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The Star
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Thaksin declares war on drugs again, vows community scans for pushers
BANGKOK: Forner Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose 2003 'War on Drugs' policy led to over 2,800 extrajudicial killings, declared a new war on drugs on Tuesday (May 27). This time, he vowed to scan communities for drug pushers on behalf of the Interior Minister and the national police chief. Thaksin announced the campaign during a special speech at the Office of the Narcotics Control Board on the topic 'Narcotics, transborder crimes, attitude and challenges for sustainable solutions.' He said he would seek permission from his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to check communities for drug sellers. The findings would be reported to the Interior Minister and the national police chief for further action as part of the campaign. Thaksin also highlighted the success of his 2003 drug war, recalling how government agencies were ordered to scan 'every square inch' for drug trafficking to eliminate the trade. The 2003 campaign is believed to have resulted in the deaths of over 2,800 people within three months. Although initially claimed to be due to drug turf wars, a 2007 government investigation found that more than half of those killed had no links to drug offences. During his speech, Thaksin stressed the need for government agencies to change their attitudes and recognise drug trafficking as a national threat to current and future generations. He urged police and Interior Ministry officials to work together rather than acting separately in the fight against drugs. Thaksin criticised the presence of too many agencies responsible for fighting drugs, suggesting some merely seek suppression budgets without effectively enforcing laws. He identified key agencies in charge of drug suppression as police, soldiers, customs officials, and Interior Ministry officials. Thaksin declares war on drugs again, vows community scans for pushers Thaksin blamed corrupt customs officials for failing to stop the smuggling of precursor chemicals used to make methamphetamine. These chemicals are shipped by sea and then transported to Myanmar's Shan state, controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA). He accused the UWSA of being responsible for the influx of drugs into Thailand. Thaksin boasted good relations with Myanmar's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing and the Laotian Prime Minister, claiming he could seek their cooperation to halt drug shipments into Thailand. However, he pointed out Myanmar's lack of control over Shan state, stating Thailand must handle the war on drugs independently. 'There must be internationally acceptable ways for us to urgently tackle drug manufacturers,' Thaksin said. He added the Thai Foreign Minister would soon discuss measures with Myanmar to suppress the UWSA. Thaksin stated, 'We should not have mercy on the enemy,' referring to drug traffickers. He highlighted the Mekong River as a key smuggling route and urged authorities to intercept shipments by all means, aiming to make 'every village a white village again.' Thaksin urged the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to improve efficiency in drug suppression and southern insurgency operations, warning he would propose dissolving the agency if it fails. 'The ISOC must have a role or it should be dissolved. Otherwise, its budget of over 7 billion baht would be wasted,' he said. He suggested using part of the 157 billion baht central emergency fund for the drug war and to establish drug rehabilitation centres across districts. Thaksin argued that people would accept the suspension of 10,000-baht handouts if the government effectively suppressed drug trafficking. Thaksin called on the Education Ministry to improve curricula, teaching children from kindergarten about the dangers of drug abuse. He also recommended involving the armed forces to secure borders against smuggling of drugs, weapons, and oil. Believing major drug bosses have fled to neighbouring countries, Thaksin stressed the need to investigate pushers in villages and link them to bosses. He urged authorities to seize traffickers' assets and identify the kingpins. 'Nothing under the sun is impossible for Thai police, and they must also receive support from the Interior Ministry,' Thaksin concluded. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Cambodia, Thailand strengthen anti-drug cooperation
Meas Vyrith (left), secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, led the Cambodian delegation, while his Thai counterpart Phanurat Lakboon (right) hosted the meeting. - NACD PHNOM PENH: Cambodia and Thailand have stepped up their collaborative efforts in the fight against drugs, with a new agreement to implement five key action areas aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of their joint drug control efforts. The agreement was made during the 15th Bilateral Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation, held on Wednesday (May 14), in Krabi province, Thailand. After exchanging experiences and holding discussions, the two sides agreed to collaborate on five main tasks. They include the inspection of drugs, precursor chemicals, and other chemical substances, drug analysis and identification documentation, education and prevention of drug abuse, treatment and rehabilitation and cooperation on capacity building for drug suppression efforts. The Cambodian delegation was led by Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), while the Thai side was led by Phanurat Lakboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) of Thailand. Lakboon emphasised the importance of joint suppression efforts to improve the effectiveness of addressing drug-related problems. He also expressed his appreciation to the Cambodian side for their continuous and constructive collaboration, which has helped implement the outcomes of the bilateral meeting and brought peace, security and development to the peoples of both nations. Vyrith thanked Thailand for its consistent support for joint efforts to suppress cross-border drug issues. He also highlighted ongoing cooperation in prevention, treatment for drug users and the control of chemical precursors that could be diverted to narcotics production. This included the use of bilateral mechanisms focusing on capacity building for officials, research activities and information sharing, he explained. Both sides regarded the spirit of this meeting as one rooted in friendship, mutual understanding and deep, comprehensive dialogue, which resulted in fruitful outcomes and laid the foundation for further strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation. The discussions also contributed to more effective regional mechanisms for combating drugs. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
Daily Express
30-04-2025
- Daily Express
Thailand, Malaysia collaborate to dismantle transnational drug syndicate
