Heirs of the Phornprapha and Praneenij Family InvestTHB120M

The heirs of Phornprapha and PraneenijFamily are investing 120 million baht in launching “Medicana Lab” with the aim of driving the upstream supply chain through CBD hemp flower cultivation and covering the midstream and downstream supply chain with medical products for export and tourism. This is to make Thailand the cannabis hub of Asean. 

CEO Vorapattr Phornpraphaof Medicana Lab Co., Ltd., the producer of medical-grade cannabis, announced that Medicana Lab Co., Ltd is the first entity to be authorized by the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a CBD hemp producer in Bangkok in 2022. 

The main objective is to produce medical-grade CBD flowers. To achieve the finest medical standards, instruments that facilitate the optimalenvironment factors for cannabis growth havebeen introduced along with IOT-based smart farming practices. To minimize any unprecedented errors and perpetually sustain optimal growing conditions, the IOT-based system requires meticulous attention to detail, namely temperature and humidity control, light intensity, CO2 in the air, Vapour-pressure deficit (VPD) and etc.

Employing an automated fertigation systemthat precisely manages predetermined nutrient dosing and feeding programs help to improve data collection, which is significant in the R&D process. Thanks to the automated system, personnels are abstained from laborious tasks, which allows for more focus on the plants.Monitoring and data comparison can be made through CCTV and sensors to facilitate the quality of the crop and yields.

Endorsed as South East Asia’s largest Fluence Bioengineering lighting solution cultivation facility, Medicana’s lab has adopted the artificial lighting solution, an innovation imported from the USA, that will enhance photosynthesis and energy management as well as maintaining ideal temperature for hemp , combined with our professional team, will maximize yields. The nature optimization concept enhances production of contaminant-free CBD flowers, with less than 1% of THC, thus cultivating consistent CBD flowers in strict compliance with the FDA’s high standards and regulations.

Medicana’s lab is home to a Cloning Room, Vegetative Growth Room, Mother Plants Room, Flowering Rooms and Biomass Vault. Nursery shelves have been installed to grow indoor-grade clones that have been carefully chosen and developed for more than two years. Our collaboration with the Cannabis Health Science Department of the College of Allied Health Science, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in genetics selection has given us a variety containing 22% of cannabidiol (CBD) and a unique terpene profile, which will be available for local cannabis business operators and growers.

We are also collaborating with TarateraCorporation Co., Ltd., a company specialized in cannabis whose experienced team has extensive knowledge of cannabis grown in Thailand and abroad. Their extractors can provide a range of CBD products, meant for medical use, that could help ease stiffness and muscle pain in patients with Multiple Sclerosis, help those suffering from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, reduce anxiety and inflammation, improve insomnia, and benefit people with psoriasis. The CBD extracts can also be used in other wellnessproducts and cosmetics. 

“Our goal is to be the leader in the cannabis industry and produce the finest-quality CBD hemp flowers to meet international standards. We started by selecting the finest genetics, which are imported strains that contain high Cannabidiol content. A perpetual harvesting technique has been applied to improve harvest management for the supply chain and improve the quality of CBD hemp flowers. Our lab is also home to a nursery for clone production, to produce only the finest quality hemp flowers.”

Medicana’s COO Sirasit Praneenij added that the company has planned to invest THB120 million to achieve the company’s mission, to create a cannabis network and drive Thailand as the cannabis hub of Asean. To achieve its goal, the company will work with partners to build a sustainable market for the cannabis industry, in terms of medical products, tourism and exports. The plan will be divided into two phases:

First phase, THB20 million will be spent on the facility and R&D. An indoor facility, equipped with smart farming technology and an IOT system, will be able to produce around 500kg of floral biomass per year. The R&D and laboratory space comprises a Flower Room, Genetics Selection Room, Nursery and Clone Production facility. The first batch of cannabis will be available in July 2022, targeting B2G and B2B models. Preliminary discussions are already being held with a number of potential customers.

Second phase , THB100 million will be invested in the expansion of cultivation and production to be able to provide the industry with an upstream to downstream supply chain. To achieve the goal, a collaboration with partners to build a turn-key business will be necessary. The use of cannabis in consumer products and cosmetics will be supported by state-of-the-art technology and efficient utility consumption to meet both the growing local demand and the export market.  

The company is expecting exponential growth for this year. After cannabis products has been made widely available for the local market and export, together with the finest quality floral biomass and clones, will encourage growth by over 100%. 

“What makes Medicana proud is we are not alone on this cannabis path. We have specialists, with wide-ranging experience in the industry both in and outside of the country, as our partners. Jesse C. Stalknecht, founder and management of leading cannabis-related companies in the USA for over 20 years, together with Taratera Corporation, a turn-key organization that combines experts in breeding ,R&D, and extraction . has made it possible for us to move forward with cannabis cultivationthat meets the international standard.” 

Cannabis is a high value crop that brings many opportunities, be it medical and wellness products, food and beverages, or cosmetics. There is room to grow locally and abroad ,especially for the indoor-grade cultivars that are currently in high demand. If every grower helps to build a fine standard for the industry, the market for high-priced indoor-grade clones will certainly grow, Sirasit concluded.