Yingluck Pledges To Eradicate 80% Of Drugs Within One Year

[Pi Sek]

- During Thaksin's war on drugs, less than half of the fatalities were actually drug dealers or users.

- During Thaksin's war on drugs, police chose not to pursue some suspected drug dealers but chose to execute others who were not involved in the drug industry at all.

- Following Thaksin's war on drugs, drug use and drug prices both increased. That made it an abject failure even without taking the collateral damage into account.

Therefore I would hope that any new offensive against drug use in Thailand is conducted in an entirely different way to the last one, because using the already-tried-and-failed measures will increase drug use and prices, making it more attractive to organised crime and therefore more dangerous and resourceful criminals; otherwise it would just be a way of garnering support and not an effort to decrease use and supply of drugs at all

All criminal experts in all countries (including Thailand) agree that reactive "wars on drugs" do not work and never have done. It's much more effective to improve proactive social measures to prevent drug use, but these measures will take a generation to make any meaningful effect (so are of no political benefit to those in power today). Using social measures cannot reduce drug use "by 80% within a year" - but it's better than increasing drug use, like happened last time.

I personally find it sickening to hear the extremely misinformed "gun them all down, they're all guilty" viewpoints. You are wrong - in the eyes of the (Thai) Law they are all innocent until proven guilty and death sentences are not warranted in the vast majority (practically all?) of cases. What's more, last time around, clearly innocent people were executed and clear suspects were not targeted at all. I see one poster (who, as someone else has pointed out, is most likely just trolling) has suggested that such an opinion makes me a drug dealer. I think that is a ridiculous and very stupid thing to say.

Also, I have to question exactly what impact drug use has on most people's lives anyway - it has no effect on my life whatsoever. Some people might get robbed by a drug user, but I think that such drug users would be thieves whether they were on drugs or not.

[Siam Simon]

cut///Also, I have to question exactly what impact drug use has on most people's lives anyway - it has no effect on my life whatsoever. Some people might get robbed by a drug user, but I think that such drug users would be thieves whether they were on drugs or not.

Pi Sek, I have edited your post to address your last paragraph. As much as I respect your honesty in your debates on here, I think you're plain wrong on this. Whilst there's no question that a percentage of hardcore thieves and criminals are drug addicts and continue to be criminals throughout their lives regardless, the problems of drug addicts in general are established in their connections to usage. My own anecdotal evidence is a best friend who works professionally with addicts in the UK, and my own brother's travails with this issue (please don't ask me to go into details on this).

[maidu]

I can just picture the sage leaders coming up with this policy while sitting around a table guzzling the whiskey which was used to bribe them for favors. Chalerm at the helm with his sons as deputies? Might as well put mafia chumps in charge of cleaning up the mafia. Meanwhile, hemp is still classified as an illegal drug, and rotgut moonshine is sold at every mom and pop shop in Thailand.

There is no such thing as a suspected drug dealer. The cops, and everyone else, knows who is who, and that the legal system is often not up to dealing with people of influence. Bullet in the head is the only way of making sure some people end up where they belong.

Ever thought of getting a job with Assad's goons in Syria?

[webfact]

Yingluck's drive to 'reduce drugs scourge by 80%'

By Samascha Hunsara

The Nation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday launched a comprehensive campaign against the drug scourge called the Force of the Land, aiming to reduce the problem by 80 per cent within a year by getting state agencies to work together systematically.

Yingluck said statistics showed that the country had 490,000 illegal drug users in 2007 and their population had tripled within four years. Drug abuse has spread to 60,000 of the country's 80,000 villages.

The sustained anti-narcotics drive also aims to treat or rehabilitate over 400,000 drug abusers.

The Yingluck government would adopt the six-point anti-drug agenda of her brother Thaksin's administration:

- Zoning the country to get officials to focus on their responsible areas.

- Assigning officials to have joint responsibility.

- Centralising information about traders and drug-risk groups at the district and provincial level to the country level.

- Identifying 300,000 drug abusers who can be rehabilitated.

- Setting up a mechanism for the anti-drug command centre to give orders at the regional level.

- Putting authorities in charge of each zone and holding them accountable for their work.

Other measures include strengthening local communities to prevent drug abuse, promoting the sufficiency economy philosophy and supporting the Mother of the Land Fund.

Over 400,000 drug abusers will undergo a drug rehabilitation programme at Wiwat Polamuang, a drug-rehabilitation facility run by the Army, Defence Ministry and Public Health Ministry.

To prevent more drug addiction, sports and recreation centres will be provided for 60,000 communities.

Drug traders will face tough action under the strict and fair application of the rule of law.

Neighbouring countries will be asked to help suppress drug smuggling on the borders.

