Asia (Page 3,160)

The Pheu Thai Party, whose flagship policy is that of the Bhumjaithai Party( BJT ), declared yesterday that it does not support cannabis liberalization.

Regardless of which event it eventually chose to work with, Pheu Thai’s core measures would have to are central to any alignment government, according to Srettha Thavisin, a candidate for prime ministerial office in Maha Sarakham.

When asked if Pheu Thai may join forces with the BJT, which has maintained its position on cannabis liberalization, Mr. Srettha responded that he supports medical cannabis but would never consent to a complete legalization of cannabis use.

Mr. Srettha responded that it was still too early to discuss the specifics if the BJT agreed to deal on Pheu Thai’s restrictions on independent cannabis.

In response to remarks made by BJT president Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday, who emphasized the party’s commitment to form an alliance with all parties, including Pheu Thai, Mr. Srettha yesterday expressed his thoughts on that position.

After the May 14 poll, Mr. Srettha added that it was too early to predict whether his occasion would agree to collaborate with the BJT to form a new government.

Mr. Anutin insisted that both sides should put the past dispute between former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Newin Chidchob, the de facto leader of the BJT, behind them.

In order to vote for Abhisit Vejjajiva to become prime minister in 2008, succeeding Somchai Wongsawat, who came from the PPP, Mr. Anutin was referring to Mr Newin leaving the People’s Power Party ( PPP ), the predecessor of Pheu Thai, and later joining the Democrat Party-led bloc.

He remarked,” I believe one of the unhappiest people in the world is an adult who really can’t move past something good that happened almost 20 years ago and never knows how to forgive.”

Mr. Srettha stated that, in his opinion, it is preferable to concentrate on winning the election decisively before moving on to think about who Pheu Thai may form an alliance with.

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The Royal Thai Navy will reallocate its budget to find a way to pay the cost of salvaging HTMS Sukhothai, after the Budget Bureau said it could only put up 70 million baht towards the 130-million-baht cost, a source in the navy said.

Navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet has asked the navy’s comptroller to review its budget to see if it could find the money to pay the difference, the source added.

HTMS Sukhothai sank in rough seas about 19 nautical miles (35 kilometres) off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan on Dec 18 last year. Out of the 105 crew aboard the ship, 76 were rescued, 24 died, while five remain missing.

The navy wants to salvage the ship to investigate the cause of the ship’s sinking. It has requested about 200 million baht to fund the operation.

However, as Thailand is gearing up for an election, the budget must be approved by the Budget Bureau and the Election Commission before the cabinet can disburse the fund.

If the agencies approve the fund, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as defence minister, will forward the proposal to the cabinet for approval.

According to the source, 12 firms have shown interest in undertaking the operation which is expected to take about 90 days to complete. The navy wants the entire ship to be raised without the vessel being disassembled.

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A pregnant person dubbed” Aem Cyanide” by bloggers over her suspected part in the deaths of over a hundred people is now facing at least 10 prices, chiefly for premeditated murder, as the police continue their investigation into the situation.

Pol Col Anek Taosuparp, deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division, monday updated the news on improvement of the inspection into criminal Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn.

Many arrest warrants have now been issued for the defendant, seven of which were for premeditated death, Pol Col Anek said. They alleged crimes span the interval from late 2020 to earlier this month.

The seven permits for premeditated execution were issued for the murders of Darinee Thepthawee, who died in Nakhon Pathom in December 2020, Surat Toraphap and Kanika Tuadecharat, who died in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi in 2021– as well as Pol Capt Kanda Torai, Maneerat Pojanat, Pusadee Samboonmee, who passed away within a quarter of each other in Nakhon Pathom next year, and Pol Maj Nipa Saenchan, who died in Nakhon Pathom on April 1.

Ms Sararat was already wanted over her suspected part in the loss of Rosjarin Nilhoi in Samut Sakhon on Aug 10, 2022, the attempted murder of Kantima Paesa – ard in Kanchanaburi, and the theft of personal benefits belonging to Siriporn Khanwong, who passed away in Ratchaburi on April 14.

Pol Col Anek said researchers are looking into casual money – lending organizations which count Ms Sararat as their resident, as many of the dead had transferred her large sums of money due to their deaths.

Investigators said Ms Sararat would really get her victim’s faith before inviting them to go on a merit – making trip with her. Now even, 14 fatalities have been linked to Ms Sararat– one girl managed to survive. There was no expression on whether she is being cooperative with authorities, though she has denied the cost to date.

Pol Col Anek said there is no evidence that Ms Sararat had partners, though a senior police officer– Ms Sararat’s father – husband– has been summoned for inquiring. He denied having any involvement in the case.

A police resource said researchers, led by Pol Col Thongchai Yuket, deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division, yesterday questioned a nurse at Taksin Hospital who was a familiar friend of Ms Sararat and supporter of the same pyramid scheme. He gave her name only as” Nok”.

The 36 – year – old believe, a native of Kanchanaburi province, was dubbed” Aem Cyanide” after police found vestiges of poison in the body of her most recent sufferer, and in the suspect’s vehicle. Ms Sararat, who is four months pregnant, was arrested at Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road in Bangkok on Tuesday.

She is presently detained at the Central Women’s Correctional Institute. Authorities have sent inspection teams across Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Phetchaburi to search for more facts pertaining to the situation.

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The Thai Drug Users’ Network (TDN) has introduced a harm reduction programme called “Mobile Methadone Therapy for Drug Users” to international audiences at the International Conference 2023 (HR23) in Melbourne, Australia.

According to John Hopkins University, harm reduction refers to “protecting the health of people who use drugs” by “providing the services and resources they need”.

