PUBLISHED : 27 Dec 2023 at 04:52
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Tuesday launched a new initiative aimed at reducing the harm caused by illicit drugs in front of ministers, state agencies and representatives from the public sector at Bitec Exhibition Hall in Bang Na.
“The operation plan was written under the government’s emergency policy on narcotics control, as the situation remains a concern,” Mr Srettha said during his speech.
In part, he said, the crackdown was the result of the recent spate of high-profile drug-related criminal activity, including border interceptions, accusations of collusion between dealers and high-level government officials, and the recent incineration of a record 340 tonnes of seized drugs.
He also said that as the government had included drug suppression as part of its national agenda, that too would fall under the new blueprint.
The prime minister also emphasised the need to stop the entry of illegal drugs into the country via the northern border and in some provinces, such as Tak, Kanchanaburi, and Ranong.
There will also be renewed efforts to quell the use of narcotics in Bangkok and the deep South, which are often among the final destinations for drugs smuggled into the country from the North.
Mr Srettha said he was also keen to see those suffering from mental illness and other serious health problems as a result of their addiction enter into rehabilitation programmes, especially in 30 provinces with particularly high rates of drug abuse.
The plan also included items aimed at labelling drug addicts as patients, so that treatment could become a priority, especially in the hardest-hit provinces. This will be balanced against a need for law enforcement.
Mr Srettha also presented his own vision of “five-dimensional” cooperation with governors, police commanders, doctors and health coordinators, as well as provincial chiefs, all set for key roles in implementing the government’s plan from day one.
In order to ensure the success of these efforts, there would also be a new set of key performance indicators used to assess the success of domestic drug suppression over the next four years, he added.