Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has pledged to step up the government's crackdown on drugs following complaints about the reemergence prevalence of drugs in several Bangkok districts.

Mr Thaksin, who returned to work this week after a one-month leave, spoke with a group of around 100 Bangkok residents from Don Muang District who appeared at Government House Friday morning to ask for more action against drugs.

Mr Thaksin said drug problems still exist and an urgent and continued crackdown on their abuse is needed.

[continues 117 words]

PATONG: Kathu Police yesterday raided the home of a Finnish man, finding the man naked and engaged in a solo sex party replete with pornographic videos and a variety of implements. They also found the drugs they were looking for.

Pol Cpl Somsak Nguanson, a police PR officer who serves as a translator for the Kathu Police, told the Gazette today that the team arrived at the man's 7-million-baht home at Tri Trang Beach, at the southern end of Patong Bay, at about 4 pm.

[continues 215 words]

In Rural Thailand, AIDS and Addiction Are Treated With Chains, Herbs, Prayer and Talk

Pattani, Thailand - For many who live in Baltimore, the city seems like ground zero in the global war on drugs, with a multitude of victims and their families paying a bitter price in lost lives and shattered dreams.

But users here are not alone. In Europe, Africa and Asia, millions of addicts and their families face similar struggles with the drug plague, many with far fewer resources than are available here.

[continues 549 words]

Winai Sompong, former Palang Dharma Party leader, said if Thaksin Shinawatra became prime minister again after the next election, he would find it difficult to travel to many parts of the country.

Winai told a rally at the Makkawan Intersection that Thaksin was not welcomed by many people in several provinces, such as southern provinces and Suphan Buri so he would face opposition wherever he traveled to.

Speaking to the protesters at about 3:25 pm:, Winai said the Thaksin administration was involved in corruption with the biggest magnitude in Thailand's history.

Winai also alleged Thaksin ordered summery killings over 2,000 people during the first three months of war on drug when his government took office five years ago.

[end]

Junk food, drugs and pornography are having a spiralling impact on the nation's youth, claims an economic think-tank.

More than 49 per cent of young people over the age of six have a taste for synthetic snacks, and last year about 42 per cent of six-to 14-year-olds munched their way through junk food every day.

Malnutrition, obesity, tooth decay and other health woes have occurred because of excessive consumption of seasonings, artificial colours and preservatives, said Ampon Kittiampon, secretary general of the National Economic and Social Development Board.

[continues 283 words]

Sight of addicts, mental patients chained to walls of rehab centre accepted by locals

The sight of men chained to trees and walls at a ponoh school in Mayo district may shock strangers, but not local people.

These men have been diagnosed as mentally deranged from prolonged drug abuse, or are HIV-Aids positive.

A charity rehabilitation centre set up at the school provides herbal treatments which are accepted by local people even though they have not been approved by the Public Health Ministry.

[continues 430 words]

In early December 2005 Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Region 7 arranged a training project to enhance efficiency of narcotics officers who station at check-points to stop drugs and illegal objects. Khun Sittichai Chaiprayong, Director of Law Enforcement Office, reported in the meeting that the training will focus on working efficiency of narcotics officers to be on alert and more effective since there are many people who smuggle illicit drugs and illegal objects into the Kingdom of Thailand nowadays.

[continues 110 words]

A bicycle rally to publicize the fight against drugs was staged at Sattahip on December 5, organized by Pairoj Malakul na Ayuthaya, director of the Sattahip District Administration Organization, and Tahveesak Nimanong, president of the Sattahip Bicycle Club and head of Sattahip Public Health Department, in honor of His Majesty the King's birthday.

Cyclists of all ages and both sexes were ready at the start.

Santsak Ngamphiches, advisor to the foreign affairs committee in parliament, presided over the opening ceremony held at Nong Takian Public Park.

[continues 104 words]

A drug dealer was shot dead and a police officer wounded when narcotics control officers pursued two ya ba dealers from Mae Ai into the city area.

The incident happened on the night of December 11, at Baan San Pa Khoi Nue, in Muang, Chiang Mai. Pol Lt Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayuthaya, commissioner of the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5 and Pol Maj Gen Jiruj Promobol, Chiang Mai Provincial Police commander, rushed to the scene with a squadron of officers and the duty doctor of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.

[continues 173 words]

A joint seminar on drugs control measures between Thailand and Burma was hosted by Pol Lt Gen Kritsana Pol-anan, secretary general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Brig Gen Saw Win, chief of police and of the central committee of the Burmese narcotics control board, and Pithaya Jinawat, director of ONCB Northern Region, in Chiang Mai on December 9.

The seminar examined progress on the planting of cash crops to replace the growing of opium. At Baan Yong Kha in Burma the Thai authorities have helped villagers find markets for their alternative crops, and progress is good. The area previously used for opium growing has decreased from almost one million rai to 200,000 rai. Cooperation from villagers has been very positive, the seminar heard, and the Burmese authorities are able to name specific areas as being completely free of narcotic plants.

[continues 57 words]

An international seminar towards narcotic cooperation between ASEAN and China was held in at the Imperial Chiang Mai Resort in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai. Kamol Taiyapirom working on behalf of ONCB Northern Region revealed that the ONCB and narcotic suppression organization of Burmese jointly held the event.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritsana Pol-anan, secretary general of ONCB presided over the seminar that was also joined by 60 representatives of UN and international and private sectors. The UN has tried to suppress opium planting and drug dealing at the Golden Triangle, so an association was created between ASEAN and China. The seminar also studied works in Thailand and Burma regarding alternative crops for opium in these areas.

