Report American Tourist Held in Phuket for ADHD Drug Possession

[webfact]

Photo courtesy of Kamala police station via Bangkok Post

A holiday in paradise took a wrong turn for a 27-year-old American tourist in sunny Phuket, Thailand, as he was nabbed by local authorities for carrying five pills of a controlled substance.

 

On Sunday, Kamala police stopped him while he was riding a motorcycle with no licence plate in the Kathu district. Upon inspection, the officers discovered methyphenidate pills hidden in the man's shoulder bag.

 

This medical drug, commonly used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is closely regulated under Thai law.

 

It falls into the Category 2 list of psychotropic substances, meaning production, use, import, and export are intensely monitored and require specific authorisation by the Ministry of Public Health. The tourist, without any such permission, was promptly charged with illegal possession of a psychotropic substance.

 

Methyphenidate is often prescribed to manage ADHD; however, the abuse potential is alarmingly high, according to Thailand's Food and Drug Administration's Narcotics Control Division.

 

This classification reflects an international effort to monitor and control its distribution strictly. In Thailand, its control is especially tight, pointing to zero tolerance for non-compliance.

 

The arrest underscores the importance of understanding local laws, especially for substances controlled globally but regulated differently at the national level. The ongoing investigation will determine any further legal implications for the traveller.

 

As this case highlights, tourists must weigh local regulations heavily when travelling, especially regarding medications. Violating such laws, knowingly or unknowingly, can result in severe consequences, ranging from fines to imprisonment.

 

Meanwhile, Phuket continues to welcome global visitors, reminding everyone to tread carefully when it comes to prescription drugs.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-05-06

 

 

[ozz1]

This will not help their tourists numbers if this goes viral anyone coming here make sure you have a prescription maybe he's on this medication it's not 5kg of cocaine and he probably didn't want to pay the cops off who knows

[topt]

4 hours ago, ozz1 said:

This will not help their tourists numbers if this goes viral anyone coming here make sure you have a prescription maybe he's on this medication it's not 5kg of cocaine and he probably didn't want to pay the cops off who knows

yet -

6 hours ago, webfact said:

On Sunday, Kamala police stopped him while he was riding a motorcycle with no licence plate

I guess there may have been a perfectly explainable reason for this, however.........

[Gottfrid]

It´s nothing to see here. To consume such things a person must have ADHD or worse condition.