Thailand Concerned Over Growth In Young Drug Users

[webfact]

NESDB concerned over growth in young drug users

By Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

Drug related crimes last year were the highest recorded in the past eight years, and most drug addicts were youthful, the chief of the Office of National Economic and Social Development (NESDB) revealed yesterday.

NESDB's secretary-general Arkhom Termpittayapaisith was speaking at a press conference to announce its report on social situations and outlook, focusing on Thailand in the fourth quarter of last year.

"The report found that there were 266,010 drug related arrests last year, up from the previous year by 11.6 per cent. Youth aged 2024 years old were the largest group of offenders in terms of drug taking. Addiction impact is most acute among unskilled workers and unemployed people," he said, adding that in the fourth quarter alone, there were 77,839 cases, a 7.2 per cent increase from the third quarter, and 36.8 per cent increase from the fourth quarter of 2009.

He said that unskilled workers and the unemployed were the biggest groups provided with drug rehabilitation - more than 40,000 unskilled workers and over 22,000 unemployed people.

Arkhom also expressed concern for Thai children and youth, as Thailand has a high rate of teenage mothers, young drug addicts, and slow development, low intelligence and emotional quotient (IQ and EQ) among children.

"The share of teenage mothers (aged under 20 years) was 18.6 per cent of all birth deliveries at hospitals last year, up from 17.6 per cent in 2009. The figure was higher than the average rate stated by the World Health Organisation at 10 per cent. Meanwhile, over 9,000 students underwent drug addiction treatment last year. As a result, NESDB is concerned for our students," he added.

Deputy SecretaryGeneral Suwannee Khamman said a survey found that 67 per cent of children (aged 05 years old) had normal child development in 2007. A Public Health Ministry survey from 20082009 found Thais aged 612 years had a 91.4 IQ score on average, in the 90110 IQ range, which is considered normal or average intelligence - 40 per cent were in this range, but another 25 per cent had scores lower than 90.

"An EQ survey by the Department of Mental Health among 35 yearold children found their scores had decreased from the 139202 score range in 2002, to 125198 score range in 2007.

Scores of other children aged from 611 years were down as well, from the 148222 score range to 129218 score range, in the same survey years as the younger children," she said.

Education is among the top social problems NESDB said in the report. Poor education achievement was observed at all levels, especially in core subjects, including mathematics, English and science, and in poor and remote areas.

Poor education achievement was reflected in the International Institute for Management 2010 report that ranked Thailand 47th out of 58 countries; and the Programme for International Student Assessment 2009 finding that Thai students' average scores in every testing subject were lower than international average.

"To increase Thais' personal capability, we will have to improve them from birth and in their childhood. So, the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan will focus on child development. Reproductive health, IQ and EQ improvement and life long learning will be promoted also," Suwannee said.

-- The Nation 2011-03-01

[Colabamumbai]

If the acted on skills training and job placement instead of just talking about it, drug use would not be such a problem. The blame lies with Thai society....Blame it on the youths.

[elshaheen]

Yes, I agree. though, when I was young, most of my high school mates were out smokin Pot and having a 40 oz. beer in the back alleys. You can't make a drug free society unless the youth want it.

[ginjag]

Yes, I agree. though, when I was young, most of my high school mates were out smokin Pot and having a 40 oz. beer in the back alleys. You can't make a drug free society unless the youth want it.

Another thread that invites comments for Thai bashing-----O.K. get the Top people who are receiving big money--and turning a blind eye in some quarters. The last 2 posters are telling the authorities what they think. but whats it got to do with us ??? we only get shouted down cause we live here. I am starting to get fed up to the teeth when we are encouraged to reply to the Thai failings--and as I say The rank pro Thai posters, ask why we are here---amazing again

[geriatrickid]

If they want to nake it harder to access drugs, then have a word with the police and military that supposedly keep the borders secure.

[SouthernMan3]

If they want to nake it harder to access drugs, then have a word with the police and military that supposedly keep the borders secure.

This is so true.

