No arrests in Bangkok so far for ganja smoking in public
No one has been arrested in Bangkok or its suburbs so far for smoking ganja in public on the charge of causing nuisance to others or for driving under its influence, a deputy chief of Bangkok police said on Tuesday.
Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaew-saeng-ek, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said no arrests have been made so far related to ganja smoking after the crop was delisted from the narcotics list on June 9.
The Public Health Ministry has issued a directive to declare smoke from ganja or marijuana a public nuisance, implying that smoking ganja cannot be done in the public or in a way that affects others.
Jirasak said the bureau has instructed all police stations under its jurisdiction to receive complaints if people complain of nuisance from ganja smoking in public places.
Reacting to concerns that drivers or motorcyclists, driving under influence of ganja, could cause road accidents, Jirasak said the Metropolitan Police has not yet received such cases so far.
He said blood tests of people involved in road accidents had not detected ganja.
He said police manning road checkpoints were also instructed to monitor if drivers or motorcyclists appeared to be high on ganja. In case of suspicion, the drivers or riders would be sent to hospital for blood test, Jirasan added.