The Bhumjaithai Party yesterday pledged to push for the passage of a bill on cannabis and hemp after the next election as the controversial draft law appears unlikely to clear the House of Representatives before the end of its current term.
Supachai Jaisamut, chairman of the House committee vetting the draft law and a Bhumjaithai list-MP, seemed resigned to the fate of the bill sponsored by his party.
On Wednesday, the House continued its second reading of the draft law, and it took almost three hours to try and meet a quorum and vote on Section 15/3.
Of the 211 MPs who declared their presence in the chamber, 148 voted in favour, and 21 voted against it, with 36 abstentions. The six others did not cast votes.
Deputy House Speaker Supachai Phosu declared the meeting adjourned at 2.42pm, saying he saw no point in calling for a quorum check.
Yesterday was the last day of this House meeting, meaning the bill on cannabis and hemp would not be enacted before the House's tenure expires. It can be resubmitted for examination in the next session.
The Bhumjaithai list-MP said the party would resubmit the bill when the House convenes later this year after the election. He urged people to vote for the party if they did not want cannabis reinstated as a narcotic.
Bhumjaithai, which pushed for the removal of cannabis from the Type 5 narcotic drug list for medical use and research purposes, faced stiff opposition from coalition and opposition parties in enacting the draft law to curb its recreational use.