A Las Vegas-based cannabis company has become the first foreign franchise to enter a joint venture for a medical marijuana clinic in Thailand, treating Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, eating disorders and insomnia, smack in the heart of Bangkok’s flashy tourist zone. The move comes as the Thai government is hoping to foster a major marijuana-based industry here, getting the jump on regional competitors and benefiting from a global reputation for the quality and potency of the local crop. “I hope that Thailand becomes the Silicon Valley of Cannabis for Asia,” said the clinic’s Thai partner Julpas Kruesopon — “or, as most people in Thailand call me now, ‘Mister Weed.’” Thai officials also are anxious to exploit what economists call a “first-mover advantage” in Asia because Bangkok’s cannabis laws are now among the continent’s most liberal and its products globally known. “Thailand has a real advantage. We have our own strain here … Thai Stick, it’s a very famous strain,” Mr. Julpas told The Washington Times in a recent interview, adding that local players are hoping to attract Israeli and European companies to invest as well. “The key is to grow the industry,” he said.
The Washington Times Https, Washington Times – Politics, Breaking News, US and World News, 04/13/2022 20:00:00