THE kingdom has ordered tighter checks on outbound cannabis smuggling and warned travellers not to carry parcels or luggage for other people, saying they could be drawn into transnational trafficking networks and face severe criminal penalties.
Deputy government spokesperson Ploythalay Laksameesaengjan said yesterday that relevant agencies had been instructed to intensify inspections following reports of cannabis being smuggled from Thailand to other countries.
The warning applies to both Thai and foreign travellers carrying, smuggling or accepting payment to transport cannabis, cannabis flower or cannabis-containing products out of the country.
Ploythalay said the partial easing of cannabis restrictions for medical purposes within Thailand did not give travellers permission to take the plant or related products abroad.
The export and transportation of cannabis across Thailand’s borders remain strictly controlled.
Cannabis is also treated as a serious illegal drug in many destination countries, regardless of its legal status in Thailand.
Travellers should therefore not assume that products legally obtained or possessed in Thailand can be carried into another country. They remain subject to Thai export controls and the laws of the destination and any transit countries.
Ploythalay said travellers should reject paid courier jobs and online offers to transport goods abroad, as they might not know what is hidden in a package or suitcase.
The warning is intended to prevent members of the public from becoming involved, knowingly or otherwise, in transnational cannabis-smuggling operations.
Depending on the circumstances, people caught taking cannabis out of Thailand illegally may face prosecution under several laws.
The government also sought public cooperation in identifying suspected transnational smuggling activities. — The Nation/ANN
