Thailand Launches 'Seal Stop Safe' Anti-Drug Campaign

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: AMARIN TV

 

On Thursday, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra spearheaded the launch of the "Seal Stop Safe" anti-drug initiative. The campaign aims to curb drug trafficking across 51 border districts in 14 provinces, with the government setting a six-month target to see tangible results.

 

At the heart of the program is the prevention and suppression of drugs, a priority outlined by Ms Paetongtarn during the event at Government House's Santi Maitri building. She emphasised that the eradication of drugs is crucial for unlocking the true potential of the Thai populace.

 

Commencing next month, the campaign will persist until the end of July, honing in on high-risk districts identified by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

 

Altogether, 76 police stations within these zones will participate, with military units and officials collaborating to staunch the flow of illegal substances into Thailand. Ms Paetongtarn assured that those displaying exceptional dedication to this mission would receive enhanced welfare benefits.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai highlighted the challenge at hand. Thailand's many natural entry points for traffickers necessitate a reinforced prevention strategy as border officials can't manage them all effectively. Should the situation fail to improve in the stipulated time, he indicated that more stringent measures would be implemented.

Picture courtesy: AMARIN TV

 

Recent reports underscore the urgency. Thailand has seen a marked uptick in drug inflows, particularly from neighbouring Myanmar, where organised crime groups have partnered with militias and rebels to establish vast "super labs" in Shan and Kachin states.

 

In the initial eight months of 2024 alone, authorities in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son confiscated 346 million methamphetamine pills—a staggering 172% increase over all of 2023's seizures.

 

Additionally, crystal methamphetamine seizures rose by 39% in the same areas, totalling 6.48 tonnes, while heroin seizures reached 327 kilograms, nearly seven times the previous year's tally.

 

Despite these efforts, methamphetamine prices on Thai streets have decreased, hinting at the substantial quantities still eluding law enforcement. As of 2024, a methamphetamine tablet costs about 25 to 30 baht, a steep drop from 200 baht a decade ago.

 

According to National Police Chief Kittharath Punpetch, drug trafficking patterns remain unchanged, with narcotics crossing borders into Thailand before being distributed throughout the country. He pledged that police would coordinate closely with military forces, boosting checkpoint numbers in identified problem zones to intensify checks and control efforts, reported Amarin TV and Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-01-31

 

 

[DPKANKAN]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Ms Paetongtarn assured that those displaying exceptional dedication to this mission would receive enhanced welfare benefits.

You mean for actually doing there jobs????

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra spearheaded the launch of the "Seal Stop Safe" anti-drug initiative. The campaign aims to curb drug trafficking across 51 border districts in 14 provinces, with the government setting a six-month target to see tangible results.

She might be stepping on some influential toes..

[bamnutsak]

It looks like Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai needed some help getting his pole in the hole.

 

"Seal Stop Safe"? Seriously? Infantile at best.

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has seen a marked uptick in drug inflows

 

And precursor outflows from Thailand.