[end]

On 7th Nov 2005, Pol. Lt. Gen. Chalong Sonjai, police commander in chief of region 7 opened Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) officer training program in Hua Hin.

The D.A.R.E program based in America and the academic considered drug addict person as a patient. Nevertheless possession of drugs is illegal.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Sophon Pisuthiwong, Prachuab Khirikhan commander in chief said this is the 2nd officer training of D.A.R.E program which held on 7-16 Nov 2005 and 36 officers from around Prachuab Khirikhan province were trained by Pol. Maj. Songchai Koapong, Pol. Capt. Niramit Kaewchid, Pol.Sen. Sgt.Maj. Banyad Chuenta, Pol. Seg. Maj. Orathai Kam-on and Pol. Sgt. Sirirat Preamjit.

[continues 60 words]

It will take more than the arrest of one drug lord to convince the world that Burma has kicked its habit Something is cooking in the Burmese sector of the Golden Triangle, but the verdict is still out on what any of it means for the future of the country's opium politics and insurgencies.

The latest development was the arrest of Ta Pan, a relative of Bao Yu-xiang, supreme leader of one of Burma's ceasefire groups, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), who was caught transporting 496 kilograms of heroin.

[continues 690 words]

PHUKET CITY: Narcotics agent Pol Sen S/Maj Manot Junjuer, accused of shooting two people at point-blank range yesterday, killing one of them and seriously injuring the other, turned himself in this morning at the Phuket City Police Station.

The dead man was named as Seksit Kulra-uk. The injured man, who is in a serious condition at Wachira Phuket Hospital, was an off-duty police sergeant, Panya Borirak, of Kathu Police Station.

Pol Lt Col Sien Kaewthong, of Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that the shootings took place at the Anajak Isan restaurant on Soi Pattanatongtin, off Sakdidet Rd, at 11:45 pm.

[continues 233 words]

They May Be Worth Millions In Illegal Drugs

Drug dealers smuggling heroin and speed pills from Myanmar were recently arrested with a haul of seven kilograms of drugs. The raw value was 2.8 million baht but sources said that this would bring 28 million baht on the street.

Maj. Gen. Pairat Thongjaktu, commissioner of Pha Muang Task Force, said that in the early morning of July 25, patrolling soldiers near the second bridge at Baan Tha Kalam saw two men carrying a large sack. On requesting a search, the two ran back to the Burmese side, abandoning their bundle.

[continues 188 words]

As Two Cambodian Sisters Hope For A Pardon, How Deep Does Thailand's Support For The Death Penalty Run?

In the visiting area of the Klong Prem women's prison, Cambodians Montha Khuon, 27, and her sister, Srey, a 35-year-old mother of four, stand behind several layers of Perspex and strain to make themselves heard. Everyone shouts here: Family and friends crowd into the booths, leaning close to scratchy speakers. When guards cut the microphones at the end of the strictly enforced, 20-minute visiting period, Montha is left mouthing words in mid-sentence, trying to explain how she and her sister came to be on death row.

[continues 1840 words]

The government's "very successful" war on methamphetamine drugs is not over yet, as police are now targeting large-scale drug dealers.

Officials stopped counting the number of deaths related to the drug trade two years ago, said a senior official at the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.

"We use the same strategy then as now. If they're killed by officers it means that were violently resisting arrest," Chartchai Suthiklom, deputy secretary-general of the ONCB, said yesterday.

Chartichai did not provide a figureon the number of people killed in the war on drugs, but said "murder cases somehow [still] occur [and] police will have to take care".

[continues 231 words]

After a long period of grace and continuing efforts by the Thaksin government to eradicate drugs from the nation the menace is now returning. The number of drugs cases during the initial suppression period, which saw many alleged drugs dealers killed during the attempts to weed out the problem at its roots, had actually dropped dramatically. For the first time the country stood as one to remove the insidious spread of drugs through society. The following second round, undertaken with the aid of communities, was to ensure the number of cases remained at bay.

[continues 384 words]

Fiasco Ensues After Minister Leaves

Justice Minister Suwat Liptapanlop toured Pattaya's nightclubs shortly after midnight last Friday evening, accompanied by senior drug suppression police and forensic officers.

Their first stop was the Star Dice in Naklua. Police blocked the doors and began testing all 400 people inside for drug use. Only one person tested positive, namely Cheng Chang Ko, 31, from Hong Kong, who tests revealed was on methamphetamines.

Another tourist from Hong Kong, in a drunken state, began to create a scene and police moved in to detain him, placing handcuffs on him. He was later released when he had quieted down.

[continues 86 words]

1,500 People Vow to Resist Drugs on National Anti Drug Day

1,500 people gathered at the Thapae Gate courtyard on June 26, the UN's anti drug day, to take a vow to resist drugs. Chiang Mai municipality joined with the Drug Combating Center in Chiang Mai to hold the campaign to encourage everyone, from all walks of life, to prevent and solve the drugs problem.

Residents from 80 communities in Chiang Mai municipality area, government organizations, education institutes, foundations, associations and citizens' power groups took part in the event.

[continues 93 words]