On the Frontline of Thailand’s War on Drugs

Introduction

Thailand has had some of the strictest drug laws in the world, but they began changing this approach in 2022 by legalizing cannabis in an attempt to lessen the prison population and bring tourists back. SBS Dateline investigates Thailand’s war on drugs by speaking with various frontline workers, from an elite task force that fights drug trafficking to social workers and people with lived experience. They discuss the legalization / decriminalization of cannabis, the widespread use of yaba, a type of methamphetamine, and how their harsh drug policy overwhelmed the prison system.

Quotes

“In June this year (2022), Thailand legalized cannabis. Touted as a plan to complement the wellness industry, a raft of cannabis businesses have popped up overnight.”

“Highland Cafe is Thailand’s first legal weed cafe. Catering primarily to locals at the moment, word is starting to spread about Thailand becoming Asia’s answer to Amsterdam. It’s pretty mind-blowing to be here in a store where doing this probably would get you locked up 12 months ago, and now it’s being used to hopefully lure tourists back into the country.”

“A former hotbed for heroin smuggling, the region is now flooded with synthetic drugs. The most problematic one for Thailand is a meth pill called Yaba. In the first seven months of this year, Pha Muang (a specialist military unit targeting drug smugglers) seized 120 million yaba pills, almost double the amount from last year.”

“The 2021 coup in neighbouring Myanmar has not only led to political instability, it’s also resulted in meth and yaba being produced at extreme levels to fund the fight against Myanmar’s military. This flood of drugs means it’s cheaper and more available than ever before and it’s having a devastating impact in some of the most vulnerable parts of the country.”

“She (Mae Vivorn) estimates that 80% of the households in this village have someone using yaba … Nearly all the families in this village have been impacted by yaba. And many addicts from this region have found themselves jailed for a minor offence.”

“Thailand previously considered anything over 0.375 grams of hard drugs trafficking, a charge that attracted a minimum four-year sentence. As a result, 80% of the inmates here are jailed on drug charges. This hardline approach, coupled with the influx of cheap drugs, has led to a prison system running at triple its official capacity.”

“Thailand is softening its hardline approach to drugs in a bid to lower prison populations and lure tourists back. But for inmates jailed under the former regime, the real challenge lies outside the prison walls.”

“Women make up 14% of Thailand’s total prison population. That’s the world’s highest ratio of female inmates.”

“We will never win the drug war because the drug problems that exist in this world, in Thailand’s community, are so much more complicated than any human in any position can comprehend. Because drug problems in Thailand are related to inequality, poverty and opportunity – this is why the problem persists. The government intends to suppress rather than prevent the problem. So, in my opinion, the policy should be questioned because it has failed.”