Yes, you can grow weed in Bangkok now. But how?
Happy Weed Day, Bangkok. BK speaks to local growers on how to make your own homegrown high.
2 years ago
As of today, June 9, weed is decriminalized in Thailand. The government is full of advice on not driving high and not breaking the law, but for those who want to grow their own darling dope plants, how is it done? BK Magazine speaks to two seasoned local growers on how to get Bangkok buds.
Is it difficult to grow in Bangkok ?
“It’s an art, growing plants outdoors,” says seasoned weed farmer Uncle Tui. At 71, he has been growing marijuana for five years as part of a Thai agricultural cooperative prior to decriminalization.
The cosmopolitan Bangkokian is unlikely to have a lot of farmland to grow their own bud, but there are still plenty of ganja gardeners who will want to take up the hobby in their backyards and townhouses. In many ways, growing outside is more difficult—especially considering the weather.
“‘Thai stick’ is the type of marijuanna new planters should go with, especially in Thailand where we mostly grow sativa,” Uncle Tui says. “This type of marijuana loves the sun, not like indica which grows better in cold weather.”
Thai stick is OG Thai weed, well known among smokers for being hot weather tolerant and having a high THC content. It is, however, sensitive to moisture in the rainy season.
“The plant will give you a healthy flower once a year but the smell might catch some attention, so be sure to notify the local government and cops first,” Uncle Tui says.
What about indoors?
Most Bangkok growers will be growing inside or in balcony greenhouses, and that’s probably best if you’re looking to grow your own stock.
“If you want flowers (buds), it requires perfect humidity,” says Blanc, 40, who has been growing weed indoors—shall we say—recreationally before decriminalization. He adds that marijuana plants need plenty of moisture and that serious growers should put their lights on a timer.
“You’ll need UV light bulbs and humidity controllers…To properly grow it needs good ventilation and good lighting. Open the window, put up a fan if AC is too expensive, and try to keep the temperature between 23 and 25 Celcius.”
Even if you can’t get buds to grow, you can use other parts of the plants for cooking, Blanc says. In fact, government ministers have championed the use of weed in cooking, with Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cooking up some weed pad krapao.
Can I grow marijuana from seeds in Bangkok?
Legally, yes, but this is a risky way to start growing if you’re after buds. Marijuana plants are either male or female, and only the females will give you buds—meaning THC. Still for those more interested in gardening than smoking, this can be a fun plant to raise from seed.
“Place your seeds in a cup of water,” says Uncle Tui. “See if they will sink or swim. Seeds on the surface are poor quality and should be discarded. Seeds that sink like a botanical cannonball are probably healthy and should be germinated.”
As for where to get seeds, that’s still a little complicated, but the short answer is, wherever you can.
“You get the seed where you get the buds. I got seeds from a friend that smokes, people growing to smoke have seeds. So just germinate it,” Blanc says.
Most growers will want plantation plants they can grow at home, and only about one out of four or five is a female, Uncle Tui tells BK Magazine. However, some “feminized” strains grow mostly female.
“No one wants to sell fully grown females. It’s all about luck and effort,” says Uncle Tui.
What do I do after I have a plant?
It takes one to two months for marijuana to grow 30-60 cm, and growers should “top” their plants after they grow six nodes; by pruning it vertically, it will direct growth outward. Healthy pruning keeps the plant productive.
“Pruning the male makes the female produce THC oil in her flower. Otherwise, both will ‘sex’ and the plants will produce seeds, not buds,” Uncle Tui says adding that, whether you’re growing on your balcony in Thonglor or your family farm, the plants will grow to between one and two meters.
“You have to harvest it properly. Dry it in a nice, dark place, and cure marijuana with some humidity,” Blanc says.
After you harvest the leaves or buds, it’s up to you. Cooking? Smoking? Medicine? One important thing to remember is the government’s “extract” problem. Any item with THC extracts amounting to more than 0.2 percent is still technically illegal. Enforcement, though, is the x-factor.
Can I really grow legal weed at home in Bangkok?
Yes, but there are rules—rules that will inevitably change.
- You need Thai nationality and be over 20 years old to register online to grow marijuana—ostensibly for personal medical or cooking purposes—with a government ID.
- You need a registered residence in Thailand and condo (juristic) approval.
- You need to declare the growing area and how many plants you will be growing.
If you have the above information, it’s pretty simple, but it does take around a week to be approved. Again, this is for individual use; commercial use requires a lot more paperwork.
As ever, the rules are ambiguous and bound to change. Anutin wants more regulation and to low-key ban recreational use. Highland thinks it’s the Wild Weed West. For now, all you need is to register with the authorities to raise plants legally, but both Blanc and Uncle Tui have the same advice: Be cautious.
“Make sure you have the correct number of plants, just in case [police] randomly check on you,” Uncle Tui says. “Be friends with them.”
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