The campaign to integrate herbal plants into modern medicine aims to increase their market value to between 90 and 100 billion baht by 2027. This plan was devised in response to the “Herbal Champions” initiative launched by the Ministry of Public Health, which identified 15 Thai herbs for potential expansion into the global market, according to Dr. Thongchai Lertwilairatanapong, Director-General of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTTAM). An academic study estimated that domestic sales of herbal medicinal products amounted to around 43 billion baht in 2018. The Herbal Champions list categorizes the plants into two groups: those that are ripe for further development, including turmeric, green chiretta, and black galingale; and those with development potential, such as kodavan, emblic, plai, ginger, galingale, aloe vera, kwao krua kao, bitter gourd, veldt grape, kratom, hemp, and cannabis. These plants, which feature on the National List of Essential Medicines, have…
