Once a booming industry in Pattaya, cannabis businesses now face ruin as the government reverses course on policy and threatens reclassification as a narcotic. PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s abrupt reversal on cannabis regulation is wreaking havoc on small businesses in Pattaya and beyond, leaving many entrepreneurs devastated and disillusioned. After riding a wave of optimism for three years following cannabis decriminalization, operators now face a harsh reality: the Ministry of Public Health has issued a new directive reclassifying cannabis flower buds as a controlled herb, severely limiting their use and sale. The move has sparked outrage across the cannabis community, with business owners accusing the government of betrayal. In Pattaya, where cannabis cafés, dispensaries, and cultivation projects had flourished, the policy U-turn has led to sudden closures, staff layoffs, and mounting debt. “Our dreams have been shattered overnight,” said one cannabis entrepreneur who invested heavily in shopfronts, growing equipment, and staff training. “Three years of hope were destroyed by a single signature.” The outcry intensified after Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin confirmed that cannabis will once again be classified as a narcotic in the near future. He emphasized the need for stricter regulations and admitted that passing a comprehensive Cannabis Control Act under the current administration is unlikely. “This is not about politics,” he claimed. “It’s a long-standing issue that must be resolved.” Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin confirms cannabis will return to the narcotics list, dashing hopes for long-term legalization and sparking backlash from small business owners. But many in the cannabis business aren’t buying it. They argue that the shifting policy landscape favors big investors while squeezing out small, law-abiding operators. A viral post from a disheartened entrepreneur read: “A cannabis business built over three years — killed by the stroke of a pen. We followed every rule, paid every fee, and now we’re criminals again in some people’s eyes. What did we do wrong? Believe in the government’s promises?” The post went on to describe staggering losses — from building leases and parent plant imports to fertilizer, utilities, and labor costs — all jeopardized by the latest government decision. “Now no one wants to enter a market where the state can change the rules at any time,” it concluded. Operators fear the new directive not only devastates legitimate business but also revives the black market. They’re calling on the government to distinguish between recreational abuse and regulated economic opportunity, and to protect small-scale entrepreneurs who invested in good faith. “Three years of investment gone,” say small operators, pleading for compassion as new restrictions put livelihoods and long-term leases at risk.