Much of the ya bah (appropriate name) is coming from outside the country (or so I have been led to believe).

[Pops]

Blame it on this, blame it on that, it is so easy to judge from the side-line.

Thailand is a country under development.

Instead of judging Thailand, we westerners should come with some decent advice and otherwise shut up.

The same changes in society we have undergone in the west during the last 50 to 100 years, Thailand is undergoing in a much more rapid tempo.

This brings along a heap of problems amongst others drug abuse amongst young people.

We should help Thailand with the experience we have build up over these last 50 to 100 years.

First of all look at why young people are attracted to drugs, do not stick our heads in the sand.

Is it an escape from reality, is it a mean to keep up with certain pressures, is it socially cool, whatever the reasons may be, look into that.

That is also where the sollution lies, not just in cracking down and heavy penalties.

If you wanna se a good example that that does not work look at the USA.

[bangkockney]

The article needs more hyphens; I didn't know Thai children lived to 611 years old.

No country will be able to have watertight boarders when it comes to drugs. The UK is an island yet drugs are still prevalent.

[samjaidee]

"Thailand Concerned Over Growth In Young Drug Users"

I thought it was about concerns that drugs slowed of stunted the growth of young people.

[anterian]

They don't use yaba in my village, it is too expensive, they use kratom instead.

[DP25]

in the 90-110 IQ range, which is considered normal or average intelligence - 40 per cent were in this range, but another 25 per cent had scores lower than 90.

So 35% were over 110? I'd bet many of the under 90s are scoring so low because they're not able to even read well enough to comprehend the questions asked on the test

[Oberkommando]

More proof that crime is spiralling out of control under this government.

[transam]

More proof that crime is spiralling out of control under this government.

Rubbish, daft post.

Do you know who ALSO make money from dust and don't want to lose their income. ?

[Oberkommando]

More proof that crime is spiralling out of control under this government.

Rubbish, daft post.

Do you know who ALSO make money from dust and don't want to lose their income. ?

Can you post your response in English instead of gibberish so I can respond properly?

Thanks in advance.

[Colabamumbai]

Blame it on this, blame it on that, it is so easy to judge from the side-line.

Thailand is a country under development.

Instead of judging Thailand, we westerners should come with some decent advice and otherwise shut up.

The same changes in society we have undergone in the west during the last 50 to 100 years, Thailand is undergoing in a much more rapid tempo.

This brings along a heap of problems amongst others drug abuse amongst young people.

We should help Thailand with the experience we have build up over these last 50 to 100 years.

First of all look at why young people are attracted to drugs, do not stick our heads in the sand.

Is it an escape from reality, is it a mean to keep up with certain pressures, is it socially cool, whatever the reasons may be, look into that.

That is also where the sollution lies, not just in cracking down and heavy penalties.

If you wanna se a good example that that does not work look at the USA.

Drug abuse is not new in Thailand, 30 years ago it was heroin and opium. Marijuana will always be smoked by people in society every where....Buddah or God put it on this land....Good substance used in cooking. Booze was not put on this land naturally for people to enjoy it is man made solely for profit.....I put my trust in Buddah before Leo or Johnny Walker...

[mca]

When Thai youth see the way their supposed role models and " Puu Yai " act in most areas ( somewhat akin to a troupe of circus clowns meeting the Keystone Cops, Robert Rubin and Idi Amin for a night out ) then drugs really are the only answer.

[transam]

More proof that crime is spiralling out of control under this government.

Rubbish, daft post.

Do you know who ALSO make money from dust and don't want to lose their income. ?

Can you post your response in English instead of gibberish so I can respond properly?

Thanks in advance.

Sorry if you can't read between the lines without me writing what cannot be put into words here. Try again, l live where l know how things work regarding big incomes for ''some ''.Nothing to do with government.

