Thursday 6 October 2022 03:46 AM Koh Samui in Thailand the new holiday hotspot as cannabis-infused food and ... trends now
An tropical island paradise just nine hours from Australia is being dubbed the 'new Amsterdam' as tourists flock there following a change in cannabis laws.
Visitors smoking joints on the beach or even indulging in cannabis-infused pizza is now a common sight on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand.
That is in stark contrast to just a few months ago when people caught in possession of cannabis - or 'ganja' as it is referred to in the area - faced jail time.
As of June, cannabis is no longer classed as an illegal drug in Thailand, with tourists now seeking out the holiday destination to take their relaxation to the next level.
While cannabis is no longer on the banned narcotics list, its recreational use has technically not yet passed into law, leaving a legal grey area Koh Samui is cashing in on.
The spot dubbed the 'new Amsterdam' Koh Samui, is just nine hours away from Australia as tourists flood in to the holiday town where cannabis rules the roost
The tropical Koh Samui is full of people lounging by luxurious beach clubs, cooling off in the pool, drinking alcohol and making the most of their lax cannabis laws
Owner of luxury beach club Chi Samui, Carl Lamb, told the ABC the decriminalisation of cannabis has been a 'game changer'.
Technically, while people can be charged with being a nuisance for smoking in public - with a maximum penalty of three months jail and a $1,000 fine - Mr Lamb says police have told him they will only stop it at his club if people start complaining.
One jetsetter staying at the resort said he came from the UK to experience the island paradise, saying it's 'like the new Amsterdam'.
'We came [to Thailand] when marijuana wasn't
