Mass arrest of drug addicts in Bangkok

[ericthai]

Stop pretending to do something positive when you know full well that what ever you do under the current culture and administration you are simply spinning your wheels.

If you truly desire to stamp out this abuse which over the past years has become a major problem within Thai society as a direct result of infective and corrupt enforcement then simply classify a quantity of class I drugs that constitutes trafficking and make it a capital offense. Otherwise shut up, go home and wait for society to collapse.

Have you never checked Thailand laws on drugs? They already have a class 1 drug category which if you are convicted as a dealer the penalty can be death.

[SteveFong]

this is a horrible sign for the future of privacy in Thailand,

notice, they didnt list the drugs these people tested for,

what if more than half of them, were just smoking weed?

is this worthy of destroying a persons life, career, family?

in the privacy of one's home now means nothing?

[easybullet3]

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They'll be using again when they get out no doubt. At least they didn't kill them like Taksin did 12 years ago.

It's a little more complicated than that if you bother to read rather than just restate the memes.

But, yes, arresting and "rehabilitating" is a complete waste of time as has been found over and over around the world. That won't solve anything, least of all user's addictions.

i dont understand what you were bashing Neeranam for ?

what did he say wrong ?

[reiltin]

I'm with Thaksin. Round all the dealers and users up and rid the earth of these scum. They have no purpose in society and bring nothing but misery because of their selfish acts. Yes this won't be liked by the tree huggers but I couldn't give a shiny stool what they think.

The War on drugs is a war on human nature, was tried in 1920 by the Yanks it took them 13 years to come to their senses(a long rehab indeed) on this 1 drug which has killed either directly or indirectly 1 in 4 people on earth.We can of course legislate and social engineer perhaps ban alcohol as well,a folly. Again human nature will prevail and the opportunistic criminal.Every adult should make their own informed choice be it bottle,powder,pill,or puff with legalization come taxes and regulation.Let a man make his own choice or abstain it's a democracy after all.

PS:Taksins drug war killed few drug dealers and no major players,most casualties were innocent Thais, the whole show merely proivided a smokescreen for extra judicial killing and score settling by the ones who wer supposed to protect their victims.

[thai20144]

Amazing Thailand were someone caught with a small bag of weed which is used by a lot of the older generations as a cooking herb mades the headlines and they get 5 years in prison and someone caught with yabba the crazy drug is sent to rehab.

Edited September 9, 2014 by thai20144

[SteveFong]

the entire problem here,

is they went inside peoples homes,

what would happen to the average farange when this happens?

[graemeaylward]

So sad. A complete waste of time and money as someone who is drug dependant needs to be ready to change and forcing a course on someone will be counterproductive. If this short sighted action is an example of government thinking, it does not bode well for the future.

[webfact]

Thai junta launches raids in search of 'addicts' for rehab

BANGKOK, September 10, 2014 (AFP) - Thai authorities launched anti-drug raids across Bangkok Tuesday sending scores of "addicts" to rehabilitation centres after conducting door-to-door urine tests, police said, in the latest junta crackdown on law and order.

The pre-dawn operation by police and army officers saw the arrest of 22 small-time dealers while 83 suspected drug users were dispatched for treatment, deputy Bangkok police chief Ittipon Piriyapinyo told AFP.

"We went to targeted places -- where there are teenagers gathering, people suspected of taking drugs or small-time drug-sellers," said Ittipon.

The suspects were rounded-up in neighbourhoods across the Thai capital after admitting to drug use or taking a urine test, he added.

"If they don't go to rehab, they might be sent to court but if they go voluntarily, they will be considered as patients."

The operation was a "test mission" for a longer campaign of anti-drug raids, initiated by authorities including the junta, aimed at sending 900 drug users to rehab, he said.

Thailand has among the world's most severe penalties for drug offences including the death penalty in some cases.

Since the Thai army seized power from the civilian government on May 22 it has emphasised the importance of restoring "morality" to Thailand.

A junta blitz on organised crime has seen raids on underground casinos, dozens of arrests and access to a number of online gambling sites blocked.

The new rulers also triggered an exodus of Cambodian labourers after the coup by threatening to arrest and deport undocumented workers, although thousands later returned as the junta pledged to simplify the process to obtain an official permit.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-09-10

[Strangebrew]

Want to stop drug use catch the suppliers poison there product let them sell it Then you solve two problems at once the suppliers get murdered and users die other users see this no need for rehab scared sh-tless works every time.

