My trip to Thailand was the first time I had ever been in the country. I went to learn more about the region, having heard so many people working in Thailand I didn’t feel I could grasp the full opportunity if any that existed with out setting foot in the country. My first stop was Bangkok for a cannabis conference that was comprised of a variety of different companies currently working in Thailand as well as others that were simply presenting their position in the international market. Next stop was Chang Rai to visit a long time partner in Europe who was opening up operations for hemp processing, last stop Koi Samui and the Cannabis Hotel where I saw the whole vision come together in an opportunity to bridge eastern medicine, cannabis and wellness tourism. The week in Thailand expanded and more deeply connected me to why I work in hemp and cannabis. In the long run I play small role in a decades long movement to legalize and de-stigmatize this plant and Thailand, with a rich history of plant medicines provided a perspective that I had yet to fully absorb with the busy day to day feeling of survival in the American marketplace. 

For context, those of us who work in the cannabis industry have normalized the inability to rely on any concrete information to make decisions about the future of our businesses. We have few projections, no legal securities (for example the new Miller amendment to the farm bill), no consistent regulatory testing standards, extreme commodity fluctuation, no safe banking act, yet everyone has a story about the origin of their business which is based in a connection to the healing magic of the plant. I would like to believe that these personal stories of healing are what fundamentally drives our collective ability to fight for access and withstand the chaos. 

Thailand’s longstanding history with medicinal plants, including cannabis, offers a unique vantage point on integrating these practices into modern applications.

In Thailand, where access to safe an effective plant medicine is part of the rich history of the people, the food that is eaten everyday, the medical system and medical studies, research institutions, practitioners are all participating in a culture that embraces plants as medicines and has for thousands of years. Somewhere along the way, cannabis was stigmatized and omitted from that rich history. The people of Thailand, via the will of the King, opened the country back up to cannabis a legal medicine and from what I observed were overwhelmed with the influx of companies who focused on the economic opportunities around recreational use. 

The economic opportunity of the recreational market is certainly part of the industry and has overshadowed in many cases the magic and miraculous healing power of the plant. In Thailand there was a palpable frustration with the get rich quick hustle mentality that often damages the rest of the industries ability to show what long term commitment to this medicine really looks like.

The underlying movement of providing universal access to safe and effect plant medicine already exist and is being practiced and studied in Eastern cultures. Laurelcrest even has ayurvedic inspired formulations, however I had not fully realized the opportunity for medical discovery in Thai medicine if we continue to destigmatize Cannabis. Thai culture has centuries long history of cannabis, Dating back to the 13th century, it was primarily used for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Traditional Thai medicine incorporated cannabis for its healing properties, treating various ailments such as pain and digestive malady. Cannabis was also used in religious rituals, believed to facilitate communication with the spiritual world and ancestors​. Thailand could certainly lead the world in producing medicines that incorporate the rich history of Thai plant medicine, and the population is ready and wants access. 

In my brief time in the country I was able to connect with a family who’s baby was experiencing seizures and although the medical cannabis industry exists all around them they could not gain access through her doctors to a vetted and safe supply of cannabinoids. Once the family met with a consultant to who help integrate hemp extracts into her treatment she improved dramatically. 

I also spent time at the only cannabis hotel in Thailand and met a group of women who were breast cancer survivors, I would say these women ranged in ages 30-60 and were staying at the hotel so they could safely consume their medicine and have some fun. These two small examples represent massive economic opportunity away from the recreational industry. 

This forward facing recreational industry is so much smaller that the underlying opportunity. We all know people love to feel altered, its part of being human …. Why, when and how much is all a personal journey. The magic of this plant is so much grander than the image that has become the star of the show.

These two examples alone represent a huge economic opportunity for the country that balances out the current conflict with expat companies. Thai citizens who want access to hemp and cannabis extracts for medical use can be served by Thai companies, with research and development by Thai doctors trained in both western medicine and eastern medicine modalities. There are already important advocates and companies such as Dr. CBD, who I also was able to visit. The operation is impressive and has so much potential for the future of the industry in the region and world. Dr CBD also represents many jobs within the industry for Thai people which is a key factor in the overall success of bringing products but also local economic opportunity. 

The wellness tourism industry is a rapidly growing sector valued in 2024 at approximately $1.03 trillion. This market encompasses a range of services including lodging, food and beverage, activities and excursions, shopping, and transport, catering to travelers seeking health and wellness experiences all of which can intregrate a variety of Traditional Thai products and healing modalities that incorporate but are not exclusively focused on Cannabis and Hemp. Overall, the wellness tourism sector is positioned for substantial growth, with projections indicating that it could reach $1.37 trillion by 2028.

It was my opinion that if the government and those who have influence focus on the opportunities that exist within medicine and wellness tourism, the companies that have the proper intention would rise to the top. 

Ultimately, my experience underscored the importance of balancing economic interests with the true medicinal potential of cannabis, advocating for a holistic approach that honors the plant’s historical and cultural significance. 

If I have the opportunity to return, I certainly will and look forward to seeing how Thailand embraces the opportunity that lies ahead.

• Danielle Bernstein