Picture  courtesy of KhaoSod English Facebook

 

Thailand's acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, has unveiled a sweeping national anti-drug campaign, declaring war on narcotics and criminal networks. On his first day as Interior Minister, Phumtham pledged to combat drug syndicates and mafia-like figures, positioning the drug crisis as a critical threat to Thailand’s national security.

 

Phumtham announced plans to expand the existing Seal Stop Safe program, which currently operates in 14 provinces, to cover the entire nation. He stressed the necessity of ministry unity, famously saying, "There is only the lion of the Interior," symbolising collective action against internal divisions.

 

Highlighting the urgency, Phumtham remarked on public frustrations, emphasising that people were aware of local dealers and their connections with civil servants. He demanded immediate action from district chiefs and police commanders.

 

The anti-drug initiative will involve cooperation with the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the police, and the military, with an essential meeting slated for July 14. This unified front seeks to dismantle links between mafia entities and transnational criminal networks.

 

Additionally, financial probes are underway to trace illicit funds linked to drug activities. The Anti-Money Laundering Office is spearheading this effort, aiming to uncover and publicise those involved.

 

Phumtham envisions the Interior Ministry as the cornerstone of national security measures, extending beyond traditional military or police roles to ensure the stability and safety of the Thai people.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-07-07

 

 

Now, that's going to step on a few toes, if it ever gets off the ground. 

This guy isn't really "Acting" PM...he's doing more than that silly billionaire woman, had done in 6 months!

20 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

This guy isn't really "Acting" PM...he's doing more than that silly billionaire woman, had done in 6 months!

 

right... next he will implement taksin's shoot first ask questions later policy.

 

the idea is noble but how they will implement it is questionable

 

anything taxin is evil

1 minute ago, Pouatchee said:

 

right... next he will implement taksin's shoot first ask questions later policy.

 

 

 

hopefully that is the idea.

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

 

hopefully that is the idea.

 

                                                                                   💩

Yea right his first day in office and a new drug war...Yawn.....Like the last 5 or 10 worked so good...lol

 

The war on drugs has failed miserably for 40 years now. So, what is this former communist goon going to do differently? 

18 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The war on drugs has failed miserably for 40 years now. So, what is this former communist goon going to do differently? 

Shoot to kill would have been successful if allowed to continue longer.

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

This guy isn't really "Acting" PM...he's doing more than that silly billionaire woman, had done in 6 months!

 

Both Srettha and Paetongtarn announced drug crackdowns.

 

Srettha also staged a brief crackdown on "influential people" and predatory moneylenders.

 

 

I think there is a PM playbook with a checklist.

 

 

What is the Seal, Stop, Safe policy please?

Im sure all the dealers are trembling at the knees, They cant even run the country let alone stop the drugs, 

This is seriously going to hurt the flow of the money. Wonder what they will dig up on this guy, to make him quiet and walk in the line.

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The war on drugs has failed miserably for 40 years now. So, what is this former communist goon going to do differently? 

 

Phumtham Wechayachai  is a dyed in the wool  Thaksin drone of the highest order....So you can be sure any thing he says are pretty much Thaksins words...The word puppet works nicely...

It's openly being sold everyday every evening... in areas of nightlife... i see only cracks... no crackdown 

Some tried that before , good distraction from the rest of politics surrounding thaksin.

I think I've heard this song before.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

has unveiled a sweeping national anti-drug campaign, declaring war on narcotics and criminal networks

 

Let us hope recreational Cannabis is on the list!

Thaksin getting desperate seeing his power and influence crumbling away again. His much vaunted 'signature policy" of hand outs was a complete failure along with his land bridge, casinos and oil and gas deal with Hun Sen.  His half half travel hand out has collapsed too.  Now he wants to re-run his war against drugs that played well a quarter of a century ago.  That was all for show, as police just murdered small dealers from drug gangs in competition with the police and many complete innocents.  Drugs didn't go away because they protected all the big fish.

21 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

 

Let us hope recreational Cannabis is on the list!

 

That would be awesome.

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Shoot to kill would have been successful if allowed to continue longer.

You mean you wouldn't be here any longer?

Just now, JackGats said:

You mean you wouldn't be here any longer?

They drugs I use are prescribed by a licence doctor.

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Shoot to kill would have been successful if allowed to continue longer.

I assume you refer to Thaksin's previous pointless, pathetically sad so-called war on drugs, which resulted in hundreds, at least,

 of innocent people being shot and killed by the police. Are you serious when you suggest it should have continued longer ? 

43 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

 

Let us hope recreational Cannabis is on the list!

then everybody will simply start smoking "medical" cannabis,    There is no actual difference but it appears to be a big deal to some simple folk.

10 hours ago, Artisi said:

Now, that's going to step on a few toes, if it ever gets off the ground. 

The corrupt will be lobbying the Elite hard to get rid of this initiative.  Like they got rid of other policies & laws that affect corrupt money flows.

19 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

They drugs I use are prescribed by a licence doctor.

prescriptions are not required for alcohol   you are being scammed

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Phumtham remarked on public frustrations, emphasising that people were aware of local dealers and their connections with civil servants.

 

Well he got that bit correct.....so why has no one ever acting on this information?....rhetorical.......nothing will change.

 

 

Here we go, yet another drug crackdown.... A few arrests, a few kilos of drugs, then it all goes quiet until the next crackdown.

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The war on drugs has failed miserably for 40 years now. So, what is this former communist goon going to do differently? 

start with  ruining approx 18,000 business' that have government issued license

"nobody voted for this guy"   he is not one of the select back ups

 

 Phumtham Wechayachai was a member of the Communist Party of Thailand from 1977 to 1978. He then joined the Democrat Party from 1978 to 1997, before moving to Thai Rak Thai. Currently, he is affiliated with the Pheu Thai party. 

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, has unveiled a sweeping national anti-drug campaign, declaring war on narcotics and criminal networks. On his first day as Interior Minister, Phumtham pledged to combat drug syndicates and mafia-like figures, positioning the drug crisis as a critical threat to Thailand’s national security

He's obviously looking forward to an early retirement.