BANGKOK (ANN): Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Friday (Dec 27) to remove Kratom leaves from Thailand’s list of narcotics.

It aimed to study the impact of using marijuana and kratom leaves for other purposes, instead of as narcotics.

Witnesses at the MOU signing included representatives of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) and other relevant agencies.

Somsak has said that kratom leaves did not match the narcotics characteristics specified by World Health Organization (WHO).

“Those who use them can stop using it easily, and the leaves can be used as a herb to relieve pain, fever, dysentery, or diarrhoea. Also, it is better than morphine 13 times in killing pain.” he said. - The Nation/Asia News Network