Thai Govt: No Extrajudicial Killings In Drug Crackdown

[scotbeve]

I get the feeling their are a lot of very over the top conservatives here in Thailand as in the US who love to jump on these easy targets and love any politician who talks about getting tough against anyone that is generally OK to dislike.

Previously having spent a lot of time partying, I can tell you that I have seen much more damage done to people by alcohol and am sure the stats will back this up. The part that causes the most damage when it comes to most commonly used recreational drugs is the fact drugs are against the law.

Marijuana is simply a joke and shouldn't be illegal anywhere but regulated and taxed like alcohol and cigarettes. It doesn't even come close to having the same problems that alcohol has from fights, aggressiveness or addiction and losing control of oneself. Also if it was not illegal then it would not cause many people to experiment with other drugs simply because after trying weed they find out it is not bad leaving them believe they may have been lied to about other drugs too.

On the other end of the scale, there is nobody who wants to be a heroin addict. I've known and worked with too many to not know this. They simply believe it is hopeless for them to stop or don't believe they have the strength to do it and cannot imagine life without it. Addicts don't get high like they did in the beginning but instead continue to use to not be sick. Proper treatment for these folks is a lot less expensive then using the criminal system.

Speed which seems to be the biggest danger when it comes to drugs in Thailand is a different story. What starts out as something that makes you feel invisible and productive turns into causing mental issues that often cannot be distinguished from mental disorders such as a paranoid schizophrenic. Treatment is more difficult people often times the people are not mentally able to recognize their state. The best solution here it to really educate kids "honestly" from an early age the dangers of this drug. Crack (minus the intense physical addiction) has a lot of similarity and the US has done fairly well in using education to curb what was almost a crack epidemic in the 80s and 90s.

Things like Acid and Ecstasy are simply recreational drugs that if used right generally pose little harm, are non addictive and not drugs done on a daily basis by users.

Snorting cocaine is an expensive habit and is addictive but users usually don't become violent or commit violent crimes to get the drugs but can become addictive, at least mentally, and usually leaves the user and possibly their family in financial problems before turning away from the drug ... often moving to cheaper and more addictive speed.

Bottom line is taking a heavy handed approach to users has a negative impact on society and will not ever eliminate the problem. Thailand already has the death penalty in relation to drugs but people still are busted at the airport regularly. Getting people off drugs and preventing others from starting in the first place is the answer as well as taking an honest look at each drug and the actual dangers or lack of dangers each possess. But as long as the powers that be as well as the public are drinkers and/or alcoholics, this will never happen. I;m not saying ban alcohol but it is ridiculous and simply dishonest to tell kids the weed is some evil drug that needs to be outlawed but alcohol is OK and therefore legal .... if they can't trust the police and government about weed then why should they trust them about speed?

Nisa,

I couldn't agree with you more, well said.... Some maniac conservatives are (and have) gone about the eradication of drug use completely the wrong way. The violence associated on both sides of the fence - heavy handed law enforcement / drug cartels & warlords - is appalling and uncalled for. The money spent on "Drug Wars" is unbelievable (but true and recorded...)!!! Just a few attachments here for the unknowing to peruse.... Hope this doesn't look like I'm hijacking your post!!

[scotbeve]

War on drugs is a proven failure. The war on drugs in Thailand is a farce at best. The prohibition in the states lobbied by a bunch of women who hated booze and what it did to the men failed miserably resulting in organized crime. Legalize drugs and put the money spent fighting it to addressing the root causes of drug dealing and drug using/abusing. I would bet anything that most of the posters on this forum spouting kill em all and let god sort em out attitude lock em up and throw away the key. I don't feel sorry for any of them because of this or that. <deleted> their rights and on and on will have a nice cocktail or beer tonight if not already having one whilst they are spouting their views. You all are no different. you drinkers self medicate and support the alcohol dealers, because it is legal. Why is it legal? Because it is a good thing? Tobacco? Is it a good thing? It is legal because man loves to self medicate. If tomorrow alcohol was made illegal would you all stop? No F*cking way! If by not stopping and you were treated like criminals and put on a list to be dealt with like you all so self-righteously have mentioned. What you say to that possibility?

It is a different world these days and the old school mentality of dealing with social issues have changed.

My thoughts? well since I am out of my mind all I can say is "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve".

And yes before you all tell me that I quoted a hobbit, I know I did because after all I am not out of my mind.

I thought I was one of the few.... You're not out of your mind, just sensible, oh... wait... Can't have sensibility creep in here... heaven forbid.....

[Thaddeus]

War on drugs is a proven failure. The war on drugs in Thailand is a farce at best. The prohibition in the states lobbied by a bunch of women who hated booze and what it did to the men failed miserably resulting in organized crime. Legalize drugs and put the money spent fighting it to addressing the root causes of drug dealing and drug using/abusing. I would bet anything that most of the posters on this forum spouting kill em all and let god sort em out attitude lock em up and throw away the key. I don't feel sorry for any of them because of this or that. <deleted> their rights and on and on will have a nice cocktail or beer tonight if not already having one whilst they are spouting their views. You all are no different. you drinkers self medicate and support the alcohol dealers, because it is legal. Why is it legal? Because it is a good thing? Tobacco? Is it a good thing? It is legal because man loves to self medicate. If tomorrow alcohol was made illegal would you all stop? No F*cking way! If by not stopping and you were treated like criminals and put on a list to be dealt with like you all so self-righteously have mentioned. What you say to that possibility?

It is a different world these days and the old school mentality of dealing with social issues have changed.

My thoughts? well since I am out of my mind all I can say is "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve".

And yes before you all tell me that I quoted a hobbit, I know I did because after all I am not out of my mind.

I thought I was one of the few.... You're not out of your mind, just sensible, oh... wait... Can't have sensibility creep in here... heaven forbid.....

Yep, can't have that, it may start a trend.

[TAWP]

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who is in charge of the government's narcotics suppression initiatives, gave his assurances in response to concerns expressed by the United Nations in which they stated that they fear that the government's anti-drug campaign could lead to human rights violations or to extra-judicial killings by police.

Always interesting when people bother more about the human rights of the crooks than of the victims...

Most [well, all] people I know that take/took drugs did so voluntarily. They are not 'victims'.

Sale of drugs is a victimless crime. (The crimes committed to pay for the lifestyle, because of the high price of drugs due to them being illegal, isn't.)

[plumeria]

"Chalerm has reaffirmed that he would maintain Thailand's credibility in the international stage and vowed"

If there is anyone in Thailand LESS able to be associated with "credibility" in any way, shape or form I would like to know who it is.

And could a "vow" from anyone else carry any less believability?

[phanangpete]

Well here we go again, a new govt saying they are going to crack down, and where are they going to start, certainly in border Regions as the advice from the US DEA has given its WARNING, that Cambodia, Burma are likely candidates.

What about in the resorts here such as Pattaya, Phuket, and last but not least the infamous fullmoon party island, yes Koh Phangan, where ,it is claimed by expats, that atleast, one young person dies there each month and these stats can only be proved by the actual Embassies, if someone was willing to do an investigation.

Last fullmoon, the son of London's Lord Mayor, a 26 yr old who was partying, a natural thing to do at his age, died after a nights drinking.........what did it have mushrooms in it, it is a well known fact that they have tried to stop this party in the past ,but obviously to no avail, as there is too much doe involved and too many rich, now, and powerful people involved.

What does it take, before many more innocent young peoples lives are taken ?

[TAWP]

phanangpete>> Why do you hate people partying?