Public Health Ministry aims to make Thailand a ‘herbal center’

He said using herbs to make special dishes would increase the income of Thai people and communities.
The minister said the government would also promote traditional Thai massage, which was listed by Unesco as a world heritage culture in 2019, in a venture that would attract foreign tourists and generate huge revenue for the country.
The Minister added that he considers marijuana a kind of herb for medical use, so the Ministry of Public Health supports its use for medical purposes and supports its use in beauty products and research.
Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrachit, permanent secretary for public health, said the National Herbal Expo is a popular event and attracts more than 200,000 attendees each year.
He said the exhibition has helped Thai farmers sell millions of baht of their herbs to visitors to the fair, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday.
Some of the interesting stands in the Innovation Zone include the Beauty & Cosmetic Wellness Ganja stand.
There is also the Wisdom area which features well-known traditional practitioners from all four regions of Thailand as well as demonstrations of alternative medicine and massage.
Inside an academic area, visitors can take 27 free short courses on traditional Thai medicines and there are also academic meetings.
Kiattiphum said some 300 herbs are given out free of charge each day.
He is credited with using herbs to cure poisonous snakebites and several other symptoms, including hemorrhoids and menstrual pain.