‘ War On Drugs’ Not Over Yet

[george]

‘War on drugs’ not over yet

BANGKOK: -- 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”.

One indicator of the success on the war on drugs is the price of methamphetamine, which rose from Bt100 before the initiative began to Bt300 today. Production has also decreased in the Golden Triangle area and drug trafficking is conducted in smaller quantities today. Success in quelling the drug trade also means that there are 200 dealers currently on death row.

Chartchai, whose presentation coincided with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s release of its 2005 World Drug Report, said crystallised methamphetamine – called “ice” or “shabu” – is being produced in Burma, the Philippines, Malaysia and Fiji.

The UNODC report revealed that some 200 million people or 5 per cent of the world’s population aged 15-64 had used drugs at least once in the last 12 months – that is 15 million people more than last year’s estimate.

The number of cannabis users is now close to 160 million worldwide, or 4 per cent of those aged between 15-64.

Cannabis continues to be the most widely produced, trafficked and consumed drug worldwide, with the market continuing to grow.

The report found that there were 26 million amphetamine users worldwide – with Thailand showing a notable decrease in its number of users – and 8 million ecstasy takers. The report stated that cocaine and heroine continued to be the main problem drugs internationally.

--The Nation 2005-06-30

[george]

Big seizures of heroin, ‘ice’

CHIANG RAI: -- Anti-narcotics police seized more than 50 kilograms of heroin and more than 50kg of the methamphetamine known as “ice”, along with hundreds of amphetamine tablets over the past few days, Justice Minister Suwat Liptapanlop told a news conference yesterday.

Police at a checkpoint in Chiang Rai’s Mae Lao district last Friday arrested Wichit Jairuan, 31, and Jankaew Wongdao, 49, who were found carrying 37.5kg of heroin and 54kg of ice. Subsequent arrests were made between Monday and yesterday after police found Natapon sae-Jao, 29, Ekarat sae-Wang, 24, Malaysian Tanboon Poh, 53, and Wong Siew Hong, 40, in possession of 16kg of heroin and 600 grams of ice. They were charged with unlawful conspiracy to possess and supply class-A narcotics.

Police also arrested Kan “O” Meeyutem, 19, and Sarinthip Treewatana, 20, and Thawee Watthana in Bangkok for possession of 110 amphetamine tablets. Also arrested was Chat “Ek” Klamchim, 24, found in possession of 198 ya ba pills.

--The Nation 2005-06-30

[kayo]

when will they learn...

No country has yet managed to defeat the drug "enemy".

Why they think they do betta??

[mnoorsapl]

when will they learn...

No country has yet managed to defeat the drug "enemy".

Why they think they do betta??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know man, but I fully support the Govt. action on drugs dealers. Hope they zoom in again on the golden traingle and clean up the mess.

[Boatabike]

when will they learn...

No country has yet managed to defeat the drug "enemy".

Why they think they do betta??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having had a good Thai friend, who was once a fun loving kind person reduced to a paranoid scary mess from taking this yabba thing, then going to his funeral 4 years ago after he was shot dead by his own father in law, i think any amount of effort that goes towards stopping or slowing down this very horrible drug can only be a good thing. I don't agree with the shooting of small time drug dealers by the police, that should be reserved for the head of the snake not the body! This drug has killed mained so many Thai familys in the last 5 years you would not believe it. It's a horrid drug thatl takes over the young children of Thailands life and completely f**ks them up.

[thaibebop]

A drug dealer is one of the causes of social chaos and ruination of families. In short scum of the earth. Kill 'em all!

[WhiteShiva]

["...If they’re killed by officers it means that were violently resisting arrest,” Chartchai Suthiklom, deputy secretary-general of the ONCB, said yesterday.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Freudean slip? Note that it is not "If they violently resist arrest, they will be killed", but the other way around - If they are dead, they resisted arrest. Lovely logic. In other words, "scr*w forensics and the law - we (the police) do as we wish."

I guess there will (again) be a lot of old scores settled, and plenty of yaba planted on dead bodies to prove the victim "resisted arrest".

Trond

[Bilko]

A drug dealer is one of the causes of social chaos and ruination of families. In short scum of the earth. Kill 'em all!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you include sellers of Alcohol and Tobacco and Pharmacists in your sentence ?

[thaibebop]

A drug dealer is one of the causes of social chaos and ruination of families. In short scum of the earth. Kill 'em all!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you include sellers of Alcohol and Tobacco and Pharmacists in your sentence ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To the companies that make these products w/o ethics involed and target kids as well as try to work around laws so as too hide what is really in their products, yes.

Alchol can be enjoy as food if made right but the companies makling it always need to keep in mind what they are making and their level of responsiablty towards the public.

Pharmacists and the companies that provide for them the same thing. Here in America too many drugs are being that are hurting people yet the companies aren't being held accountable because it's big money and Washington looks away.

Edited June 30, 2005 by thaibebop

[Tyree D.]

One of the Mathayom 3 students died at my school last weekend.

He and a friend were on yabaa and went swimming. They started wrestling and one broke the other's neck and he died. The kid didn't tell anyone. The corpse was found two days later.

