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Ex-drug users now getting high on life in the far Northeast
Mary Bradley
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- AFTER spending more than three months at a state-run drug rehabilitation centre, a 30-year-old man is determined to never use drugs again.

"B" (not his real name) said he kicked his drug habit at the centre and picked up many vocational skills like vegetable growing and chicken raising.

"I still have one more week to go before I complete my drug rehabilitation programme here. But I am already determined to keep myself away from drugs, no matter how available it is in my hometown," said the former construction worker at Ban Fah Khao, a drug rehabilitation facility in Nong Khai.

Officials said while the rehabilitation programme was mandatory, it put participants in a family-like environment where coaches closely guided them.

Ban Fah Khao is the main drug rehabilitation centre in the upper Northeast. Those sent there are trained to develop soldier-like discipline, attend vocational training, and undergo psychotherapy.

Between October last year and July this year, most drug abusers sent there were new faces, not repeat abusers.

According to the authorities, the availability of illicit drugs, particularly methamphetamines (or 'yaba'), is one of the reasons many young people become drug addicts. Drug peddlers are active in many communities.

'B' said he started taking 'yaba' when he was 22 years old because his friends recommended it to him.

"I felt like the drug had eased my physical fatigue," he said. "But I ended up being arrested."

The authorities said despite serious crackdowns, the drug scourge continued. The government, therefore, decided to rehabilitate drug abusers.

"We plan to set up rehabilitation centres in all provinces. We aim to help them give up drugs and return to a normal life in society," said Office of the Narcotics Control Board deputy secretary-general Sirinya Sitdhichai. A 24-year-old man at the centre, who had been taking methamphetamine for five years, said he initially planned to run away from Ban Fah Khao.

"But after two weeks here, I feel really good. Doctors have advised me how to give up drugs," he said.

He said he was taught how to rehabilitate himself physically and how to reject offers of drugs.

"I wanted to kick drugs before but had not managed to have enough strength given all the people and the community around me [who use drugs]. But now I know how to stay clear of drugs even if I have to go back to the same old community," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Ex-drug-users-now-getting-high-on-life-in-the-far--30269188.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-21

[anto]

A Thai success story ,hence no comments from the usual gang .

[Somtamnication]

Hard road ahead for him and others. I can only wish him the best.

[jaidam]

sadly after reading the recent Thaksin thread it seems the majority of Thais would rather he was executed by Thaksins police hit squads. An opinion I do not share! Best of luck to them and their sobriety - it aint easy.

[Loptr]

They are kidding themselves if they do not include alcohol as a drug and there are an awful lot of alcoholics in Thailand... Nice try, but no cigar...

[doremifasol]

Well done, wish them a clean future

[speedtripler]

A Thai success story ,hence no comments from the usual gang .

Id hardly call it a success story already ........he hasnt even been home yet so theyre interviewing him at the end of a rehab session ?

what would you expect him to have said ??

Im going to go back to my village and locate the nearest dealer and get hhigher than a mo fo kite ?

[noahvail]

It would be helpful to view the actual recidivism rates...which would include those who have been through the rehab program and later either returned to it or who were sentenced to jail. If the numbers are better than the world standard, then by all means set up the rehab centers in all the provinces; but if the numbers are worse, then modify the trial program until it's working well, then do the nation-wide rollout. I do give them lots of points for trying, and wish the graduates much success in their life-long battle against addiction.

[BritTim]

A Thai success story ,hence no comments from the usual gang .

It is the right approach. How successful it is we really do not know. Similar schemes elsewhere in the world (while better than most alternatives) have a high failure rate.

[Toscano]

This young man has spent 3 months at the drug rehabilitation centre .

Often people are discharged after two weeks , if their blood or urine show no sign of the drug .

Who you know , who your friends are is a major factor ; people with drug taking friends risk retaking yaba as soon as they leave the rehab centre .

A couple of years in prison , one hopes , keeps them free of it to break the addiction .

[maidee]

maybe he can become a police volenteer snithc, to catch some drug dealers in his home town,

but most of the TVF people here seem to hate snitches

[sawadee1947]

let's see where he is in one year time.....What kind of drug he's using then?

(I was working in this field many years. My experience: relapse rate 78%)

[Colabamumbai]

Once a junkie the thought of doing it never leaves you, no matter how many years or decades you are clean.

[fang37]

My personal experience - alcohol. 5 years minimum.

Change of life mandatory. Without that, a return battle is highly likely.

Never CURED, just in remission!

[how241]

Well done, wish them a clean future

+1...Best of luck !

[Broeno]

If this is the first succes story, how many have they be treaten untill now. then these should have failed.

[SantiSuk]

A Thai success story ,hence no comments from the usual gang .

Read on. They were just lurking

[cookee68]

All the years living in Thailand and he did not know how do grow a veg, or to raise a chicken, second nature to breathing for Thai,s, lets hear his story in 3 months time, it is not high on life he is getting, it is high on bullshit that he has