Crackdown on narcotics and other illicit drugs continues in Thailand

[noitom]

Easy to spot a dark skinned man in Chennai. They should have tailed her to her Thai-Indian destination points and done bigger busts.

[SOMeTOM]

Obviously just a coincidence that the only scum i am aware of, being busted for drug related offences is a relative of a local bib...how small is the world sometimes eh?

[daveAustin]

>....and confiscated five kilograms of ketamine valued at 15 million baht.

That would be a "street-price" of 3000 Baht per gram? Is it really sold that expensive?

Guessing a 10ml vial at a dilution of 100mg/ml (with 1000mg, or a gram, of ketamine powder) would be 2 or 3k on the street, yep.

[daveAustin]

That 198kg of cannabis would bring a lot of stress relief to many people.

Hard to believe that lightweight plant is still illegal here - or anywhere for that matter.

Sangsom with coke, then beat up the wife and cause auto crashes? Good!

A little weed which makes people more mellow and never harms anyone? Bad!

Didn't take long... booooriiiing!

Btw, that 'harmless' weed typically leads to the heavy stuff in many folks and wives get beaten up and crashes happen all on their own.

[Guitar God]

The old "gateway" drug myth again.

It's proven that people who smoke weed drink less alcohol, it's a safer substitute.

Saying people who do heroin are doing it because they began smoking pot only makes sense if their pot dealer also sold heroin, which is why the Netherlands regulated the sale of soft drugs and have one in the lowest rates of OD's or hard drug use, or use by minors in the Western world.

More hard drug addicts started with cigarettes, alcohol, sugar and mother's milk than weed.

[chongtak]

There is a lot to do here in Chiang Mai also. Continue the good job.

[Guitar God]

I think it's the tweakers on meth causing all the problems. I've been in some parts of the northeast where houses had bars on the doors and windows to keep the burglars out.

The worst problem ganja smokers cause is missing cookies. Never heard of anyone stealing a TV and pawning it because they needed to get mellow.

[seancbk]

>....and confiscated five kilograms of ketamine valued at 15 million baht.

That would be a "street-price" of 3000 Baht per gram? Is it really sold that expensive?

Depend who you buy it from.

In Hong Kong 8 to 10K THB baht a gram

If it's good then well worth the money.

[rhythmworx]

The war on drugs will never be won, too many people and too much money involved.

[marsstar14]

Just be careful so we don't end up with a Thaksin style of "war on drugs".

Not to worry, the NCPO would never repeat the same mistake as that fugitive criminal on-the-run. The real reason behind Thaksin's war on drugs was because his only son Oak Panthongtae had abused drugs back in college. Thaksin then started hating anybody who was found to be involved in drugs because it messed up his son's life.

Over 2,500 people have died from his war on drugs and more than half of the victims were innocent. Thaksin implicated anybody who were suspected to be involved with drugs without having sufficient evidence to convict them. I am sure that the NCPO's reasons are clearly different from those of Thaksin's.

I don't think it's possible to be more wrong.

Agreed. It was closer to 6,000 wasn't it? And Chalerm proudly announced he could produce more corpses on demand from the Boss

To be honest, I don't know the exact numbers. 6,000 seems a bit high for me. Here's the link to my claim on wikipedia though:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premiership_of_Thaksin_Shinawatra#cite_note-nation2007nov-43

"Of 2,500 deaths in the government's war on drugs in 2003, a fact-finding panel has found that more than half was not involved in drug at all. At a brainstorming session, a representative from the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) Tuesday disclosed that as many as 1,400 people were killed and labeled as drug suspects despite the fact that they had no link to drugs. ... Senior public prosecutor Kunlapon Ponlawan said it was not difficult to investigate extra-judicial killingscarried out by police officers as the trigger-pullers usually confessed."^[43][44]

[hyperdimension]

Whilst most people of Thailand and other parts of the world are still stuck with the old-fashioned and simple-minded mentality that "drugs are bad", others have been changing their views and exploring for themselves the benefits and insights of psychoactive drugs. e.g.:

A musician, as well as the show's host, discussing their experiences with ayahuasca:

A woman describes her experience of using MDMA that successfully cured her post-traumatic stress disorder:

UFC fighter Dan Hardy about how he incorporates consumption of psychedelic drugs (ayahuasca, psilocybin) and cannabis into his life for personal development:

Edited June 21, 2014 by hyperdimension

[SOMeTOM]

I think it's the tweakers on meth causing all the problems. I've been in some parts of the northeast where houses had bars on the doors and windows to keep the burglars out.