[rayw]

If you can just stand back and look at the problem objectively then the answer seems obvious. Stop making drug possession for personal use a crime for all over a set legal age. Prohibition of popular drugs like Alcohol, Tobacco, Pot, Ecstacy etc never works and never has, it only promotes mafia gang type crime and corruption. All countries should legalising possession of all drugs or at least those that are no more harmful than say Alcohol (that includes Pot and Ecstacy from all unbiased reports I have ever seen) with a sensible limit of how much anyone can have in their personal possession to ensure they are not illegal dealers. Make such currently illegal "soft" and fairly safe drugs legally available to those defined as adults, just the same way as alcohol and tobacco, from licensed retailers and impose a fairly high tax on them too. This will also raise more revenue and give the police more available time to fight the illegal drug dealers particularly those trading in the deadly highly addictive hard drugs like Heroin. To me this seems the obvious and only sensible answer, whether you are an illegal drug taker or not. Otherwise the problems will just continue at the current high level and corruption and crime will be rife. Time we demanded Governments to stop trying being Nanny all us adult folk.

[Colabamumbai]

If they want to nake it harder to access drugs, then have a word with the police and military that supposedly keep the borders secure.

The police are the biggest drug dealers in Thailand. Four have just been sentenced to death in a sting operation they were caught selling ya.....Both the police and the military (certain individuals) assist in the importation and manufacture of drugs in Thailand, because as a rule they are above prosecution. I speak from personal experience over 35 years in and out of Thailand. They used to let you walk out of Don Muang with suitcases full of ......I will leave it to your imagination.

[Colabamumbai]

If you can just stand back and look at the problem objectively then the answer seems obvious. Stop making drug possession for personal use a crime for all over a set legal age. Prohibition of popular drugs like Alcohol, Tobacco, Pot, Ecstacy etc never works and never has, it only promotes mafia gang type crime and corruption. All countries should legalising possession of all drugs or at least those that are no more harmful than say Alcohol (that includes Pot and Ecstacy from all unbiased reports I have ever seen) with a sensible limit of how much anyone can have in their personal possession to ensure they are not illegal dealers. Make such currently illegal "soft" and fairly safe drugs legally available to those defined as adults, just the same way as alcohol and tobacco, from licensed retailers and impose a fairly high tax on them too. This will also raise more revenue and give the police more available time to fight the illegal drug dealers particularly those trading in the deadly highly addictive hard drugs like Heroin. To me this seems the obvious and only sensible answer, whether you are an illegal drug taker or not. Otherwise the problems will just continue at the current high level and corruption and crime will be rife. Time we demanded Governments to stop trying being Nanny all us adult folk.

Right on excellent post and marijuana has proven beneficial in medical use. In Canada all you require is 2 doctors signatures saying that the drug will help your particular problem and you are licensed to smoke and posses a limited amount for personal use....Canada has just decriminalized small amounts.....No criminal record if found in possession. Mexico last year legalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, 20 or 30 grams and 300 milligrams of cocaine and 200 milligrams of heroin....I think the first country in the world to legalize possession of cocaine and heroin... I just spent the last 6 years in Mexico, this is not hearsay.

[sirchai]

Blame it on this, blame it on that, it is so easy to judge from the side-line.

Thailand is a country under development.

Instead of judging Thailand, we westerners should come with some decent advice and otherwise shut up.

The same changes in society we have undergone in the west during the last 50 to 100 years, Thailand is undergoing in a much more rapid tempo.

This brings along a heap of problems amongst others drug abuse amongst young people.

We should help Thailand with the experience we have build up over these last 50 to 100 years.

First of all look at why young people are attracted to drugs, do not stick our heads in the sand.

Is it an escape from reality, is it a mean to keep up with certain pressures, is it socially cool, whatever the reasons may be, look into that.

That is also where the sollution lies, not just in cracking down and heavy penalties.

If you wanna se a good example that that does not work look at the USA.

Like Washington DC with all the crackheads? So, where's your advice? As far as I know drugs were and always will be a problem. Sad is that they changed from Poppys to Yaba.

I've never heard that Poppy's products destroyed so many brains like Jaba does. Time for Coca Cola to put some energy back into their drinks man...:jap:

[sirchai]

If the acted on skills training and job placement instead of just talking about it, drug use would not be such a problem. The blame lies with Thai society....Blame it on the youths.

