One-stop service centre at Kasetsart for marijuana, hemp, kratom

Director-general Rapiphat Chantarasriwong said the centre was now in full swing at his department’s Kasikram Building.

He said the public can call the centre via hotline 1174 for more information on the department’s services related to the three crops, which have been delisted from the national narcotics list.

Rapiphat said the marijuana, hemp and kratom businesses are new in Thailand so he encouraged people to gain more information before jumping into any of these businesses.

For example, those who want to sell seeds of the three crops should register with the department first, the director-general said, adding they can do so as sellers or seed bank operators. The registration can be done at the department's head office or via its website, he said.

Rapiphat said those who want to import seeds of the three crops must present a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin and a certificate that the seeds are not GMO produce. The import licence will be issued a day after the required documents are submitted, Rapiphat explained.

He advised those who want to sell seeds of the three crops to sell only seeds that are endorsed by the Agriculture Department.

“So, I would like to invite researchers and developers of hemp, marijuana and kratom to register with the Agriculture Department to seek endorsement of their species,” Rapipat said.

He also advised people who want to buy seeds to do so only from shops or online stores that have licenses issued by his department. The shops are clearly required to display the licence, he added.

Rapipat said his department is in charge of the three crops’ seeds now that they are no longer narcotics starting from Thursday.

But individuals or companies importing the seeds need to ensure they are free from any plant diseases, so the department has issued two directives requiring people who import the seeds to show both a phytosanitary certificate and GMO-free certificate from the exporting countries.

Since the seeds are expensive, the department will not sample 400 seeds of the three crops for a check as it does for seeds of other crops, he said.

However, the department will monitor cultivated plots to check for disease. If the sites are found to be contaminated with any foreign disease, they will all be destroyed, he warned.