Thailand Drafts Import/Export Rules for Newly Legal Kratom Market

17 Dec, 2024 News 0 Hit: 31

The Thai Cabinet has approved two draft ministerial regulations concerning kratom.

The first regulation sets fees for importing, exporting, and renewing licenses for kratom leaves, with reductions and exemptions for specific groups until December 31, 2024. The second regulation outlines the qualifications and procedures for obtaining import and export licenses for kratom, including criteria for applicants and application methods. Exceptions exist for personal use and limited quantities for travelers.

On December 17, the Thai Cabinet approved two draft ministerial regulations related to kratom, as proposed by the Ministry of Justice:

  1. Draft Ministerial Regulations on Fees: This regulation sets the rates for issuing, renewing, and duplicating import and export licenses for kratom leaves. Specific fees include:

    • Import license: 5,000 baht per license.

    • Export license: 5,000 baht per license.

    • License duplicate: 1,000 baht per copy.

    • License renewal: Same as the original license fee.

    • Export fee reduction: 50% reduction for kratom leaf exporters who are natural persons and juristic persons registered under Thai law until December 31, 2024.

    • Fee exemption: For community enterprises and government agencies exporting kratom leaves until December 31, 2024.

  2. Draft Ministerial Regulations on Import/Export Permissions: This regulation outlines the criteria, methods, and conditions for obtaining import and export licenses for kratom leaves. Key points include:

    • Applicant qualifications: Must be a government agency, the Thai Red Cross Society, a Thai natural person aged 20 or above, residing in Thailand, not mentally ill, and not having a suspended license. Juristic persons must be registered under Thai law with specific conditions for representatives.

    • Application process: Applications must be submitted electronically to the Secretary-General of the Narcotics Control Board or a designated person, with required documentation.

    • Exemptions: Personal consumption of up to 50 kratom leaves, 100 grams of kratom leaves, or 1,000 milliliters of kratom tea for travelers is exempt from the requirement to apply for permission to import or export.

These regulations are part of the Kratom Act B.E. 2565, which aims to supervise the import and export of kratom leaves following its removal from the list of narcotics.

A Brief History of Kratom in Thailand

Kratom has been used traditionally in Thailand for centuries. To this day, Thais use kratom in the traditional manner: chewing fresh leaves or brewing them into a tea. Expert on Southeast Asian drug policy Pascal Tanguay has noted that kratom appeared in Thai pharmacopeias dating back to the 1650s.
In 1943, the Thai government outlawed the planting of kratom trees. Kratom was a threat to the opium tax collected by the government at that time, since Thai people were choosing kratom over opium.
Later, in 1979, kratom was classified as a Category 5 narcotic, which is the lowest level of the ranking chart for narcotics in Thailand. Despite this classification, enforcement was lax, and kratom continued to be used widely.
Yet for decades, the Thai government ran an extremely harsh and brutal anti-drug policy. Prison terms for possession of small amounts of narcotics were common. This led to prison overcrowding, and finally consideration to legalize plants like cannabis and kratom.
In 2019, Thailand’s Justice Minister Somsak Thapsutin stated that the ministry no longer regarded kratom as a narcotic and was preparing to legalize it. However, the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the implementation of this legalization, initially planned for 2020.
In 2021, Thailand decriminalized kratom by removing it from the list of prohibited substances. The updated Narcotics Act allowed for the possession and consumption of kratom, recognizing its traditional use and cultural significance. This move also aimed to reduce the burden on the justice system and provide economic opportunities for those cultivating kratom.
Tags: kratom legality Thailand kratom trade kratom Thai kratom law prohibition is kratom legal in thailand kratom tea traditional kratom use

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