Officials must not get involved in the drug trade, while their superiors and other authorities must map out preventive measures to stamp out drug smuggling.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, director of the National Anti-Drug Command Centre under the Force of the Land, said the government would seal the border at Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai, where 70 per cent of the domestic supply is smuggled in. The number of checkpoints will be tripled.

A Force of the Land centre will be established in every village. Governors will be responsible for tackling drug abuse in their provinces.

Drug convicts will be allowed to undergo rehabilitation at Wiwat Polamuang School.

Chalerm said an anti-drug crusade under his supervision would not have any "silencing" of drug dealers.

"We will use the soft approach but that doesn't mean I'm going to prostrate myself before police to ask them to arrest drug traders. We will use both suppression and seizures of assets of drug traders,'' he said.

Acting National Police chief Priewpan Damapong vowed to reduce the drug trade within four months and strictly implement anti-drug measures as issued by the government.

-- The Nation 2011-09-12

[maidu]

America's 50 year 'War on Drugs' has been a trillion dollar failure. Thailand follows the US note for note on drug laws and policies, and has also been failing in that regard. Some more civilized countries treat druggies like patients with problems, instead of criminals who should be shot on site.

Many drug users are kids who are just out to party - and will probably grow out of it in awhile, when they become more aware of the personal health ramifications. You want slam them in prison or shoot them also?

Even dealers should get a trial. The Shinawatre clan hail from China and a 'fair trial' is an alien concept to them, as is 'innocent until proven guilty.'

Among other things, this pledge is good news for drug dealing cops who can now resume their policy (from Thaksin's era) of killing competing drug dealers and getting away with it.

[mrmazinkle]

If she thinks she is going to get rid of 80% in a year I would like to know what she is smoking.

well let's just aim for one percent to be safe and sure we meet the target eh........jesus I wonder what line of business you are in.......

I think Jesus is part of the religion business...

[Buchholz]

The Yingluck government would adopt the six-point anti-drug agenda of her brother Thaksin's administration:

- Assigning officials to have joint responsibility.

[Ricardo]

I disagree with your premise that they got it "horribly wrong" last time.

How is getting it wrong at-least 50% of the time a success ? Too many innocent people were killed, without any chance to prove their innocence, setting targets for each province was too simplistic an approach.

And did they ever manage to hit any serious-dealers ???

I disagree thait it was at least 50% wrong. More like 99% right, in my opinion.

And your evidence is .... ?

I myself used to cycle over to a mate's house, for a cuppa & a chat, once or twice a week, so the rumour went round the village that I must be delivering drugs, as being the only possible explanation for such strange behaviour ! Never mind, I'm only a "starry-eyed idealist", who happens to think people should at-least have the chance to explain themselves, before they're shot out-of-hand.

Perhaps you should just kill the whole country, then you'd have got most of the dealers alright, and the rest would be fully-justified collateral-damage who could no-longer complain ! It's twisted logic, and you know it is.

[janverbeem]

Yingluck said statistics showed that the country had 490,000 illegal drug users in 2007 and their population had tripled within four years. Drug abuse has spread to 60,000 of the country's 80,000 villages.

Now that is strange,knowing that bvig bro had declared the country drug free only a short while before that date.

[Ricardo]

The premier has appointed Deputy Premier Chalerm to head the centre for the administration of anti-narcotics operations.

Chalerm has got more appointments than the clap doctor after the navy has visited. Talk about a one man show.

I agree. He doesn't have time to give interviews. He's bussier than a one legged man in an as$ kicking contest.

Prime Minister Chalerm is doing a very good job, he's carrying-out all the decisions & policies of Dear-Leader, while Poster-Girl continues to do the P.R., except for things like interviews, which are too frightening.

[iono]

America's 50 year 'War on Drugs' has been a trillion dollar failure. Thailand follows the US note for note on drug laws and policies, and has also been failing in that regard.

It is amazing isn't it, how the solution is right in our faces, however our egos or is it total corruption that prevents us from fixing the problem...America has failed in its war on drugs, sorry but it is true and the truth hurts...a few of you reading this might even work for the DEA, yeah your busting your butts, however as we've seen in the long run you are failing....Supply and Demand (yes that simple) eliminate the demand and the supply will dry up....if the U.S. had taken all of the money being wasted in the fight and put a drug clinic on every corner and stepped up the drug education programs then all the crap going on in Mexico would essentially disappear...legalize with common sense and educate...hard to believe we have even evolved this far as humans when we still approach problems like cavemen...

To all you just kill'em people, really, F off arm chair warriors, shut up and go back to your freak'n history channel...

[Buchholz]

The Yingluck government would adopt the six-point anti-drug agenda of her brother Thaksin's administration:

- Zoning the country to get officials to focus on their responsible areas.