[AleG]

Want to stop drug use catch the suppliers poison there product let them sell it Then you solve two problems at once the suppliers get murdered and users die other users see this no need for rehab scared sh-tless works every time.

It does? Can you offer a citation of when and where your fantastic method was used?

[chooka]

the entire problem here,

is they went inside peoples homes,

what would happen to the average farange when this happens?

It is martial law not civilian law and the army can kick in the doors of any home they feel like and drag anyone away. People don't have rights under Martial Law. This is the new Thailand.

[halloween]

the entire problem here,

is they went inside peoples homes,

what would happen to the average farange when this happens?

The average farang wouldn't be in a Thai drug addicts home. The less-than-average farang caught using drugs in a Thai drug addicts home would be arrested, tried, convicted, jailed and deported, which is a good reason NOT to be in such a situation.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed. A post containing comments that could be construed as being negative toward the imposition of Martial Law has been removed as well.

Edit to add: This is not about Thaksin's war on drugs.

Edited September 10, 2014 by metisdead

[ResandePohm]

the entire problem here,

is they went inside peoples homes,

what would happen to the average farange when this happens?

For the majority almost certainly nothing. But for all the deadbeat users and abusers hopefully deportation back to place they are running away from.

[trainman34014]

Legalise all drugs; even sell them all cheap in Pharmacies. Those that distribute and sell it will be out of business in no time and those that want to overdose will die pretty soon after. Problem solved.

[montereyjp]

Wow.. Again some serous out there action from the Junta.. Is this what the majority of Thais want from their future governmemt? The authority to knock on citizens doors and demand drug testing? Hmmm.. So now I am wondering who is going to pay for this rehab? Will they be housed? Fed three time a day? Surely those being forced to rehab cannot pay nor their families.. Then it would be the Tax payers who fund this and I think most Thais would agree this is tax money well spent for the good of all... Now that might be a good campaign slogan.. Free rehab for all! ...lol...."who need it that is"...whether they think so or not...

[Davedub]

Sigh - another pointless battle in the war on drugs. This will NOT reduce drug harm. I wonder how many of these 'drug addicts' were just pot smokers - the victimisation is unbelievable, the disruption to people's lives unforgivable. I wonder how much this little exercise cost the taxpayer?

The answers?

1) Treat drug addiction as a medical condition, not a crime.

2) De-criminalise all drugs and take the power away from the criminals.

3) Educate with facts, not scaremongering falsehood.

Many countries around the world are implementing these realistic, common sense policies with great effect (e.g. Portugal). They are all seeing a reduction in drug harm, which is, after all, the purported purpose of the brainless, naive 'war on drugs'

(note to the 'old school' on this forum - from past posts, I already know what you're uninformed, mass media led reactions to my principles are - so I won't be reading your 'hang em high' or other trolling responses - in fact, I won't even check back on this, I really do have better things to do - so save your breath)

- davedub

[monk213]

Sigh - another pointless battle in the war on drugs. This will NOT reduce drug harm. I wonder how many of these 'drug addicts' were just pot smokers - the victimisation is unbelievable, the disruption to people's lives unforgivable. I wonder how much this little exercise cost the taxpayer?

The answers?

1) Treat drug addiction as a medical condition, not a crime.

2) De-criminalise all drugs and take the power away from the criminals.

3) Educate with facts, not scaremongering falsehood.

Many countries around the world are implementing these realistic, common sense policies with great effect (e.g. Portugal). They are all seeing a reduction in drug harm, which is, after all, the purported purpose of the brainless, naive 'war on drugs'

(note to the 'old school' on this forum - from past posts, I already know what you're uninformed, mass media led reactions to my principles are - so I won't be reading your 'hang em high' or other trolling responses - in fact, I won't even check back on this, I really do have better things to do - so save your breath)

- davedub

hear hear, couldn't have said it better myself. Those people saying hang the dealers, convict the users etc, you guys are just doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same result which is failure. That is known as being insane - to expect a different result from doing the same action over and over. Unless the method dramatically changes for approaching this problem there will be no change within the problem.

[chrisrazz]

It is a sign of madness to keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result.