Blame the highest corrupt pricks for being best examples for the other pricks. Guess drug users are trying to see something else than the weird truth,

until they completely lost their way and why they started doing it. Please the addicted are the ones who need help.............

But the system is to blame, there's no help. How could people be affective, when the majority of educators aren't educated to understand what they're doing? Just look at the schools, they beet the shit out of them until they reach high school.

Do the most of the so called educators really know much about drugs and would they call the cops? No. They don't wanna lose face or sitting there writing a stupid report.

Looks like the whole Nation's a kind of burned out. Make a Tamboon, take some magic mushrooms and you'll see the truth.....:jap:

[Kilgore Trout]

They don't use yaba in my village, it is too expensive, they use kratom instead.

Err, I don't think its quite the same. One is methamphetamine, the other is qat, the leaf chewed by 99% of all yemenis (yeminites?)

[hardy1943]

Yes, I agree. though, when I was young, most of my high school mates were out smokin Pot and having a 40 oz. beer in the back alleys. You can't make a drug free society unless the youth want it.

Another thread that invites comments for Thai bashing-----O.K. get the Top people who are receiving big money--and turning a blind eye in some quarters. The last 2 posters are telling the authorities what they think. but whats it got to do with us ??? we only get shouted down cause we live here. I am starting to get fed up to the teeth when we are encouraged to reply to the Thai failings--and as I say The rank pro Thai posters, ask why we are here---amazing again

Make a trip to a doctor and he or she will not charge you until you walk out with a some medication. Pill pushing at its best. The training needs to come from the top and the medical profession

and both have to get reeducated first.Then there is a real lack of medical doctors all around and especially dealing with drug abuse. I been suffering from anxiety disorder all my life and can not get my Bus Par or Generic

any more here and was told it was not popular enough, take Xanax instead. Well my doctor from America is of Thai origin born in Bangkok but educated in the USA and her field is Psychiatry

and happened to visit with us here could not believe it but also told me that is a real shortage of trained doctors here and she come with other foreign trained Thai doctors 2 times a years for 2-3 week

and they do volunteer work here mainly in the hill tribes to perform surgery here mainly to correct birth defects on children. I find it honorable that the foreign trained Thai doctors perform such a service

without being reimbursed and pay for their own air fare even to get here.

Edited March 1, 2011 by hardy1943

[anterian]

They don't use yaba in my village, it is too expensive, they use kratom instead.

Err, I don't think its quite the same. One is methamphetamine, the other is qat, the leaf chewed by 99% of all yemenis (yeminites?)

No it is not Ethiopian quat, kratom is an energiser like Red bull or M150 but cheaper.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kratom

You can recognise a regular user by their heavily pigmented face, relative to other parts of the body.

[Credo]

I was pretty sure that the government reported some months back that the low IQ tests were because of a lack of Iodine. I thought Iodized salt was going to take care of all the problems.

The article is all over the place and I can't quite figure out what it's about. Is it low IQ's, low EQ's, drug use? Young mothers?

If there's an association to be made, the article doesn't do it very well.

[Symon]

If you can just stand back and look at the problem objectively then the answer seems obvious. Stop making drug possession for personal use a crime for all over a set legal age. Prohibition of popular drugs like Alcohol, Tobacco, Pot, Ecstacy etc never works and never has, it only promotes mafia gang type crime and corruption. All countries should legalising possession of all drugs or at least those that are no more harmful than say Alcohol (that includes Pot and Ecstacy from all unbiased reports I have ever seen) with a sensible limit of how much anyone can have in their personal possession to ensure they are not illegal dealers. Make such currently illegal "soft" and fairly safe drugs legally available to those defined as adults, just the same way as alcohol and tobacco, from licensed retailers and impose a fairly high tax on them too. This will also raise more revenue and give the police more available time to fight the illegal drug dealers particularly those trading in the deadly highly addictive hard drugs like Heroin. To me this seems the obvious and only sensible answer, whether you are an illegal drug taker or not. Otherwise the problems will just continue at the current high level and corruption and crime will be rife. Time we demanded Governments to stop trying being Nanny all us adult folk.

