Bring cannabis to Indonesia and you could face death penalty, Thai embassy tells tourists
- Thailand became the first Asian nation to decriminalise cannabis earlier this month – but possession still carries heavy penalties elsewhere in the region
- Bangkok’s embassy in Indonesia warned Thai tourists they could face the death penalty if caught. Malaysia, meanwhile, stepped up inspections at the Thai border
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the embassy said it “would like to warn Thai people not to carry cannabis, hemp, or products with cannabis or hemp ingredients into Indonesia” – adding that violators could face a fine of at least 1 billion Indonesian rupiah (US$67,350), a prison sentence ranging from five years to life, or the death penalty.
Meanwhile, a Malaysian man returning from a visit to Thailand was fined nearly 10,000 ringgit (US$2,270) after cannabis ingredients were detected in the drinking water he was carrying, local media reported on Monday.
Malaysian authorities have also stepped up inspections at the Thai-Malaysia border in Padangbesar to check for travellers carrying cannabis-related products.
Thailand became the first Asian nation to decriminalise cannabis for medical and industrial use on June 9, when the plant was removed from the narcotics category by the country’s food and drug administration.
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Thailand decriminalises selling and growing cannabis