Four years after Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis, its booming market is at a crossroads. Initial high hopes for a tourism surge and a billion-dollar industry have been replaced by an oversupply of shops and a fierce public backlash.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Patpicha Tanakasempipat about what went wrong and whether the industry can weather a political firestorm.

Read more: Weed Backlash Grows in Thailand as Kids Turn to Cannabis

Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang, Naomi Ng; Reported by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Edited by Paddy Hirsch, Julia Weaver

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa

Senior Producer Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer Julia Weaver; Executive Producer Nicole Beemsterboer

Four years after Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis, its booming market is at a crossroads. Initial high hopes for a tourism surge and a billion-dollar industry have been replaced by an oversupply of shops and a fierce public backlash.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg&rsquo;s Patpicha Tanakasempipat about what went wrong and whether the industry can weather a political firestorm.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-21/thai-election-thailand-grapples-with-cannabis-law-after-recreational-use-boom?srnd=undefined">Weed Backlash Grows in Thailand as Kids Turn to Cannabis </a>Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang, Naomi Ng; Reported by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Edited by Paddy Hirsch, Julia Weaver
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa
Senior Producer Naomi Shavin;&nbsp;Deputy Executive Producer Julia Weaver;&nbsp;Executive Producer&nbsp;Nicole Beemsterboer

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

Big Take Asia

Behind Thailand’s Push to Recriminalize Cannabis

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e123e960-dde9-40b6-9f42-b3e6015c7d85/transcript

From celebrity wedding details to the timing of military strikes, prediction markets have opened the door to gambling on almost anything. They’ve also created a new class of insider trader that platforms and US regulators are racing to stop.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Denitsa Tsekova and Leonardo Nicoletti join host Sarah Holder to break down a $200 million surge in unusual bets on Polymarket — and explore what it will take for regulators to rein them in.

Read more: Prediction Markets Are Minting a New Type of Insider Trader

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky and Victor Swezey; Reported by Denitsa Tsekova and Leonardo Nicoletti; Edited by Aaron Edwards and Julia Weaver.

Fact-checking by Victor Swezey, Laura Newcombe and David Fox; Engineering by Emma Munger.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

From celebrity wedding details to the timing of military strikes, prediction markets have opened the door to gambling on almost anything. They&rsquo;ve also created a new class of insider trader that platforms and US regulators are racing to stop.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg&rsquo;s Denitsa Tsekova and Leonardo Nicoletti join host Sarah Holder to break down a $200 million surge in unusual bets on Polymarket &mdash; and explore what it will take for regulators to rein them in.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-polymarket-traders-who-knew-the-future/?srnd=homepage-americas">Prediction Markets Are Minting a New Type of Insider Trader</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky and Victor Swezey; Reported by Denitsa Tsekova and Leonardo Nicoletti; Edited by Aaron Edwards and Julia Weaver.
Fact-checking by Victor Swezey, Laura Newcombe and David Fox; Engineering by Emma Munger.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Polymarket and Kalshi Grapple With A New Class of Insider Trader

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ca3b624b-a9fa-4861-83e9-b48d01577951/transcript

Tucker Carlson was one of Donald Trump’s most prominent allies when he campaigned for re-election and through his first year back in the White House. 

The US-Israel war with Iran, however, marked a decisive split between the two men. Carlson, a right-wing media personality, now argues that Trump has abandoned his “America First” agenda and allowed Israel to drive US foreign policy.

In this conversation, Carlson tells Mishal Husain about how he advised against starting the war with Iran. He also talks about his faith in Vice President JD Vance and his belief that feminism has exploited women in the workplace.

Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net

 

Tucker Carlson was one of Donald Trump&rsquo;s most prominent allies when he campaigned for re-election and through his first year back in the White House. The US-Israel war with Iran, however, marked a decisive split between the two men. Carlson, a right-wing media personality, now argues that Trump has abandoned his &ldquo;America First&rdquo; agenda and allowed Israel to drive US foreign policy. In this conversation, Carlson tells Mishal Husain about how he advised against starting the war with Iran. He also talks about his faith in Vice President JD Vance and his belief that feminism has exploited women in the workplace.
Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net
&nbsp;

Weekend Listen: Tucker Carlson on How Trump Failed America

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a9a9c6db-180b-4a8e-a821-b48b01337b75/transcript

There’s a historic mismatch between fun-supply and fun-demand in the US this summer. 

Americans are clamoring for places to relax and socialize. But the purveyors and conduits of fun — like airlines, theme parks, resorts, concert venues, camps and more — are all grappling with the same inflationary pressures as the rest of us — making fun more expensive and harder to access. 

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg's Ben Steverman about why a fun shortage is a serious problem for society — and what can be done about it. 

Read more: The Fun Shortage Is Real, and It’s Making America Miserable

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laura Newcombe; Reported by Ben Steverman; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Sean Carter.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

There&rsquo;s a historic mismatch between fun-supply and fun-demand in the US this summer. 
Americans are clamoring for places to relax and socialize. But the purveyors and conduits of fun &mdash; like airlines, theme parks, resorts, concert venues, camps and more &mdash; are all grappling with the same inflationary pressures as the rest of us &mdash; making fun more expensive and harder to access.&nbsp;
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg's Ben Steverman about why a fun shortage is a serious problem for society &mdash; and what can be done about it.&nbsp;
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-07-02/why-hotels-theme-parks-and-summer-camps-are-harder-to-access?srnd=undefined">The Fun Shortage Is Real, and It&rsquo;s Making America Miserable</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laura Newcombe; Reported by Ben Steverman; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Sean Carter.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Great American Fun Shortage

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/02ad1a5b-1108-4564-98ae-b48a014e3ab9/transcript

Behind Thailand’s Push to Recriminalize Cannabis

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