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The drug situation in Thailand: the role of government and the police
Author(s) -
CHEURPRAKOBKIT SUTHAM
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/09595230096101
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , opium , drug , drug control , drug trafficking , illicit drug , drug prevention , criminology , business , public relations , medicine , political science , law , substance abuse , pharmacology , psychiatry , psychology , philosophy , linguistics
Abstract Thailand has long dealt with the drug problem and has used several strategies to control it, including promulgating and amending drug laws, implementing drug suppression and prevention policies, cooperating with international organizations and, more recently, developing treatment facilities. Although Thailand has recently received positive results regarding reducing the opium cultivation area in the Golden Triangle and in arresting some major drug‐trafficking individuals, three important issues still remain: (1) the continuation of using Thailand's advanced transportation system for the movement of illicit drug activities, (2) the rapid increase of amphetamine use among teenagers and (3) the Thai police officers' lack of concern about the drug problem and insufficient knowledge about drug laws. The article concludes that the Thai government must emphasize drug prevention strategies and the interception of illicit transported drugs and motivate its police officers to more fully enforce drug laws. In addition, more research is needed to measure the effectiveness of the drug prevention strategies and treatment programs.