Thailand - The Colombo Plan Secretariat

Thailand
Inter-agency Cooperation in Combating
Corruption and Illicit Trade
27-29 October 2011, Phuket
by ONCB, Thailand
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Outline
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Policies and regulations on drugs
Trends and concerns
Patterns in age and users
Kingdom’s Unity for Victory over Drugs
Potential demand reduction
Demand reduction: Drug treatment and
rehabilitation system in Thailand
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Policy, legislation and institutional
environment
Policy: drugs users are considered patient and
subjected to 3 principal laws:
1.  Narcotics Law Act 1979: drugs users can
voluntarily undergo treatment unless committed
other punishable crimes;
2.  Drugs Addicts Rehabilitation Act 2002: drugs
users under five charges are referred to
compulsory treatment first;
3.  The Narcotic Act 1979 and Juvenile Act
Symptomatic treatment, vocational training and
TC are provided in some prisons.
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Trends
•  Age of addicts are decrease (7-24 years
old)
•  Ice becomes major challenge
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Concerns
1. Discrimination and stigmatization vs campaign
against drugs use
2. Follow – up and reintegration: Insufficient follow up
system
3. Appropriate reference to treatment programme
4. Maximum use of available services
5. Lack of knowledge about nature of addiction in
service providers
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Drug treatment statistics classified by types of drugs
Methamp.
YR
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Marihuana
Inhalant
XTC
Heroin
Opium
Methadone
35,616 2,141
42,613 1,916
48,355 1,517
79,820 1,370
100,522
1,502
94,077 1,536
4,186
5,233
6,148
7,104
1,559
2,071
1,758
1,740
2,180
8,178
2,549
5
2,699
5
2,915 17
3,569 150
2,559 6,694
7,087 2,027 4,613
334
Kratom
16
7
41
215
276
5
11
96
889
285
141
1,532
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Treatment Statistics
classified by age
www.oncb.go.th
Na#onal Narco#cs Control Policy on Kingdom’s Unity for Victory over Drug Strategy
The prime Minister launched the campaign on September 11, 2011, comprising of 4 main elements.
• Reaffirm the principle that drug addicts are pa@ents who are in need of treatment, a second chance to reintegrate to a society, and systema@c aCer care services
• Prevent vulnerable group and general public from being involved in illegal drugs
• Strictly implement law enforcement
• Proac@ve interna@onal coopera@on on control and interdic@on of illegal drugs and precursor chemicals
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DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION PLAN
• Drug addicts are pa@ents
• Work with understanding of nature of addic@on to bring them back to communi@es
• Community will help iden@fy any abusers in area
• Systema@cally record client’s profiles
• Proper treatment will be provided and aim to reduce addicts with 80% of no relapsing
• Voluntary would be a major channel, which will take place in hospitals, temples, communi@es
• Emphasis on aCercare service to reduce relapsing
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Potential Demand Reduction
Aim: To build anti drug immunity to the
general public and vulnerable groups
Target: School setting, Community setting,
and workplace setting
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Encourage private company on
prevention initiatives
Encourage community-based prevention
initiatives
Voluntary system
Law :
Law
::
Criteria
Narcotics Act 1979
-  Voluntarily apply for treatment before arrested
-  Complete treatment program without criminal
record
Treatment
facilities :
1. Government - 939
-  MoPH and other agencies (MMT- 147)
2. Non- Government - 107
Total: 1,048 - Private hospitals
- Residential centers
- Faith based centers
- Community based approach
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Compulsory system
Law : Drugs Addict Rehabilitation Act 2002
Criteria : - Consumption
- Consumption and possession
-  Possession for own consumption and
distribution possession and dealer
- Consumption and distribution
Treatment 1. Outpatient - 939
facilities :
- MoPH and other agencies
2. Detention center - 86
- Strict detention - 15
- Non-strict detention - 71
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•  Under the Narcotics Addicts Rehabilitation Act
B.E. 2545 (2002), the duration of rehabilitation
shall not exceed six months.
•  A sub-committee of narcotics addicts rehabilitation
may consider reducing or extending the duration
of rehabilitation as appropriate basing on the
result of rehabilitation.
•  The extension and reduction of duration can be
made many times but each extension shall not be
longer than six months and the total duration shall
not exceed three years as from the date of
beginning rehabilitation programme.
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Correctional system
Law :
Narcotics Act 1979 and Juveniles Act
Criteria :
- Arrested under drugs related charges
- Exclude from compulsory treatment
Treatment
facilities :
1. Drugs/General prison - 77
2. Juveniles training center - 94
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Thank you…
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