We put a son through an aversion therapy programme, supervised by a psychologist, there was a contract involved wherein the patients agreed to random tests over an 8 week period of visits. A positive test would result in a trip to the boot camp. Videos were shown of the effects on drug users, family members were invited to attend the meetings. This worked well in our case.

[Sarana]

Drug addiction is a social problem not solved by police intervention but by medical and psychological trestments. This is a very frightening development in the Thai peace and reconciliation. It is a blatant abuse of power.

[Sarana]

The more of these threads I read, the less I feel like returning to Thailand

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Since the Thai army seized power from the civilian government on May 22 it has emphasised the importance of restoring "morality" to Thailand.

A junta blitz on organised crime has seen raids on underground casinos, dozens of arrests and access to a number of online gambling sites blocked.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-09-10

Kind of odd that the AFP reporter, who clearly is based here, managed to ignore the fact that Thailand has long had a huge and flourishing prostitution industry, and that the supposed crusade for morality hasn't touched that particular industry at all -- other than rounding up ladyboy streetwalkers in Pattaya.

[ableguy]

Why no arrests and forced rehabilitation for people addicted to tobacco or alcohol?

There is a huge number of alcoholic police officers in Thailand

There is a huge number of alcoholics in Thailand period.

[ableguy]

Legalise all drugs; even sell them all cheap in Pharmacies. Those that distribute and sell it will be out of business in no time and those that want to overdose will die pretty soon after. Problem solved.

And road deaths would likely double, thirty thousand innocent souls a year killed on top of the thirty thousand pegged to die this year.already ,.

[monk213]

Legalise all drugs; even sell them all cheap in Pharmacies. Those that distribute and sell it will be out of business in no time and those that want to overdose will die pretty soon after. Problem solved.

And road deaths would likely double, thirty thousand innocent souls a year killed on top of the thirty thousand pegged to die this year.already ,.

Have you ever seen that car attachment that people with DUIs have, it is basically a breathalyzer and if they fail it the car will not start. Plus it recognizes it is them somehow I think. Anyway, people with drug convictions should have something similar, if you have seen how diabetics test their blood, very easy, quick and painless. Attach something to their vehicle where they need to give a blood test to start it, it woulkd take less than a minute and less than a drop of blood. Problem solved? Invention just founded? Patent pending?

[NomadJoe]

the entire problem here,

is they went inside peoples homes,

what would happen to the average farange when this happens?

They were targeting known sellers and users based on information the police obtained, and making them take a drug test. Then they weren't even charging them, just making them go to rehab and only if they tested positive. Your rights are not the same here as back home, especially not now. Thai or foreigner, I don't see any problem with this whatsoever.

[Nickymaster]

Arresting them and putting them in rehab is the easy part. Getting them ready to make a living is the hard part.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Nickymaster

[NomadJoe]

What's up with all the posts condemning the jailing of users when the article clearly states they users are not jailed but send for rehabilitation. All you libertarians should be rejoicing.

[Nickymaster]

the entire problem here,

is they went inside peoples homes,

what would happen to the average farange when this happens?

It is martial law not civilian law and the army can kick in the doors of any home they feel like and drag anyone away. People don't have rights under Martial Law. This is the new Thailand.

Please stop spreading fear all over Thaivisa. Life only got safer for farangs since the army took over. Nobody's door has been kicked in. Guys like you scare tourists away for nothing. If you love Thailand you shouldn't do that.

You are a retired cop isn't it? If so, what you describe is what you would do under martial law?

Edited September 10, 2014 by Nickymaster

[NomadJoe]

... Many countries around the world are implementing these realistic, common sense policies with great effect (e.g. Portugal). ...

The claims in Portugal have been debunked point by point. Just in case anyone was considering drinking Davedub's Cool-Aid, have a read of this: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IQjOKQjdj_AJ:www.wfad.se/latest-news/1-articles/491-best-portugal-advice-to-the-world-dont-follow-us+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk

... I already know what you're uninformed, mass media led reactions...

Oh the irony...

""a careful review of all available data on this subject as you can see in the enclosed working paper, our analysts found that claims that decriminalization has reduced drug use and had no detrimental impact in Portugal significantly exceed the existing scientific basis. Because this conclusion largely contradicts prevailing media coverage and several policy analyses in Portugal and the United States, my staff has heavily documented the sources of the data and information contained in this working paper.

Edited September 10, 2014 by NomadJoe