It's not a "problem" it's a "culture".

You can find those window's bars almost everywhere, Bangkok included, where they have it even on the 10th floor and up....just to keep the "culture" outside methinks.

[Deaw]

That 198kg of cannabis would bring a lot of stress relief to many people.

Hard to believe that lightweight plant is still illegal here - or anywhere for that matter.

Sangsom with coke, then beat up the wife and cause auto crashes? Good!

A little weed which makes people more mellow and never harms anyone? Bad!

Sangsom with coke, then beat up the wife and cause auto crashes?

Is that what your weekend looks like?? have fun....

They should be tough on drugs, especially with the foreigners.

Why? Why? And why?!!

Deaw makes a very good point which you have clearly missed. Marijuana is harmless, alcohol is extremely damaging. And why on earth should "they" be tougher on foreigners. Explain yourself, please.

Yeah, that guy seems unable to pick up on sarcasm.

I say "Sangsom and cokes and beat up the wife and get in a car crash'' and he thinks that is really what I do on the weekends; sigh.

Fact is, it's what a LOT of men do in this country; not all, but a lot. But Sangsom - which, lets face it, is basically one step up from floor cleaner - is perfectly legal and any 10-year old kid can go get it at the 7. Weed? Get caught with a few grams and it's as serious as if you were holding Ice or Yaba. Not getting it.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Deaw

[Robby nz]

That 198kg of cannabis would bring a lot of stress relief to many people.

Hard to believe that lightweight plant is still illegal here - or anywhere for that matter.

Sangsom with coke, then beat up the wife and cause auto crashes? Good!

A little weed which makes people more mellow and never harms anyone? Bad!

yea right.

It led to the death of a brother in law of mine in my life before I came here, hanged himself when he was "Mellow"

A good kid who worked for me till he got on that crap, drove him right off his head.

Defenders are normally users, hope you don't go the same way he did, not a nice thing to happen to anyone.

[Tim207]

Defenders are normally users, hope you don't go the same way he did, not a nice thing to happen to anyone.

And those who aggressively attack it know very little about it and are mostly from an older generation that don't know how much it is actually around them. For instance, I only knew one person in school that had never smoked pot. That isn't my circle of friends, that is everyone I knew. I am sure there were others but it was unusual. It is hidden from you but pervasive. The vast majority of problems it causes are do to it being illegal. Prohibition only works well for criminals, they get rich.

Sorry about the people you know having problems but would it really have been better or different if they used alcohol to escape whatever was bothering them?

BTW: have not smoked in years and it has been decades since I smoked regularly so I am not defending my personal desire to use.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Tim207

[cpofc]

It would be easier if they just executed every drug user and seller on the spot (in the street). we would be rid of many unwanted "tourists" and other people.

Let's start with alcohol then, seeing it is the number one killer and destroyer of families. Then tobacco, followed by coffee, then we can start on the pharma 'licensed' drugs - how many people do you know who have never taken a tablet in their lives? How many kids are on meds for ADD, or other such excuses of afflictions?

Some people are capable of handling their habits, without becoming drug addicts. Addicts are usually weak, in need of support - not incarceration. I would go so far as to say it is more of a disability - do you propose killing disabled people too?

For those with a more enlightened view, big change has already started - after gay marriage, the next whirlwind will be pot legalisation in the good ol' USA; the country that demonised it in the first place.

You should really look at ways to improve your own life, and those around you - simply keeping your opinion to yourself would be a good start.

Stopped reading after "ADD an excuse of affliction blah blah blah..." . You clearly know nothing about medicine and disease.

I was never claiming to be an expert - my only input comes through my school career, where there never was such a thing as ADD (it had not been invented yet) and none of my classmates were on a cocktail of uppers, downers and wake-me-up drugs.

