They just don’t stop popping up in BKK. Many strains available here!
Location and Dispensary
Never Not High is located a stone’s throw from Bangkok’s Giant Swing. An enjoyable and lazy kilometer walk from the beautiful Sam Yot MRT station. The only kilometer in all of Bangkok, at least on the date herein, void of dispensaries.
The shop is laid out like a typical a coffee shop: A marble bar displays 15 strains next to a fridge filled with an array of craft sodas, other drinks, and mild edibles. The fridge is topped by bongs and cannabis infused popcorn. Behind the bar, anime figurines mix with vinyl records (the owners’ own bands) and even more cannabis. Six tables neatly sit throughout the shop inviting customers to light up with their choice of pipe, bong or joint, play one of the many board games available, chill and hang out. Two bookshelves in the middle of the shop house a small but high-quality selection of cannabis paraphernalia: pipes, cleaning material, oils, rolling paper, etc.
Never Not High manages to have a relaxed, chill, warm and friendly atmosphere, while at the same time being incredibly neat, clean, professional, and adult. This is not an easy feat to accomplish, but Never Not High carries it off well. It has both the laid back personality of a cannabis lounge while maintaining a professional sleekness of an upscale café.
Musician Farmers
The staff, inclusive of the shop’s owners, are all accomplished musicians coming from the bands KIKI and JUKK, and with experience in other bands and musical venues. Their artistic approach is applied to cannabis: growing, curating, and educating their clientele regarding the plant and its beneficial effects.
Creation is an underlying theme of the shop. Never Not High focuses on the quality of cannabis with most of the cannabis available grown and sourced from their own farms. I sampled their “Orange Sherbet”—a delicious bud which I will be covering in a subsequent strain review—and can confirm the high quality. Cannabis not grown in house is sourced from their friends to ensure quality and knowledge of the source.
Never Not High understands the importance of locally grown cannabis. In the words of Khun Top, the dispensary’s curator and “cheerleader”, “we learned early that while there was some local excitement about imported weed, when foreigners came into our shop they only wanted local weed. This is the direction of the market, and we are proud that four months into legalization the quality of local weed is at the top. We are passionate about weed, we are passionate about growing, we are passionate about our customers, we are passionate about the community. This all fits together—and cannot fit unless there is localization to the cannabis which we are providing the community.”
Being part of the Community
The community is at the heart of Never Not High, and Never Not High is at the heart of the community. The shop works and interacts with the other restaurants, cafés and business in the vicinity with an emphasis on sustainability and harmony within the neighborhood. The staff ensures that their operation will not interfere adversely with their neighbors’ customers’ experiences.
Indeed, when I visited Not High, customers were sitting outside the shop enjoying their recently purchased bud, while Khun Top, joked with and photographed them. Customers from adjacent cafes and store front restaurants joined in the fun with Khun Top and the Never Not High’s tokers. Those same restaurants and cafes provide food and drinks to the dispensary’s customers. “Everything is about respect. Respect for our community, respect for our neighbors and respect for elders and others who may be walking by.”
Being part of the community is about building—helping—creating something which is part of the fabric of society and helps everyone. Never Not High provides education on cannabis to both the community and to their customers. Bud tenders tailor their cannabis recommendations to the customer, taking into consideration experience, ailments, and purpose of use.
This education also includes collaboration with other dispensaries through instructional workshops, friendly grower competitions and cannabis festivals. “Education, collaboration, and the community all are the key elements for us. We are growing and building. We want people to use responsibly and enjoy their cannabis in a positive manner. We want people to understand that cannabis is not a hard drug. It is not a detriment to society. It is something which can help us build and create and be better. We want to show, and our shop wants to be, a leader that helps everyone in our surrounding with cannabis.”
Conclusion
Never Not High is a great example of the marriage of culture and cannabis. Four musicians, passionate about art and cannabis, working together to put together a shop with other likeminded passionate artists. The result is a professional, clean, laid back and welcoming shop with superb cannabis. A shop which strives to serve and educate its customers and community for the better. A shop which enriches its community.
Never Not High is a fine example of the beautiful, unique, and positive Thai cannabis experience and community. A community made up of folks who are truly passionate to creation and dedicate themselves to the industry through their own strengths. A community that understands that cannabis is a life enhancer—a gift from nature to supplement and aid our everyday activities. A community made up of artists—made up of writers—made up of thinkers and dreamers—a community made up of builders of society, not those who wish to tear it down. It is part of our diverse network which must be maintained and protected.
We highly recommend Never Not High.