Nilawan Pitakpanawong, of the TDN, said harm reduction plays a significant role in preventing drug-related deaths and offering access to healthcare, social services and treatment.

Ms Nilawan said she has been working with the TDN and the Development for Quality of Life for Lahu Association for more than a decade in Chiang Mai to help drug users stay safe.

The TDN, formed in 2002, is a group of activists working to promote harm reduction among drug users in Thailand, especially members of marginalised groups, she said. It also works internationally to reduce drug-related harms and deaths, Ms Nilawan said.

Mobile methadone therapy

Last year, the TDN launched its Mobile Methadone Therapy initiative for drug users within ethnic groups in Chiang Mai’s Fang district, and it has been well-received there, she said, adding residents, officials and police have worked closely with the group to carry out the project.

“I think that methadone therapy is important in helping ethnic groups who use heroin and opium here,” she said.

Methadone is a synthetic opioid used as a replacement to treat opioid addiction. It is used in the short term to treat withdrawals and in the long term as part of replacement therapy.

Methadone is longer acting when compared to other opioids, such as heroin, morphine and codeine, and can be administered once a day to prevent withdrawal symptoms during detoxification from other opioids.

Hospitals that provide methadone treatments must be registered with the Ministry of Public Health.

Ms Nilawan said the mobile methadone therapy service brings methadone to drug users in remote villages. Health officials visit the communities and provide locals with the service and the move is expected to boost treatments and help people who cannot travel to receive the treatment in hospitals.

Last year, 118 people received free methadone therapy from government health services, 80% of whom were from ethnic groups. Some worked on their farms while others earned money for their families. Some users reported a reduction from five to one or two injections per day due to the treatment.

“As a result, they had more money to spend on other things, their health improved and they had better family lives,” Ms Nilawan said. “Once drug users in the community began to have a better life, other drug users became motivated to receive the treatment.”

Ms Nilawan said the North of Thailand borders Myanmar and is home to several ethnic groups. People in these groups have been using opium to treat illnesses such as stomach aches and diarrhoea or as a pain killer or to ease work fatigue.

Members of the younger generation have begun to use opium due to peer pressure, while others resorted to drug use due to personal problems, she said.

She said the TDN recently conducted a survey and found that several drug users want to try methadone therapy, which requires continuous treatment, which can be challenging for users.

“The distance between the ethnic group villages in the hills and the governmental methadone services is a key factor,” she said. “Most drug users are poor, without vehicles, so regular long-distance travel is a huge obstacle.”

“[Private] transport can be costly and public transport is not readily available,” she added. “This leads to treatment discontinuations.”

Needle delivery service

The TDN is not the only organisation promoting harm reduction among drug users.

Angkhana Kantapapa, deputy director of the Ozone Foundation from Nonthaburi, a Central Plains province in Thailand, introduced a harm reduction project called the “needles and syringes service delivery” model during the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand to help ensure safety among drug users.

Ms Angkhana said her foundation developed the project after learning that many drug users struggled with travelling outside their homes to buy clean needles and syringes during the pandemic.

“We designed a solution to provide them with clean needles and syringes through our online channels, and we delivered them via the Thai postal system,” she said. “We also gave them condoms if they wanted them.”

She said the users learned about the service via online channels, including Facebook, Twitter and LINE. Those who were interested in the free service were able to contact foundation staff and request the types of products they wanted. After that, the items were delivered twice a week.

From July 1, 2020, to Aug 31, last year, there were 301 recipients and 8,060 sets of clean needles and syringes were delivered, she said.

The average number was 26.8 sets per person per month or 321.6 sets per person per year, she said.

“We are happy that we are helping these drug users stay safe,” she told Bangkok Post. “They had clean needles and syringes.”

She said her foundation facilitates sustainable, community-based delivery and the expansion of health service access for people who use and inject drugs in Thailand towards an integrated national response to HIV and other health issues.

Both representatives from the TDN and the Ozone Foundation were among dozens of Thai activists working to promote harm reduction during HR23, held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 16–19.

The conference, held under the theme of Strength in Solidarity, was attended by 1,200 delegates from 60 countries. The conference is seen as a global gathering of professionals active in the area of health and social services.

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The Karen people have been given permission to go back to Bang Kloy Bon if they so choose by an independent commission looking into a land dispute between them and the officials.

According to Suchart Setthamalinee, a member of the National Human Rights Commission( NHRC ), the committee headed by Anucha Nakasai, the prime minister, published an article on April 18 offering suggestions for the Karen villagers who had been evicted.

The committee’s initial recommendation was to grant the request of 732 Karen people to return to their ancient home, arable land located deep within the Bang Kloy Bon forest in Kaeng Krachan National Park.

Another idea was to permit 150 Karen villagers in the Kaeng Krachan city of Phetchaburi province to establish a new place in Huay Mae Priang village. Both groups may receive assistance and compensation for the effects of being kicked out of Bang Kloy Bon.

The commission also provided additional assistance for widespread crops, their preferred method of growing grain.

According to Mr. Suchart, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been given the task of assembling a working committee made up of Karen locals who want to go back to Bang Kloy Bon, along with the government itself.

The working council will also evaluate Karen villagers’ use of agricultural land.

According to Mr. Suchart,” The NHRC is pleased that the active commission surveyed, looked into, and resolved the debate for the Karen people from Bang Kloy and suggested to the PM that they should be permitted to resume the forest.”

The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department( DNP ) had repeatedly tried to drive Karen residents of Bang Kloy Bon out of their village, but the NHRC had urged Prime Minister Prayut to protect their rights.

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