Certainly there were the usual dunces who never paid attention, and maybe I was even one of them - if only I had discovered drugs then!

The past 50 years has seen an enormous waste of lives and money trying to fight the drug war. Not one bit of it has been a success, isn't it time to try a more sensible approach? In my mind that should include looking at pharma drugs immediately as that's where most addicts are.

No you certainly don't need to be an expert.

Just read the news.

Pick a RECENT news story from the Google News Link (Below). Canada, USA, Sth Africa, Australia. Abuse is rife. Trafficking in Schools of prescription (ADHD) drugs is rife.

Even their Mums are using them.

By David Sack, M.D. - When coffee just doesn’t cut it, some moms start using their child’s ADHD medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, to boost their mood, focus and productivity. In the past decade, the number of prescriptions written for Adderall has surged among women over 26 (from about 800,000 in 2002 to 5.4 million in 2010). These medications are highly addictive and can have serious side effects including aggression, paranoia and seizures.

Like many Movie Stars and Celebrities, I guess our resident expert in Medicine and Disease believes that if someone in a white coat gives you something, then it must be ok.

Hands up Class, all those who don't think there is a problem.

During the 50's and 60s, when I was at school in Australia, there was no such thing as ADHD either. So what happened? The only thing I was ever prescribed for bad and/or disruptive behaviour was 'The Strap'. (the cane on a few occasions) Feels like I kinda missed out, it would have been much more pleasant being doped up than receiving corporal punishment.

https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&gl=au&tbm=nws&authuser=0&q=add+drugs&oq=add+drugs&gs_l=news-cc.12..43j43i53.5119.13635.0.15887.9.3.0.6.6.0.157.322.2j1.3.0...0.0...1ac.1.U78QCQqUUWA#authuser=0&gl=au&hl=en&newwindow=1&q=ritalin+adhd+drugs&tbm=nws

Below: ABC (Australia) World Today Radio Program - 19th June 2014

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/201406/20140619-twt10-kiddiesdrugs.mp3

[hyperdimension]

No you certainly don't need to be an expert.

Just read the news.

You've already just discredited yourself in the first two lines of your post.

Abuse is rife.

"Abuse" is such a loose and prejudiced term, as it is tied with the assumption that it is wrong to use something in a way that it was not designed for. e.g. Ethanol is used as a disinfectant. If someone drinks ethanol (the psychoactive ingredient in beer, wine, spirits), is that person then "abusing" it? Things in this world can have multiple uses, not just one "correct" use. "Consumption" is the more appropriate word to use instead of "abuse".

Pick a RECENT news story from the Google News Link (Below). Canada, USA, Sth Africa, Australia. Abuse is rife. Trafficking in Schools of prescription (ADHD) drugs is rife.

Even their Mums are using them.

By David Sack, M.D. - When coffee just doesn’t cut it, some moms start using their child’s ADHD medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, to boost their mood, focus and productivity. In the past decade, the number of prescriptions written for Adderall has surged among women over 26 (from about 800,000 in 2002 to 5.4 million in 2010). These medications are highly addictive and can have serious side effects including aggression, paranoia and seizures.

Like many Movie Stars and Celebrities, I guess our resident expert in Medicine and Disease believes that if someone in a white coat gives you something, then it must be ok.

Hands up Class, all those who don't think there is a problem.

My hand goes up. It's not a problem until there is clear evidence (in the form of numbers) that shows a statistically significant causal relationship between the drug use and harmful incidents. Everything else is just baseless conjecture formulated from anecdotes that are not representative of the bigger picture and/or past Reefer Madness-like scare-mongering propaganda.

it would have been much more pleasant being doped up than receiving corporal punishment.

Just your use of the word "doped" shows your lack of knowledge of drugs and their effects. The "doped" feeling (dazed and sleepy) is associated with opiates like heroin, morphine or oxycontin. Amphetamines, which are used to treat ADHD, are stimulants, which produce very different effects, such as increased alertness. Anyway, I agree that it would have been more pleasurable to have taken amphetamines than to have had physical violence inflicted upon you.

Edited June 23, 2014 by hyperdimension