Thailand outlines national plan to develop kratom as international herbal export
The plant was removed from the country’s narcotics list in 2021 & named a medicinal herb in 2023
Thailand has set out a national research and development plan for kratom, as announced on the official Thai government information portal.
The plant has been part of daily life in southern Thailand for generations; workers chewed or brewed the leaves to push through physical labour, and folk medicine used it for pain and diarrhoea.
Kratom was removed from Thailand’s narcotics list in 2021, opening the door to formal research and commercial development. In 2023, the government named it an official medicinal herb.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) has now built on that status with a plan to guide further study, close gaps in existing research and strengthen cooperation between public agencies and private industry.
DTAM’s Deputy director-general Dr Thewan Thaneerat says the goal is evidence-backed innovation that meets international standards, as reported by Nation Thailand.
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A review found 331 existing studies on kratom, driven mostly by research from Prince of Songkla University, with pharmacology and safety making up the largest share at 32.9%, followed by basic science and agriculture at 31.1%.
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The department's plan runs across five areas: agriculture and quality control, pharmacology and clinical trials, product development using nanotechnology, policy balancing economic and public health interests, and applying AI and pharmacogenomics to support precision medicine.
DTAM plans to coordinate the work with the Department of Medical Sciences, the FDA and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, alongside universities nationwide, to reduce duplicated research and streamline funding.
“The goal is to push Thai kratom as a new economic crop that can generate income for the country while ensuring sustainable social safety,” Thewan underlines.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
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