Right on excellent post and marijuana has proven beneficial in medical use. In Canada all you require is 2 doctors signatures saying that the drug will help your particular problem and you are licensed to smoke and posses a limited amount for personal use....Canada has just decriminalized small amounts.....No criminal record if found in possession. Mexico last year legalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, 20 or 30 grams and 300 milligrams of cocaine and 200 milligrams of heroin....I think the first country in the world to legalize possession of cocaine and heroin... I just spent the last 6 years in Mexico, this is not hearsay.

Dont realy have anything to add the previews posters put it very well..

Colabamumbai: A few european countrys took this path years ago, for example Portugal did it 10years ago..

Edited March 1, 2011 by Symon

[bangon04]

I was pretty sure that the government reported some months back that the low IQ tests were because of a lack of Iodine. I thought Iodized salt was going to take care of all the problems.

The article is all over the place and I can't quite figure out what it's about. Is it low IQ's, low EQ's, drug use? Young mothers?

If there's an association to be made, the article doesn't do it very well.

The photo above the article doesn't help much to clarify the point. Why is there a random photo of a policeman waving guns around? One of the few (youth) problems not really mentioned in the article is gun crime..... Can they really not find any photos of ya oung man sitting behind a pile of drugs on a table , with someone dramatically pointing a finger at him?

[sirchai]

They don't use yaba in my village, it is too expensive, they use kratom instead.

Guess you're not long enough in 'your' village. They do use Yaba in almost all villages......:jap:

[sirchai]

If you can just stand back and look at the problem objectively then the answer seems obvious. Stop making drug possession for personal use a crime for all over a set legal age. Prohibition of popular drugs like Alcohol, Tobacco, Pot, Ecstacy etc never works and never has, it only promotes mafia gang type crime and corruption. All countries should legalising possession of all drugs or at least those that are no more harmful than say Alcohol (that includes Pot and Ecstacy from all unbiased reports I have ever seen) with a sensible limit of how much anyone can have in their personal possession to ensure they are not illegal dealers. Make such currently illegal "soft" and fairly safe drugs legally available to those defined as adults, just the same way as alcohol and tobacco, from licensed retailers and impose a fairly high tax on them too. This will also raise more revenue and give the police more available time to fight the illegal drug dealers particularly those trading in the deadly highly addictive hard drugs like Heroin. To me this seems the obvious and only sensible answer, whether you are an illegal drug taker or not. Otherwise the problems will just continue at the current high level and corruption and crime will be rife. Time we demanded Governments to stop trying being Nanny all us adult folk.

Right on excellent post and marijuana has proven beneficial in medical use. In Canada all you require is 2 doctors signatures saying that the drug will help your particular problem and you are licensed to smoke and posses a limited amount for personal use....Canada has just decriminalized small amounts.....No criminal record if found in possession. Mexico last year legalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, 20 or 30 grams and 300 milligrams of cocaine and 200 milligrams of heroin....I think the first country in the world to legalize possession of cocaine and heroin... I just spent the last 6 years in Mexico, this is not hearsay.

Dont realy have anything to add the previews posters put it very well..

Colabamumbai: A few european countrys took this path years ago, for example Portugal did it 10years ago..

I totally agree, but.........Amsterdem ran a heroin free for Junkies policy about 25 years ago. It didn't work out, because many sold their heroin to buy cocaine.Others sold their Methadone to buy powder.

Rooms for Junkies in for example Frankfurt/Germany were created to give them clean needles and other equipment.

But the stuff sold on the streets was mostly almost so bad that many died overdosed having some clean shit.

I guess the biggest problem's that always those people are en charged of drug problems who've got no idea about drugs at all.

Like a Thai English teacher fixing your brakes at your 1,500 cc motorcycle, using an owner's manual written in English....:jap:

Edited March 2, 2011 by sirchai