Over 130,000 Persons Arrested For Drugs-Related Charges Over Past Four Months: Thailand

[webfact]

Over 130,000 persons arrested for drugs-related charges over past four months

BANGKOK, Feb 13 - Thailand's Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) on Sunday reported that 135,445 persons were arrested on drug-related charges over the past four months as part of the government's illicit drug suppression policy.

The ONCB reported the arrests accounted for 35 percent of the government's target, which came under the "War on Drugs" policy.

Between September 11, 2011 and Jan 31, 2012, 135,445 suspects were arrested in 141,031 drug-related cases. Among them, 21,064 were considered "important" cases.

16 millions methamphetamine pills, 600 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (commonly known as "ice"), 200 kilogrammes of heroin, 3,000 kilogrammes of marijuana and four million pseudoephedrine pills were seized, with a total street value of about Bt600 million.

1,527 drug cases resulted in asset freeze of involved persons, according to the anti-narcotics office.

The ONCB said Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, in his capacity as Director of the National Command Center for Drugs (NCCD), is scheduled to chair a meeting on Monday to summarize the government's drug crackdown in the last four months and lay out new measures for the second phase of operations.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm earlier pledged that the drug problem was on the national agenda and that relevant authorities would be able to make considerable advances in the “War on Drugs” within one year. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-13

[hellodolly]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

[aussiejosh]

Just googling around tells me that there are between 200,000 and 400,000 people in Thai prisons, there were a few different figures so I didn't know which to believe. Either way adding 30-60% more people to this system seems at least problematic if not impossible. Since before this war on drugs they were having over crowding issues which in reality is the same as putting people into cans.

A friend of mine who is staying at IDC currently tells me there are around 80 people in his cell and they get 1.5 hours of exercise every 3 days. I doubt we treat animals like this.

Also they hung him from the ceiling by his arms and beat him for getting into a minor ruckus with another cell mate.

[moe666]

As with the last Big T war on drugs how many innocent non drug users have been arrested, at least they haven't been shooting them

[w11guy]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

Not everyone who's arrested is guilty, so no need to put them all anywhere. You say they neglect to mention that the amount of drugs didn't even come close to what's on the streets. In fact, the article starts by saying the number of arrests is 35% of the target. Maybe you didn't bother to read the article.

[aussiejosh]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

Not everyone who's arrested is guilty, so no need to put them all anywhere. You say they neglect to mention that the amount of drugs didn't even come close to what's on the streets. In fact, the article starts by saying the number of arrests is 35% of the target. Maybe you didn't bother to read the article.

How can they claim to know that 35% of the total is gone? Do they have a regular census that the drug dealers give all their information on?

[noitom]

135,000 in four months seems like a preposterous stretch on the capabilities of the Thai police and ONCB.

[chrisinth]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

Not everyone who's arrested is guilty, so no need to put them all anywhere. You say they neglect to mention that the amount of drugs didn't even come close to what's on the streets. In fact, the article starts by saying the number of arrests is 35% of the target. Maybe you didn't bother to read the article.

They may not all be guilty but if they are arrested they still need to be processed. Even if they let the minor offenders out on bail (if they can afford it) it still leaves 21,064 who were considered as "important" cases which would be a major strain on the system.

If this is an estimated 35% of their target, then yes, where are they going to put them all? They have been talking about new maximum security facilities specially for drug related crimes; that is a lot of isolation cells they will need if they are serious about taking drug offenders out of general population.

[Jules65]

Anyone intesrested in how and who were behind the drug industry in this part of the world should read: The Secret Army by Richard Gibson...you may need to order it from Asia books. There are also other good books too that clearly describe how it cocurred and who was involved and the history.

[blackthorn2005]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

Not everyone who's arrested is guilty, so no need to put them all anywhere. You say they neglect to mention that the amount of drugs didn't even come close to what's on the streets. In fact, the article starts by saying the number of arrests is 35% of the target. Maybe you didn't bother to read the article.

How can they claim to know that 35% of the total is gone? Do they have a regular census that the drug dealers give all their information on?

This is just the tip of 'Ice' berg!

[rubl]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

Not everyone who's arrested is guilty, so no need to put them all anywhere. You say they neglect to mention that the amount of drugs didn't even come close to what's on the streets. In fact, the article starts by saying the number of arrests is 35% of the target. Maybe you didn't bother to read the article.

How can they claim to know that 35% of the total is gone? Do they have a regular census that the drug dealers give all their information on?

The 135,445 arrested form 35% of the target. Seems to mean the government / police expects to arrest about 400,000 people in their 'war on drugs'. These statistics do not say anything about the amount of drugs confiscated. At least that how I read the article

Edited February 13, 2012 by rubl

[supaprik]

135,000 in four months seems like a preposterous stretch on the capabilities of the Thai police and ONCB.

Perhaps their figures are correct, could explain why the RTP have had little if any time to do ANYTHING else for the community!

[tomross46]

This is very interesting, this data would indicate that an average of 1000 arrest a day are drug related.

[OldWolf]

This means they take 47 people every hour for drugs. Do they get money for every person they arrest?

[hellodolly]

What a load of crap.

Notice still no police or army people arrested.

Where did they put the 135,445 people they arrested.

They give a list of what they have confiscated but neglect to mention it didn't even come close to the amount of drugs on the streets and in the police stations.

