BANGKOK: Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin is on a four-day working visit to Thailand from today to assess the potential use of cannabis and ketum for medical purposes and the legal framework for its medical use.
According to the health ministry, Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand’s deputy prime minister and minister of public health, invited the delegation on a working visit.
Khairy will visit the Government Pharmaceutical Office (GPO) today where he will receive a briefing on the medical cannabis policy in Thailand, including the practises, cultivation techniques, and research, as well as the usage of cannabis and ketum for medical purposes in Thailand.
Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise cannabis and use it for medicinal purposes.
“The bilateral visit represents an ideal platform for the health ministry to understand the advances in international research and the findings to support the clinical use of cannabis.”
According to the health ministry, the visit also opens international collaboration opportunities for the private and research entities undertaking clinical studies on cannabis and ketum as they develop medical innovations that will further improve the quality of healthcare in Malaysia.
Khairy is expected to meet the main players of the cannabis and ketum industry in Thailand besides visiting Siam Cannabis Land where he will be able to see both indoor and outdoor plantations, a greenhouse as well as a drying centre.
His entourage will also visit Bumrungrad International Hospital, which is one of the largest private hospitals in Southeast Asia, as well as the Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry which provides modern mental healthcare services.
Last month, Khairy said a framework regarding the registration of certain cannabidiol (CBD) products would be announced.
Khairy is also scheduled to attend the Apec high-level meeting on health and economy here on Thursday before returning to Kuala Lumpur.