The government has decided to declare war on narcotic drugs across the country with an expectation of positive result in three months.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan on Thursday called a high-level meeting of relevant agencies, including the military, the Internal Security Operations Command, Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, Foreign Ministry and the police for discussion on cooperation between all agencies ranging from information sharing to suppression operations, separation of responsibilities and strengthening of local communities to prevent drug abuses among their people.
The deputy prime minister has assigned ISOC to oversee the operations of all relevant agencies and local administration organizations and to provide support to them if needed.
On suppression aspect, troops based along the country’s porous border and border checkpoints will be tasked with intercepting drugs smuggled across the border from neighbouring countries.
ISOC, Foreign and Justice ministries have been assigned to seek cooperation from neighbouring countries to crack down on drug production facilities in those countries.
Police and narcotics officials will cooperate in sharing information and they will be responsible for the crackdown on drugs in the country.
Local administration officials from governors down to district chiefs, kamnan and village heads will join efforts in strengthening local communities to be free from drugs while the Education Ministry will instruct schools to watch out for drug abuses among their students and, if it is necessary, to ask for assistance from the police to deal with the problem.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit said the meeting also attached importance to rehabilitation of drug users to help them kick the habit or to reduce their dependence on drugs.
Regarding the drug overhaul situation this year, he disclosed that authorities managed to seize 350 million meth pills, 18.5 tonnes of Ice, 900 kgs of heroin and 32 tonnes of marjjuana from last October until September this year.
He said that drug-making chemicals still continue to be smuggled to supply production facilities along Myanmar-China and Myanmar-Thailand border and Thailand remains major transit point for the shipment drugs to overseas markets.
