New Thailand Drug Law (June 2024) for Meth

On June 18, 2024, a significant shift occurred in Thailand’s approach to methamphetamine possession that we at Thailand Bail would like to highlight. The Public Health Minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, announced a new regulation reducing the permissible amount for personal use to just one pill of methamphetamine or 20 milligrams of crystal meth (“ice”). This change aims to combat the rampant drug problem in Thailand by focusing on rehabilitation over prosecution, but also tightening the criteria to qualify for rehabilitation.

Key Changes in Regulation

Under the new rule, possessing more than one meth pill or 20 milligrams of crystal meth will lead to criminal charges rather than a chance for rehabilitation.

How Many Inmates Are There in Thailand?

Thailand’s prison system is under considerable strain, with inmate numbers far exceeding the intended capacity, as reported by the Bangkok Post recently. The Thai Justice Ministry has proposed a significant measure to alleviate this issue by amending regulations to allow suspects, whose cases have not yet reached court, to avoid pre-trial detention through the use of Electronic Ankle Monitoring (EM) bracelets. This initiative is a pragmatic approach to addressing prison overcrowding and has broader implications for the criminal justice system in Thailand.