Thailand’s drug policy shift: Possession of 10 or fewer meth pills no longer means jail time

[webfact]

 

A significant shift in Thailand’s approach to drug possession is underway, as the Justice Ministry and the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) are supporting an initiative by the Public Health Ministry.

 

This initiative aims to reclassify individuals found with 10 or fewer methamphetamine pills as users rather than dealers.

 

Somsak Thepsutin, Deputy Prime Minister and ONCB president, addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the proposed drug possession regulation. He stressed that the 10-pill threshold was thoughtfully established in collaboration with the police, the ONCB, the Public Health Ministry, and the Department Of Provincial Administration.

 

The new regulation is set to be introduced in December and will allow those found with 10 or fewer pills to be classified as addicts and users. This reclassification will enable them to receive treatment instead of imprisonment.

However, Somsak emphasised that an individual’s history and behaviour must be examined before labelling them as a user or dealer.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo: medicalnewstoday.com

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-01

 

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[bob smith]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

The new regulation is set to be introduced in December and will allow those found with 10 or fewer pills to be classified as addicts and users. This reclassification will enable them to receive treatment instead of imprisonment.

awesome!

 

now we know exactly how many pills we can have in our pockets and not get arrested!

what day in December does this come into effect exactly? 😄 

[Goat]

6 baht a pill in my village currently.

Cheaper to get high than buy an icecream.

 

[connda]

It's about time.  I'm not pro-methamphetamine.  I've known tweekers in my life-time and meth is bad, bad news.
But throwing users into jail accomplishes nothing good.  Users need medical interventions, not prison.

[smedly]

hmmm, dealers will welcome this

[SoilSpoil]

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

hmmm, dealers will welcome this

No, they wont. Illegal substances fetch a much higher price than 'tolerated' substances. The price of kratomnand cannabis went in a freefall.

[ChipButty]

what about Viagra? and does that mean all the guys who got banged up with less than 10 pills will be released from jail? 

[Ralf001]

Great news.

[bob smith]

20 minutes ago, Goat said:

6 baht a pill in my village currently.

I know a man who cant get em for 5 baht a pill!

[ChipButty]

we all know how it works in Thailand the police will make sure they have more than 10 pills on them

[edwinchester]

One of wifeys cousins must be feeling cheesed off at this news. He was sentenced to 6 years for one pill.

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

One of wifeys cousins must be feeling cheesed off at this news. He was sentenced to 6 years for one pill.

He might get released hopefully,

[Goat]

37 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I know a man who cant get em for 5 baht a pill!

I will send you 55 baht.

Pick up 11 for me please.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, Goat said:

I will send you 55 baht.

Pick up 11 for me please.

i dont deal drugs.

[Goat]

4 minutes ago, bob smith said:

i dont deal drugs.

 

I dont want you to make a profit Bob. 

Just get me 11, i will pick them up at the coffee shop next door to the police station. Just wait there for me mate.

[bamnutsak]

Smart move, beats building more prisons.

 

 

Strange though given they made two pills or more a serious charge back in February

 

Thailand to toughen rules on methamphetamine pill possession

 

The Thai health ministry on Thursday issued a regulation to classify those found in possession of even one methamphetamine or "yaba" pill as drug dealers rather than users, meaning possession of small amounts could be subject to severe penalties including imprisonment.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-toughen-rules-methamphetamine-pill-possession-2023-02-03/

 

 

 

 

[Purdey]

A good move. Next, other drugs in small quantities.

[edwinchester]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

He might get released hopefully,

He's recently finished his six year sentence. Served every day so must have upset somebody not to get any amnesty

[impulse]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

This initiative aims to reclassify individuals found with 10 or fewer methamphetamine pills as users rather than dealers

 

Giving rise to the newest marketing scheme...  The 9 pack.

 

[quake]

Good news.

A step in the right direction for a change.

Well done Thiland.

More  of this please. 

 

[Pouatchee]

just wonder whether weed will remain legal or not. using methamphetamines is far worse than smoking weed. i hope they understand that up their in shinawat land. funny... taksin so waging an all out war on drugs. wonder whats going on?

[bob smith]

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

A good move. Next, other drugs in small quantities.

yep. coke should be a no brainer

[2baht]

30 minutes ago, bob smith said:

yep. coke should be a no brainer

 

    Coca Cola? I could never get it up my nose, the bubbles made me gag!

[n00dle]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

awesome!

 

now we know exactly how many pills we can have in our pockets and not get arrested!

what day in December does this come into effect exactly? 😄 

we always did know how many pills we could carry before it became a trafficking charge.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

No, they wont. Illegal substances fetch a much higher price than 'tolerated' substances. The price of kratomnand cannabis went in a freefall.

 

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

I know a man who cant get em for 5 baht a pill!

 

3 hours ago, Goat said:

6 baht a pill in my village currently.

Cheaper to get high than buy an icecream.

 

Already cheap...

[pedro01]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

I know a man who cant get em for 5 baht a pill!

 

Wow - makes you wonder what enters the head of anyone becoming a dealer - if there's almost no profit in it.

[4MyEgo]

3 hours ago, edwinchester said:

One of wifeys cousins must be feeling cheesed off at this news. He was sentenced to 6 years for one pill.

 

That would be unusual because from what I remember when the wife's sister got done with 6 pills, it was 2 years for each pill.

 

If she confessed, they would halve the sentence to 6 years, she confessed and got out after 3.5 years with all the good behaviour stuff, King and Queens birthdays etc.

 

I also know her new boyfriend after being released was set up by the cops for not dealing their stuff, they made sure he got 10 years, he did about 5, they don't stand a chance here because they can't afford lawyers and the cops word is game over apparently.

[edwinchester]

21 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

That would be unusual because from what I remember when the wife's sister got done with 6 pills, it was 2 years for each pill.

 

If she confessed, they would halve the sentence to 6 years, she confessed and got out after 3.5 years with all the good behaviour stuff, King and Queens birthdays etc.

 

I also know her new boyfriend after being released was set up by the cops for not dealing their stuff, they made sure he got 10 years, he did about 5, they don't stand a chance here because they can't afford lawyers and the cops word is game over apparently.

This happened about 10 years ago. At the time it was considered very harsh especially as his wife had a daughter on the way.

[KannikaP]

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

what about Viagra? and does that mean all the guys who got banged up with less than 10 pills will be released from jail? 

What class of drug is Viagra? 

[ChipButty]

19 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What class of drug is Viagra? 

Its a stiff one