Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin played down the gathering of cannabis advocacy groups outside Government House who are opposed to the relisting of the plant and vowed to stay put until a law to control its use was enacted.
Led by Prasitthichai Nunual, a representative of the People's Network for Cannabis Legislation in Thailand, some 300 pro-cannabis protesters on Sunday began their rally against the blacklisting of the plant and prepared for an extended stay.
Mr Somsak said on Monday the protesters were exercising their constitutional right and trying to make their voices heard by senior government figures. However, he noted that the prime minister had not given any special instructions about the protest or the cannabis issue.
Nevertheless, The Pheu Thai minister stressed that the door would continue to be left open for medicinal use and stimulating the economy.
He also gave assurances that business operators would be given time to adjust to minimise the impact of the relisting.
Asked if the bill to regulate cannabis use would be unnecessary because the plant would be put back on the list of narcotic drugs, he said talks were still ongoing and people must comply with the current regulations until there are changes.
The plant was decriminalised in 2022 after the Bhumjaithai Party made the issue its flagship campaign policy ahead of the 2019 election.
However, decriminalisation preceded the legislation needed to control and regulate its use and raised concerns about abuse, particularly among younger age groups.
A cannabis and hemp bill sponsored by the party during the previous parliament passed its first reading but was rejected in the second.
With the Pheu Thai-led government planning to relist cannabis as a narcotic drug, speculation was rife that a law needed to control the plant's use would be unnecessary.
Mr Prasitthichai said the cannabis advocacy groups would stay as long as it took to pressure the enactment of the law to regulate cannabis use.
"But if the government insists on reversing the decision, we're demanding a public consultation process to be formed. It's no worse than tobacco or alcohol and has medicinal properties," he said.
Bhumjaithai Party leader, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnviraku said the government should listen to both sides of the story.
Asked about the possibility that the Public Health Ministry would seek to control only certain parts, such as flowers, he said the question should be directed at the public health minister.
