Cannabis Travel Warnings Issued for Thailand
Vacationing or traveling to Thailand soon? Make sure your luggage does not have any cannabis in it. Dutch and British nationals are among targeted groups that can be scanned for cannabis at airport control checks in Thailand. Officials have issued travel advisory warnings as Thailand moves to limit cannabis only for medicinal uses.
Dutch Travel Advice for Thailand Updated
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has updated travel advice for Thailand after an increased number of Dutch nationals have been detained at Thai airports for cannabis smuggling recently. According to Dutch ambassador to Thailand, Remco van Wijngaarden, at least six Dutch nationals have been arrested in the last six months for carrying between 20 and 60 kilos of cannabis.
The Dutch travel advisory now has a message in the security risks section for those traveling to Thailand, warning that “you are not allowed to bring cannabis from Thailand without a permit.”
The full advisory message reads as follows: “Recently, several Dutch people were arrested at Thai airports for trying to bring cannabis in their luggage. You are not allowed to bring cannabis out of Thailand without a permit. The Thai authorities check for this when you leave the country. You can face a heavy fine or imprisonment for illegally carrying cannabis. You also risk being stopped and punished for this when you arrive at your destination.”
Many of the Dutch nationals arrested are in jail, while some detainees have been handed fines of up to 10,000 euros (roughly 11,500 US dollars).
Earlier this year, Thai authorities warned about increased cannabis smuggling and that controls at airports have been adjusted. They were mainly targeting Britons and Indians. Dutch nationals can now also be counted as a targeted group.
Britons Also with Travel Warning for Cannabis
The British government also updated its travel advisory for Thailand. An update notice from May 23 warns: “Do not carry cannabis out of Thailand.” The message continues: “British nationals have been caught carrying cannabis out of Thailand. There have been arrests of British nationals caught transiting through airports in other countries. Many international airports have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items, which may be used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers.”
As weed laws change in Thailand, harsher punishments may be possible in the future. It is also worth remembering that conditions in Thai prisons are dire. So folks, be smart when you travel to or from Thailand and don’t carry cannabis on your person or luggage!
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Stephen Andrews
