Thailand Roundup: Drug laws, Thai-China flight surges, aviation fuel use
Reclassification of cannabis
Thailand is moving to reclassify cannabis and hemp as narcotics, allowing their use only for medical purposes. The change is set to take effect in 2025, prompting opposition from cannabis advocacy groups and businesses. Thailand had decriminalised cannabis in 2022, but is now tightening regulations, The Straits Times.
Mobile phone alert system
Thailand will launch a new mobile phone alert system in early 2023 to notify users of emergencies or disasters. The alerts will be sent in five languages and will appear as images and audio, without the need to download an app. According to Bangkok Post, the system is a collaborative project between the government, mobile phone operators, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. It will use cell broadcast technology, similar to systems in Japan and South Korea, to send warnings to all devices connected to mobile networks.
Man goes viral over marriage certificate tattoo
A 37-year-old man from Thailand's Buri Ram province went viral on Facebook after tattooing his marriage certificate on his arm to celebrate 19 years of marriage. The photo quickly gained over a million likes and thousands of comments. The Star reports that the man stated that he did it to express his love and loyalty to his wife, and that he doesn't care what others think as long as it makes his family happy. Some praised him for his bold expression of love, while others expressed concerns about potential future complications.
Thai-China flight surge
Thai-China flights have recorded a 213% increase from October 2023 to May 2024 translating to 55,433 flights. The transport ministry projects that 86,150 flights will operate between the two countries in the fiscal year that ends on September 30, The Phuket News reports.
Aviation fuel use
Thailand's aviation fuel use has increased by 17.9% as tourism rebounds, while car fuel consumption has decreased. Khaosodenglish reports that this is driven by a rise in Jet A1 consumption and a decrease in car petrol, with a corresponding decline in fuel imports.
