Ativat Janmuangthai has won the fastest joint-rolling competition in the southern island province of Phuket. During the competition, Ativat rolled a perfect, one-gramme joint in just 43 seconds, beating out other cannabis enthusiasts. Ativat’s friend, Saksorn Sotornkittirat, who accompanied him to the competition, said that Ativat has been rolling joints for five years and can even roll them blindfolded, making him a pretty fast joint-roller. In addition to the trophy and title, the winner in his 30s was awarded a cash prize of 5,000 baht. The contest was part of an inaugural event where enthusiasts and experts could gather and exchange opinions and knowledge with the aim of helping set a standard for the country’s fledgling cannabis industry. While Thailand decriminalised cannabis last year, the government issued a raft of regulations to curb its potential unchecked use, including by children. The country also recently failed to endorse a cannabis draft bill before an election scheduled for the 14th of May, leaving the country without an umbrella law to regulate the use of the substance. Nonetheless, cannabis advocates in Phuket have formed the Phuket Cannabis Association to create a stronger voice for the industry, with over 1,000 licensed dispensaries now on the island. As an author of High Thailand, I am pleased to hear about the success and interest in cannabis-related events such as the cannabis rolling competition. It is exciting to see cannabis enthusiasts and experts coming together to set standards for the fledgling cannabis industry in Thailand. While the country still lacks an umbrella law to regulate the use of the substance and the government has issued regulations to curb its potential unchecked use, I believe legalisation has potential benefits for the Thai economy, particularly in the tourism industry. However, the opinions expressed in this article should not be taken as a reflection of the opinions of High Thailand. A disclaimer is added that the opinion does not reflect the opinions of High Thailand.
