According to Urban Dictionary, a Thai Stick is “High quality marijuana bud that is wraped around a thick stem from a canabis plant with hemp rope” (yes, with typos and all). Contrary to its name, I did not find any Thai Sticks during my adventures in Thailand.
As a traveling cannabis connoisseur it is important to respect the laws set forth by each country in regards to consumption and possession of the plant. I would never make a purchase where it is not legal, however I do have a certain curiosity and am not afraid to ask the locals questions.
My first encounter with cannabis during this trip was when I was in Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand. The primary transportation vehicle in Thailand is a moped, or motor bike. Here, it is very common to ride a bike taxi opposed to a car taxi. Along the streets there are taxi stands with a bunch bike taxis ready to take you to your destination.
It was around 11pm on a weekday, the streets were quieting down. I was walking by a taxi stand and I noticed one of the drivers smoking what appeared to be a real life joint! Smoking cigarettes is very common in Asian countries, and often times they roll their own. But I know a joint when I see one–You can’t fool me, Mr. Taxi Driver! So of course my curiosity piqued and I had to ask how much a joint costs. He told me 400 baht, which is roughly $13 USD.
I was surprised that he was so open about it, but declined his offer, as $13 for some sticks and grass that smelled like hay would not be worth it–And of course risking jail time and breaking the law in a foreign country is something I would simply not do.
Following this encounter in Phuket, I did come across some weed that belonged to a friend of a friend’s friend in Bangkok. I’ve heard from the locals that smoking in Thailand is actually pretty common and more socially accepted compared to other Asian countries such as Korea. It is rumored that you can pay off crooked cops for anything, including cannabis charges in Thailand. But AGAIN, I choose to NOT risk it for the biscuit (no matter how delicious that biscuit may be).
In conclusion, the quality of the Thai cannabis that I came across was no where near what I thought a Thai Stick would be like according to Urban Dictionary. I call it a Thai Brick. It was full of stems, seeds, and compressed into a brick-like-puck. I’m still not quite sure what the origin of a Thai Stick is, but I asked the locals and they said a good quality gram of flower costs $150 USD. I don’t even want to know what a real Thai Stick would cost in Thailand!