Published on: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Apr 30, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) dismantled a Thai-Malaysian drug network after arresting two Thai suspects and seizing 261kg of crystal meth in Songkhla, said ONCB official Prin Mekanandha. — Picture by Choo Choy May BANGKOK: Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has dismantled a Thai-Malaysian transnational drug network following the arrest of two Thai suspects and the seizure of 261 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in Songkhla, a southern province of the Kingdom. The ONCB's Director of Narcotics Law Enforcement, Prin Mekanandha, said the operation, conducted on April 24, was the result of a joint effort between Thai and international agencies to counter a drug trafficking network operating between southern Thailand and Malaysia. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Prin said authorities had monitored the network's activities for over a month, working closely with Malaysian counterparts. He said preliminary investigations revealed the network was using Songkhla Province as a temporary storage hub before transporting the drugs to Narathiwat in southern Thailand and eventually across the border into Malaysia for further distribution to other countries. They suspected the drugs originated from the Golden Triangle. 'During interrogation, the suspects admitted to being hired to transport the drugs for delivery to a third country. They also confessed to having previously transported one million methamphetamine pills across the Malaysian border and receiving 120,000 baht for the job,' he said. 'Authorities believe they have already identified key figures within the network. The investigation is ongoing, and the next step will involve the seizure of assets to dismantle the entire drug trafficking operation. 'Phone data indicated that the drugs were initially brought to central Thailand before being transported southward. While most methamphetamine pills are consumed domestically, crystal methamphetamine is primarily exported to countries such as Australia, Japan, and New Zealand,' he said. He reiterated Thailand's commitment to working with Malaysian police to expand the investigation, identify the buyers, and take legal action, including the seizure of related assets in Malaysia. Prin also expressed his gratitude to the Royal Malaysia Police for their cooperation, describing it as key to the successful arrest of the two suspects. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Malay Mail
30-04-2025
- Malay Mail
Thailand, Malaysia collaborate to dismantle transnational drug syndicate
BANGKOK, April 30 — Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has dismantled a Thai-Malaysian transnational drug network following the arrest of two Thai suspects and the seizure of 261 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in Songkhla, a southern province of the Kingdom. The ONCB's Director of Narcotics Law Enforcement, Prin Mekanandha, said the operation, conducted on April 24, was the result of a joint effort between Thai and international agencies to counter a drug trafficking network operating between southern Thailand and Malaysia. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Prin said authorities had monitored the network's activities for over a month, working closely with Malaysian counterparts. He said preliminary investigations revealed the network was using Songkhla Province as a temporary storage hub before transporting the drugs to Narathiwat in southern Thailand and eventually across the border into Malaysia for further distribution to other countries. They suspected the drugs originated from the Golden Triangle. 'During interrogation, the suspects admitted to being hired to transport the drugs for delivery to a third country. They also confessed to having previously transported one million methamphetamine pills across the Malaysian border and receiving 120,000 baht for the job,' he said. 'Authorities believe they have already identified key figures within the network. The investigation is ongoing, and the next step will involve the seizure of assets to dismantle the entire drug trafficking operation. 'Phone data indicated that the drugs were initially brought to central Thailand before being transported southward. While most methamphetamine pills are consumed domestically, crystal methamphetamine is primarily exported to countries such as Australia, Japan, and New Zealand,' he said. He reiterated Thailand's commitment to working with Malaysian police to expand the investigation, identify the buyers, and take legal action, including the seizure of related assets in Malaysia. Prin also expressed his gratitude to the Royal Malaysia Police for their cooperation, describing it as key to the successful arrest of the two suspects. — Bernama
The Star
29-04-2025
- The Star
Thailand, Malaysia collaborate to dismantle transnational drug syndicate
BANGKOK: (Bernama) Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has dismantled a Thai-Malaysian transnational drug network following the arrest of two Thai suspects and the seizure of 261 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in Songkhla, a southern province of the Kingdom. The ONCB's Director of Narcotics Law Enforcement, Prin Mekanandha (pic), said the operation, conducted on April 24, was the result of a joint effort between Thai and international agencies to counter a drug trafficking network operating between southern Thailand and Malaysia. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday (April 29), Prin said authorities had monitored the network's activities for over a month, working closely with Malaysian counterparts. He said preliminary investigations revealed the network was using Songkhla Province as a temporary storage hub before transporting the drugs to Narathiwat in southern Thailand and eventually across the border into Malaysia for further distribution to other countries. They suspected the drugs originated from the Golden Triangle. "During interrogation, the suspects admitted to being hired to transport the drugs for delivery to a third country. "They also confessed to having previously transported one million methamphetamine pills across the Malaysian border and receiving 120,000 baht for the job," he said. "Authorities believe they have already identified key figures within the network. "The investigation is ongoing, and the next step will involve the seizure of assets to dismantle the entire drug trafficking operation. "Phone data indicated that the drugs were initially brought to central Thailand before being transported southward. "While most methamphetamine pills are consumed domestically, crystal methamphetamine is primarily exported to countries such as Australia, Japan, and New Zealand," he said. He reiterated Thailand's commitment to working with Malaysian police to expand the investigation, identify the buyers, and take legal action, including the seizure of related assets in Malaysia. Prin also expressed his gratitude to the Royal Malaysia Police for their cooperation, describing it as key to the successful arrest of the two suspects. - Bernama