I approve of the hardcore war.

[chownah]

I would not presume to tell Thai people how to run their country but my personal opinion is that all drugs should be legal. Making drugs illegal only makes them more alluring to a large percentage of the population (mostly the percentage which ends up taking them) and making drugs illegal doesn't usually deter anyone from getting them. In a society where drugs are illegal, addicts will not go in for medical help in quitting because they are afraid they will be jailed. Illegal drugs are often of poor quality or contain dangerous impurities. Making drugs illegal creates more death and misery....it also finances a bunch of really nasty dealers who use guns etc. Illegal drugs are expensive so many addicts perform degrading acts to make enough money to support their habbit...if the drugs were legal they would be affordable and an addict wouldn't have to resort to robbery, burglary, prostitution, and selling drugs in order to support their habbit. Legalize all drugs and provide medical care to those who abuse them to the point that their lives are disrupted...let the others get high if they want...why not?

[TokyoT]

While I can understand some of the arguments for legalization. I still tend to side with those who want to get tough on drugs.

I...let the others get high if they want...why not?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why not? Because people on drugs can be a significant danger to those around them.

Maybe you did not read the post before yours?

“He and a friend were on yabaa and went swimming. They started wrestling and one broke the other’s neck and he died. The kid didn’t tell anyone. The corpse was found two days later”

[thaibebop]

I would not presume to tell Thai people how to run their country but my personal opinion is that all drugs should be legal.  Making drugs illegal only makes them more alluring to a large percentage of the population (mostly the percentage which ends up taking them) and making drugs illegal doesn't usually deter anyone from getting them.  In a society where drugs are illegal, addicts will not go in for medical help in quitting because they are afraid they will be jailed.  Illegal drugs are often of poor quality or contain dangerous impurities.  Making drugs illegal creates more death and misery....it also finances a bunch of really nasty dealers who use guns etc.  Illegal drugs are expensive so many addicts perform degrading acts to make enough money to support their habbit...if the drugs were legal they would be affordable and an addict wouldn't have to resort to robbery, burglary, prostitution, and selling drugs in order to support their habbit.  Legalize all drugs and provide medical care to those who abuse them to the point that their lives are disrupted...let the others get high if they want...why not?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can understand your logic but Tobacco is legal, always has been and look at what legitimate companies did to sell their products. I have known smokers to buy smokes before something their children might need. It won't matter if the drugs are affordable that means they can do more die faster, but even if cheap addicts will run out of money and need to steal more.

I agree that users shouldn't be jailed, they need help to put their lives back together, the dealers, screw 'em.

Edited June 30, 2005 by thaibebop

[kayo]

when will they learn...

No country has yet managed to defeat the drug "enemy".

Why they think they do betta??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having had a good Thai friend, who was once a fun loving kind person reduced to a paranoid scary mess from taking this yabba thing, then going to his funeral 4 years ago after he was shot dead by his own father in law, i think any amount of effort that goes towards stopping or slowing down this very horrible drug can only be a good thing. I don't agree with the shooting of small time drug dealers by the police, that should be reserved for the head of the snake not the body! This drug has killed mained so many Thai familys in the last 5 years you would not believe it. It's a horrid drug thatl takes over the young children of Thailands life and completely f**ks them up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah...

I´m not defending the drug use and even less the distribution, but how real is it that the gov´t will stop drug use by whatever methods they´ve used in the past, or indeed any new direct action methods.

My point was referring more to the fact that no country has yet managed to deal with drug problems head on. They only drive the distributors deeper underground.

I don´t have the answers, but it seems to me that Holland, althoguh a long way from "being there", are possibly closer than any other nation in that they legalized certain drugs, "tolerate" others, and for the hard drugs, which are still highly illegal, they have opened up independant and free centers where users can have the quality controlled without having to go through any legal probs.

Relatively few drug related deaths in holland.

As for people behaving in an irrational manner under the influence...

People behave irrationally under the best of influences. (said with the utmost respect to those who have perished due to drugs and other methods.)

[ozzydom]

when will they learn...

No country has yet managed to defeat the drug "enemy".

Why they think they do betta??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know man, but I fully support the Govt. action on drugs dealers. Hope they zoom in again on the golden traingle and clean up the mess.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All "smoke and mirrors"man, The drugs coming into the Kingdom are manufactured and controlled by the Generals of the Myanmar junta, the same ones that acertain person busts his a***se to do business with. If you wanna kill a snake ,cut off its head, dont tickle its tail.

[chownah]

I would not presume to tell Thai people how to run their country but my personal opinion is that all drugs should be legal.  Making drugs illegal only makes them more alluring to a large percentage of the population (mostly the percentage which ends up taking them) and making drugs illegal doesn't usually deter anyone from getting them.  In a society where drugs are illegal, addicts will not go in for medical help in quitting because they are afraid they will be jailed.  Illegal drugs are often of poor quality or contain dangerous impurities.  Making drugs illegal creates more death and misery....it also finances a bunch of really nasty dealers who use guns etc.  Illegal drugs are expensive so many addicts perform degrading acts to make enough money to support their habbit...if the drugs were legal they would be affordable and an addict wouldn't have to resort to robbery, burglary, prostitution, and selling drugs in order to support their habbit.  Legalize all drugs and provide medical care to those who abuse them to the point that their lives are disrupted...let the others get high if they want...why not?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can understand your logic but Tobacco is legal, always has been and look at what legitimate companies did to sell their products. I have known smokers to buy smokes before something their children might need. It won't matter if the drugs are affordable that means they can do more die faster, but even if cheap addicts will run out of money and need to steal more.