- Assigning officials to have joint responsibility.

- Centralising information about traders and drug-risk groups at the district and provincial level to the country level.

- Identifying 300,000 drug abusers who can be rehabilitated.

- Setting up a mechanism for the anti-drug command centre to give orders at the regional level.

- Putting authorities in charge of each zone and holding them accountable for their work.

There seem to be quite a few differences with the five-point anti-drug agenda of her brother Thaksin's administration.

The Thaksin government launched on February 1, 2003, a suppression campaign that aimed to "rid every inch of the country" of drugs in 3 months. The policy consisted of:

- Targeting dealers

- Changing the punishment policy such that users would be considered patients in need of treatment

- Giving targets to each province for the number of arrests and seizures

- Awarding government officials for achieving targets

- Ruthless implementation

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

.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Buchholz

[janverbeem]

- Identifying 300,000 drug abusers who can be rehabilitated.

And I was thinking that it was all about eradicate the country of drugs..............................while it seems that they are clearly talking about one big city only.

[ricku]

lol, I knew this thread would end up filled with boatloads of whining from expats who wish Thailand to remain as a 3rd world country.

I am happy to hear about a new war on drugs, I think this is great news!.. I doubt that this is going to work, but at least it is a step in the right direction. The fight for what's right must go on. Lets hope trafficking and prostitution is next.

Edited September 12, 2011 by ricku

[JeremyBowskill]

Congratulations to Richard once more for proving that stupidity knows no limits, are you a member of the Bush family??? Do you also support giving the police AK47's and letting them spray any mom and pop store selling alcohol between the hours of 2pm-5pm?? afterall this is again an ilegal drug between these hours is it not???

[animatic]

Don't care how she gets rid if them as long as she does. Extra-judicial "no plop-plem".

It is is you or someone you love is one of this collateral damage victims....

[animatic]

The Yingluck government would adopt the six-point anti-drug agenda of her brother Thaksin's administration:

- Zoning the country to get officials to focus on their responsible areas.

- Assigning officials to have joint responsibility.

- Centralising information about traders and drug-risk groups at the district and provincial level to the country level.

- Identifying 300,000 drug abusers who can be rehabilitated.

- Setting up a mechanism for the anti-drug command centre to give orders at the regional level.

- Putting authorities in charge of each zone and holding them accountable for their work.

There seem to be quite a few differences with the five-point anti-drug agenda of her brother Thaksin's administration.

The Thaksin government launched on February 1, 2003, a suppression campaign that aimed to "rid every inch of the country" of drugs in 3 months. The policy consisted of:

- Targeting dealers

- Changing the punishment policy such that users would be considered patients in need of treatment

- Giving targets to each province for the number of arrests and seizures

- Awarding government officials for achieving targets

- Ruthless implementation

http://en.wikipedia...._administration

.

- Identifying 300,000 drug abusers who can be rehabilitated.

Right, and of the "1,300,000" abusers, what happens to the other 1 mil.?

100 to a cell = 10,000 cells, I wonder who gets those construction contracts...

[siampolee]

Do please come and join us Richard4849. However beware of innocents being caught in the crossfire.

[virtualtraveller]

Give them a chance, drugs are an important problem among those who generally DIDNT vote for Yingluck. But they screwed it up once before, and if you're going to make bold promises and targets, when you fail at them, you should be taken to task at the next election.

Winning a war on drugs is difficult challenge, the US, with all its money and know-how and experience has never managed to reduced drugs by even 50%.

Personally, I would be very wary of a party initiating a war on drugs when their previous attempt left 2,700 people dead, mostly innocents. Let's never forget that, it's almost as many as (11 and 27 times more than, ahem, Ratchaprasong.

[Thai at Heart]

Funny, just had a conversation with a friend this morning about what he reckoned about the new government. He has an engineering firm, and stated, corruption is about the same as under the last government etc etc. But then he clearly stated, that he does like the new govt because they will be tough on drugs.

Seems this policy will resonate well with at least one thai.

[hammered]

When you hear these claims you always think "that will backfire" but in the case of the Shin clan that never seems to happen

[Buchholz]

Funny, just had a conversation with a friend this morning about what he reckoned about the new government. He has an engineering firm, and stated, corruption is about the same as under the last government etc etc. But then he clearly stated, that he does like the new govt because they will be tough on drugs.

Seems this policy will resonate well with at least one thai.

Hopefully the other 65 million will wake up so that a repeat of Drug War, ver. 1.0 isn't repeated.

Thaksin’s near monopoly over state and private broadcast media hid most of the campaign’s worst abuses from public view and allowed the government’s message that all of those killed and targeted were dangerous criminals—and not men, women, and children against whom no charge had been laid—to gain popular acceptance.

