THAILAND'S GREEN ECONOMICS

GREEN Economics? Thai party campaigns on marijuana as cash crop.

Anutin Charnvirakul thinks he has hit on a winning issue for Thailand's election next month    -promoting cannabis farming now into that the Southeast Asian nation has legalised medical marijuana.

Campaign posters for his Bhumajaithai [Proud to be Thai] party, the first major party to advocate its recreational use, feature an oversized green marijuana leaf.

''We know that marijuana doesn't have any negative effects when somebody consumes it, apart from getting sleepy,'' the billionaire-turned politician told Reuters.

''When we weigh the pros and cons of freeing up this product, we decided to give full support,'' Anutin said.

Thailand in December approved marijuana for medical use and research, the first country to do so in a region with some of the world's toughest drug laws.

Bhumjaithai is one of several parties vying for attention ahead of March 24, the first general election since a 2014 coup.

The party, which draws its support from the rural northeast, won 34 of parliament's 500 seats in the last poll.

The election's main contest is expected to be between populist parties loyal to the ousted ex-premier  Thanksin Shinawatra and pro-establishment parties seeking to extend military rule through the ballot, bit complex electoral rules mean smaller parties will likely play a role in any coalition government.

Bhumjaithai, which also backs a four-day work week and legalizing ride-share taxi services, details its pro-pot policies on a campaign website that that includes images of happy farmers and  marijuana plants sprouting gold coins.

Anutin likes the California model where growers are registered and six-marijuana plants are permitted per household.

The sale and distribution of pot products  would be regulated to similar to tobacco in Thailand, with farmers selling their harvest  through a government agency, the party says.

''Marijuana will be sold to generate additional income to farmers because overseas the price is as high as 70,000 baht [$2, 230 per kg,'' according to the party's website. [Agencies]

The honor and serving of the latest operational research on 'Marijuana and state of the world',   continues.