The new cannabis bill grinding its way through parliament toughens penalties and includes jail terms for growing, selling and importing without a licence, and for marketing and advertising of the traditional drug that was delisted as a narcotic in June 2022. But its most controversial provision is the imposition of fines for recreational smoking, even in one’s own home. This has drawn condemnation from many, including long-time cannabis legalisation advocate and entrepreneur Chokwan Kitty Chopaka.

About 100 species of plants and animals go extinct every day, and 1 million are on the brink. One of the causes -  smuggling of endangered wildlife – could also wipe out humans by sparking the next pandemic. Freeland CEO Steve Galster paints a horrifying picture on the Bangkok Post podcast, Deeper Dive. Please share the episode and tell us what you think.

Thailand is a hub for the smuggling of protected wildlife, the fourth most lucrative global crime after drugs, humans and arms. Meet the enforcement officers trying to stop the trafficking of pangolins, macaque monkeys, leopard cubs, exotic birds and reptiles to dinner tables, experimentation laboratories and Chinese traditional medicine makers.

There are signs of a thaw in the long cryptocurrency winter, but the digital asset world has been rocked by bankruptcies and scandals. ‘Topp’ Jirayut Srupsrisopa,  founder of Thailand’s leading exchange Bitkub, explains the fallout, outlines the possibilities and offers some tips to stay safe in cryptoland. Read the accompanying article in the Bangkok Post at https://bit.ly/3qEpQQs

Although corruption has long blighted Thailand, the number of alleged police graft cases in the past few months have made headline news in Thailand and overseas. Soapy massage king turned anti-corruption crusader Chuvit Kamolvisit sheds light on the latest cases and suggests some long-term solutions.

Cyberscamming has become a trillion-dollar industry, with the numbers of both scammers and victims soaring over the past three years. Many young Thais have been enticed by online job advertisements promising well-paid work in Cambodia and Myanmar. but once they cross the border into these "special economic zones" (SEZs), many wind up in the hands of Chinese gangs who confiscate their passports. They’ve been scammed, and now – on pain of death or torture - they’re scammers themselves. On this edition of Deeper Dive, host Dave Kendall explores the scams, explains how to avoid them and speaks to Nikkei Asia’s Dominic Faulder, author of the award-winning article “Asia’s Scamdemic: how Covid-19 supercharged online crime”. Read "Fighting Thailand's scamdemic" in the Bangkok Post.

A quick introduction to Bangkok Post's new podcast, Deeper Dive Thailand, where Dave Kendall takes you beneath the surface of Thailand's big issues with insight, analysis and interviews with key players. Please follow (subscribe) and rate the show.