I agree that users shouldn't be jailed, they need help to put their lives back together, the dealers, screw 'em.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Druggies don't die from an overabundance of drugs, they die from impure drugs, or infectious needles, or drugs of unknown purity, or having to inject very quickly cause you feel like the devil just shit on your soul and the sooner you get the needle in the sooner you'll get relief. Addicts have no money when drugs are expensive and illegal because they don't have time to work...they're too busy getting their fix. If/When they have a good supply they can hold jobs pretty much like anyone else. There are literally thousands of middle class junkies in the US who hold down jobs and mostly no one they work with has a clue about this. Of course there will always be derelict junkies just because there are derelicts in every profession. One of the problems with having drugs be illegal is it pushes potentially productive citizens into a derelict life style. As far as people destroying themselves with drugs...its their life and they have the right to destroy themselves in any way they want in my opinion....lots of TV posters are destroying themselves with alcohol and tobacco...and thats alright with me...to each his own.

[thaibebop]

I would not presume to tell Thai people how to run their country but my personal opinion is that all drugs should be legal.  Making drugs illegal only makes them more alluring to a large percentage of the population (mostly the percentage which ends up taking them) and making drugs illegal doesn't usually deter anyone from getting them.  In a society where drugs are illegal, addicts will not go in for medical help in quitting because they are afraid they will be jailed.  Illegal drugs are often of poor quality or contain dangerous impurities.  Making drugs illegal creates more death and misery....it also finances a bunch of really nasty dealers who use guns etc.  Illegal drugs are expensive so many addicts perform degrading acts to make enough money to support their habbit...if the drugs were legal they would be affordable and an addict wouldn't have to resort to robbery, burglary, prostitution, and selling drugs in order to support their habbit.  Legalize all drugs and provide medical care to those who abuse them to the point that their lives are disrupted...let the others get high if they want...why not?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can understand your logic but Tobacco is legal, always has been and look at what legitimate companies did to sell their products. I have known smokers to buy smokes before something their children might need. It won't matter if the drugs are affordable that means they can do more die faster, but even if cheap addicts will run out of money and need to steal more.

I agree that users shouldn't be jailed, they need help to put their lives back together, the dealers, screw 'em.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Druggies don't die from an overabundance of drugs, they die from impure drugs, or infectious needles, or drugs of unknown purity, or having to inject very quickly cause you feel like the devil just shit on your soul and the sooner you get the needle in the sooner you'll get relief. Addicts have no money when drugs are expensive and illegal because they don't have time to work...they're too busy getting their fix. If/When they have a good supply they can hold jobs pretty much like anyone else. There are literally thousands of middle class junkies in the US who hold down jobs and mostly no one they work with has a clue about this. Of course there will always be derelict junkies just because there are derelicts in every profession. One of the problems with having drugs be illegal is it pushes potentially productive citizens into a derelict life style. As far as people destroying themselves with drugs...its their life and they have the right to destroy themselves in any way they want in my opinion....lots of TV posters are destroying themselves with alcohol and tobacco...and thats alright with me...to each his own.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Drug addicts can to die of an overabundance of drugs, it's called an overdose. A person can take too much cocaine which will result in the heart beating so fast it will sezie up, kind of like an engine overheating. Depending on the drug the addict can also die because of withdrawing from useage. You are right in so far as junkies not working because they are getting a fix, that's because they would rather get a fix than get a job. Drug addicts are not productive people, because they are doing drugs,and not being productive.

And when a person becomes a junkie they may not be just hurting themselves. They might have children or other relatives that need their help. Also, while under the influence they can hurt other people, like while driving.

Britian sold very pure opium to the chinese and people still died and familes were destroyed. The people resented this and made a move to stop the Brits, this was called the Boxer Rebellion. Drugs destroy society, "pure" and simple.

I am not sure where you learned about drug use, but having a recovering addict for a brother I feel like I might know a thing or two. Your hippie aproach to something this serious is upseting.

[kayo]

when will they learn...

No country has yet managed to defeat the drug "enemy".

Why they think they do betta??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know man, but I fully support the Govt. action on drugs dealers. Hope they zoom in again on the golden traingle and clean up the mess.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All "smoke and mirrors"man, The drugs coming into the Kingdom are manufactured and controlled by the Generals of the Myanmar junta, the same ones that acertain person busts his a***se to do business with. If you wanna kill a snake ,cut off its head, dont tickle its tail.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let`s say that is the case.. IRRELEVANT.

If it wasn`t the burmese junta, it would be others.

LOS is no different to any where else in the world, man.