Not everyone who's arrested is guilty, so no need to put them all anywhere. You say they neglect to mention that the amount of drugs didn't even come close to what's on the streets. In fact, the article starts by saying the number of arrests is 35% of the target. Maybe you didn't bother to read the article.

You might want to rethink your opinion. I said the amount of drugs on the street not the amount of people.

[nisakiman]

Yet another illustration of what a monumental waste of money and effort the global "war on drugs" is. Do they really think they can make any more than a miniscule dent in the drugs trade? Are they planning on building another couple of hundred prisons to house all these drug offenders? Are they not aware of the fact that for every one they arrest, two more will spring up to replace him?

Prohibition does not work. It never has worked. It never will work.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

As some sage once said "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".

[sparebox2]

Sound like Mr. Thaksin drug bust plan is back in full action.

[anterian]

The villager pusher was arrested last week, he was tested at the police station and found positive. He was released on the surety of his mentor, a retired prison warder. He was told that if they catch him again he will do time. He has not changed his style, I hope they soon catch him again. I would love to see him and his mentor banged away.

[pepi2005]

A real success story, so to say!

Bravo, Thai Govt!

Soon to be as successful as the United States which have the highest rate of drug-related incarcerations, but at the same time - certainly only coincidentally - the highest rates of drug users, drug-related deaths and drug-related criminality!

Just lock them all up, and the problem is gone!

[IsaanUSA]

This is very interesting, this data would indicate that an average of 1000 arrest a day are drug related.

As a non-user, it does surprise me that so many people are involved with drugs. 1000 a day seems like a lot, but there are 69 million people in the country.

[colnelkurts77]

Just googling around tells me that there are between 200,000 and 400,000 people in Thai prisons, there were a few different figures so I didn't know which to believe. Either way adding 30-60% more people to this system seems at least problematic if not impossible. Since before this war on drugs they were having over crowding issues which in reality is the same as putting people into cans.

A friend of mine who is staying at IDC currently tells me there are around 80 people in his cell and they get 1.5 hours of exercise every 3 days. I doubt we treat animals like this.

Also they hung him from the ceiling by his arms and beat him for getting into a minor ruckus with another cell mate.

I was in IDC in October 2010, luckily I was only there for 4 weeks, I got a flight home to the UK then, was shit in there, terrible food, smelly cramped room, although our room looked better than the rest. The 1.5 hours of out time every 3 days was if they were feeling generous, they found mobile phones that some koreans had stashed away in our room and that was loss of excersise for over a week, was so good to get on that plane

[hellodolly]

The villager pusher was arrested last week, he was tested at the police station and found positive. He was released on the surety of his mentor, a retired prison warder. He was told that if they catch him again he will do time. He has not changed his style, I hope they soon catch him again. I would love to see him and his mentor banged away.

If they do I bet they will count it as two people arrested.

[Sailfish1]

Just googling around tells me that there are between 200,000 and 400,000 people in Thai prisons, there were a few different figures so I didn't know which to believe. Either way adding 30-60% more people to this system seems at least problematic if not impossible. Since before this war on drugs they were having over crowding issues which in reality is the same as putting people into cans.

A friend of mine who is staying at IDC currently tells me there are around 80 people in his cell and they get 1.5 hours of exercise every 3 days. I doubt we treat animals like this.

Also they hung him from the ceiling by his arms and beat him for getting into a minor ruckus with another cell mate.

I was in IDC in October 2010, luckily I was only there for 4 weeks, I got a flight home to the UK then, was shit in there, terrible food, smelly cramped room, although our room looked better than the rest. The 1.5 hours of out time every 3 days was if they were feeling generous, they found mobile phones that some koreans had stashed away in our room and that was loss of excersise for over a week, was so good to get on that plane

Did you expect five-star accomodations and gourmet food? Prisons should be terrible places - prisons are to punish people for committing crimes.

[FriedMyLittleBrain]

Really awful & sad (not fighting with drugs) just show -(also remember in last year show about how officials burned drugs which was removed seems for year -mouse have more tears than they showed for burn...& ...ohh better i;ll shut the <shift>up...of course they have plans they have bonuses for if more than plan need,of course easy put stupid "nothing means " whom seems that they hold devil of his balls , course easy to keep punishment for use (what never make users statistic down )but no centers no helps no exits no substitute (if somewhere couple of free rehabilitation it is show & god save to be there)sad

[KhunHay]

Quoted"The ONCB reported the arrests accounted for 35 percent of the government's target, which came under the "War on Drugs" policy.Unquoted

Now we know why so many arrested, It is all because they need to hit the target number.

Have anyone wonder how many of those arrested are just for them to make up the number??

[captspectre]

Just googling around tells me that there are between 200,000 and 400,000 people in Thai prisons, there were a few different figures so I didn't know which to believe. Either way adding 30-60% more people to this system seems at least problematic if not impossible. Since before this war on drugs they were having over crowding issues which in reality is the same as putting people into cans.

A friend of mine who is staying at IDC currently tells me there are around 80 people in his cell and they get 1.5 hours of exercise every 3 days. I doubt we treat animals like this.

Also they hung him from the ceiling by his arms and beat him for getting into a minor ruckus with another cell mate.

What's he doing there? visiting? what crime did he commit? the old saying "mess with the bull, get the horns" applies!