Pubdate: Tue, 19 Apr 2005
Source: Nation, The (Thailand)
Copyright: 2005 Nation Multimedia Group
Contact:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1963
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ROUNDING ADDICTS UP FOR TREATMENT

Bangkok police hope to coax 900 drug addicts to get treatment every month 
as part of measures to help the government win the latest round in its war 
on drugs, the city police chief said yesterday.

Pol Lt-General Parnsiri Praphawat said it was essential to the government's 
efforts to crack down on drugs that drug addicts get treatment and turn 
over a new leaf.

Speaking after a meeting with senior city police officers and 
representatives of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the 
Narcotics Suppression Division, he each of Bangkok's nine police divisions 
were assigned to convince 100 drug addicts to seek treatment every month.

The meeting was set up to draw up new strategies to combat drug trafficking.

The government announced that the new round in its war on drugs would be 
implemented between April and June.

Parnsiri said city police officers would regularly watch out for 
trafficking at six types of places -- fuel stations, entertainment venues, 
schools, community areas, factories and high rise residences.

Pol Maj-General Viroj Jantha-rangsi, deputy city police chief, said the 
police received a budget of Bt12 million to spend in its war on drugs. The 
funds were distributed among the nine city police divisions to be used to 
gather intelligence and foot the bill for the treatment of drug addicts.
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