours, and plenty say no.

We haven’t found any Phuket-specific beach bylaw that differs from the national rule as of 10 September 2026. The national rule is sufficient on its own, even at Patong.

Driving after consuming falls under the Land Traffic Act, most commonly Section 43(2), which covers driving while impaired by alcohol or other intoxicants. Section 43 bis attaches to narcotics and psychotropics, and cannabis flower stopped being a narcotic in 2022. There is no measured THC threshold, so impairment is judged at the officer’s and the court’s discretion.

Can you fly to Phuket carrying cannabis?

Domestic flights and international flights are treated completely differently.

For domestic flights inside Thailand, we haven’t been able to confirm specific current airport guidance from an official source. The Civil Aviation Authority doesn’t publish anything on passenger cannabis carriage, and the most commonly cited statement from Airports of Thailand is from 2022, predating the prescription requirement. Assume national rules on age and prescription apply at the terminal. Also note that screening in Phuket is a specific focus of the current operation. Our guide to flying domestically inside Thailand sets out the practical picture.

International flights are an absolute no-go, in both directions. Taking cannabis out of the country is an export offense under the Customs Act B.E. 2560, potentially leading to up to ten years in prison. Fines can be either four times the value of the goods under Section 242 or up to five hundred thousand baht under Section 244 for restricted goods, according to recent reports. The Customs Department has been calculating the cannabis fine at thirty thousand baht per kilogram since 17 June 2026. No medical document changes this, and it makes no difference whether cannabis is legal where you are flying to. Our guide to taking cannabis out of the country covers it.

How does Phuket compare with the rest of Thailand?

The statute is identical everywhere. What differs by province is how many shops are still trading and how closely they are watched, and Phuket is under closer watch than most.

Siam Green operates no branch in Phuket, and its licensed branches are in Bangkok and on Koh Samui.

Frequently asked questions

Is weed legal in Phuket for tourists?

Yes. There is no nationality restriction. The same rules apply to visitors and Thai residents alike: you must be 20 or older, and since 26 June 2025 a prescription from a licensed practitioner is required to purchase cannabis flower.

Can I smoke cannabis on a Phuket beach?

No. Cannabis smoke is treated as a nuisance under the Public Health Act, and ignoring an official order to stop carries up to three months in prison, a fine of up to twenty-five thousand baht, or both. Beaches are public, and consumption is legal in private only.

How much cannabis can I have in Phuket?

The prescription sets the limit, and it covers a supply of up to 30 days. Thai law sets no separate weight limit for flower itself, so the prescription is the document that matters. Extracts above 0.2 percent THC remain Category 5 narcotics and sit outside this entirely.

Can I take cannabis from Phuket back to my home country?

No, under any circumstances. Taking cannabis out of Thailand is an export offense under the Customs Act B.E. 2560, carrying up to ten years in prison and a fine of either four times the value of the goods or up to five hundred thousand baht depending on the section charged, with the cannabis fine calculated at thirty thousand baht per kilogram since 17 June 2026. It applies regardless of your prescription and regardless of the law at your destination.

Are cannabis shops in Phuket closing?

Some are. As of 28 August 2026 Phuket had 1,065 shops operating, down from 1,089, with 35 licenses revoked and 112 suspended under an enforcement operation launched on 11 July 2026.

Is cannabis about to become illegal again in Thailand?

Not as of 10 September 2026. Flower has not been returned to the narcotics list. A Cannabis Control Act was submitted to the Health Minister on 21 July 2026 and a competing bill was filed on 9 July 2026, but reporting on the draft legislation does not expect parliament to take up the package before January 2027. Nothing in either draft is currently in force.

Last updated 10 September 2026. Thai cannabis rules have changed repeatedly since 2022. This is general information about the law as it stood on that date, not legal advice.