- Human Rights Watch

[Crushdepth]

Funny, just had a conversation with a friend this morning about what he reckoned about the new government. He has an engineering firm, and stated, corruption is about the same as under the last government etc etc. But then he clearly stated, that he does like the new govt because they will be tough on drugs.

Seems this policy will resonate well with at least one thai.

Let's hope that one of his own kids doesn't stray and get shot without a chance to rehabilitate themselves. If that happens, he might form a different view.

[jamstock]

"The premier said the current drug situation is more severe than in 2007 "

And in 2015, it will probably be worse than in 2011. When will people learn once and for all that prohibition does not work?

[rametindallas]

America's 50 year 'War on Drugs' has been a trillion dollar failure. Thailand follows the US note for note on drug laws and policies, and has also been failing in that regard.

It is amazing isn't it, how the solution is right in our faces, however our egos or is it total corruption that prevents us from fixing the problem...America has failed in its war on drugs, sorry but it is true and the truth hurts...a few of you reading this might even work for the DEA, yeah your busting your butts, however as we've seen in the long run you are failing....Supply and Demand (yes that simple) eliminate the demand and the supply will dry up....if the U.S. had taken all of the money being wasted in the fight and put a drug clinic on every corner and stepped up the drug education programs then all the crap going on in Mexico would essentially disappear...legalize with common sense and educate...hard to believe we have even evolved this far as humans when we still approach problems like cavemen...

To all you just kill'em people, really, F off arm chair warriors, shut up and go back to your freak'n history channel...

It's hard to build a Police State when you spend the money on rehab clinics. The DEA is not in Thailand to remove drugs but to maintain a spy presence. The government doesn't care about winning; they just care about fighting. The president of Mexico declared a Drug War a few years ago and it is tearing Mexico apart. If anyone actually cared about the victims they would go after the organizations that facilitate the growing/ manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and 'protection' of drugs. If you remove the availability of drugs, you will have no users.

[BigRick]

Maybe they should focus on eradicating 80% of the graft, greed and corruption first. Enjoy spending billions of dollars on murdering people without trails while Joe HI-so smokes his YABA pill protected by his mommy and daddy who have connections. I laugh when I see these clubs raided one only wonders if they raid Hi-So places because they stuff going on in there is far and above what happens on the street. They want to stop hard drugs here rid the country of anyone from Africa(Vietnam did why can't Thailand?) sure some innocents will be caught up but would that matter to a group of people who have no problem murdering their own countrymen because of Vendettas? Drugs don't destroy the countryside CORRUPTION does. Drugs are the same as alcohol it is a substance that alters your state of mind.

[hyperdimension]

The Cannabis plant has existed in nature for longer than recorded history and has been used in various ways in many different cultures. Yet these days if someone decides to eat it, they should be shot?

[animatic]

The Cannabis plant has existed in nature for longer than recorded history and has been used in various ways in many different cultures. Yet these days if someone decides to eat it, they should be shot?

Cannabis will be a small time side business redirected to non-yabba aligned profiteers, the real problem is Yabaa and meth derivatives. Makes the days of pot, hash, ecstasy and heroin seem like the good old days of peace and brotherhood..

The likelihood of this going pear shaped is pretty big, but the yabba problem IS bigger. I could care less if someone tokes a joint. Heroin was manageable through education and the like rather than purely criminalization and interdiction.

The coke market was much more like Yabaa, but that too was modulated by education and market forces, more than the actual border interdictions. Limiting arket forces ie demand, can work for the drugs trade as well as any other commodity. No customers, fewer traffickers. BUT, Yabaa is another animal entirely. Makes the cocaine 80's seem like a blip on the social good/bad charts. Yabaa is a skyskraper in the middle of a prairie.

The problem is the last round in Thailand, they made quotas to fill, and pulled of strictures about how to do it. 'Just get it done'. We have just been told the quota, when do they back of the rules of engagement? That's the big worry right now. Another worry is the big players will not be touched but many desperately poor hill tribe sons will be used as sacrificial pawns; busted or killed while the big load goes by undetected.

Edited September 12, 2011 by animatic

[ableguy]

Yak Yak Yak same way her brother said he could do it in a month, she is proving that big mouths run in the family.

[globalmenace]

I don't think the situation in the US applies to Thailand. The war on drugs in the US has not only been a complete and utter failure, wasting vast resources, but has produced unintended consequences that nearly eclipse the drug problem itself. It has produced multi-billion dollar organized criminals who have nearly made Mexico a failed state. I have thought for some time that the policy in the US may need to include the free distribution (no, don't tax addicts) of hard drugs in a controlled manner to all registered addicts.

Thailand has a drug problem, but they need to see the situation in Mexico to put it in some perspective.