BANGKOK - Thailand will work towards legislating marijuana for medical use, a deputy prime minister said Tuesday, signaling a U-turn on plans to re-criminalize the plant and another change in the government's hazy position on cannabis.

Thailand in 2022 became one of the first countries in Asia to decriminalize marijuana, doing so without a law to govern it or clear regulations in place to prevent its recreational usage.

The move, however, prompted an explosion of recreational use, cannabis cafes and retailers, and public concern about its abuse.

ALSO READ: Thailand plans new financial business law to attract funds, official says

Deputy premier Anutin Charnvirakul, whose party was instrumental in pushing for the liberalization of the plant, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had now agreed that legislation was the appropriate step to take.

"I thank the prime minister for considering this matter and deciding on issuing an act," Anutin said.

The government has maintained recreational use of cannabis was not allowed and Srettha, who belongs to another party, had said he would re-criminalize it, with an exception for medical use and research.

It was not immediately clear whether steps would be taken to crack down on recreational cannabis use, as Srettha has advocated.

ALSO READ: Laos-Thailand cross-border passenger train service starts operation

Thailand has seen rapid growth of a domestic retail sector for marijuana, with tens of thousands of shops and businesses springing in the past two years in an industry projected to be worth up to $1.2 billion by 2025.

Anutin's Bhumjaithai Party, the second biggest in the ruling coalition, has advocated for marijuana for health and economic purposes, but officially not for recreational use, and has argued against re-criminalizing it.