Thai Government Sets Up Command Center for War on Drug

Prime Minister Yinglak Shinawatra presided over the ceremony to launch the operation of a national agenda called National Command Centre for Combating Drugs (NCCD) at the Santi Maitree building in the compound of the Government House on 11 September. Yinglak said poll results from several offices state that the public wanted the government to urgently address drug problems since drug figures have increased rapidly. According to a 2007 statistic, there were then 490,000 drug abusers. The figure has tripled over the past four years. For this reason, the government has made anti-narcotic operation a national agenda as suggested by Her Majesty the Queen. It expects to reduce the prevalence of drug problems in one year. Relevant authorities need to integrate their effort to reduce the prevalence of drug problems by 80 percent.
Antinarcotic Operation
There are six factors in the antinarcotic effort during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration. First, authorities based their operation on areas with drug problems and divided jurisdiction among relevant authorities. Second, relevant authorities had been assigned to share responsibilities. Third, the database of drug traffickers and prospective traffickers and abusers at the district and provincial levels should be synchronized with the government's database. Fourth, it had identified 300,000 drug abusers that could be rehabilitated. Fifth, it set up the protocol for assignment between the government's anti-narcotic center and provincial agencies. And six, it designated clear focal points for each operation. This government will incorporate the poll results with its operation plan, which comprise six components. First, it will empower the people with the concentration on urban communities and villages. This requires cooperation from all sectors.
The government will also incorporate the suggestion of Her Majesty the Queen in its antinarcotic operation. Second, the government will address drug abuse problems by regarding abusers as patients.
Third, it will prevent the spread of drug abuse in vulnerable areas. The government will reduce the number of vulnerable areas from more than 80,000 communities to more than 60,000 communities. Fourth, the crackdown on drug traffickers and influential people will be based on the rule of law. The enforcement of legal measures must be fair for all. Fifth, the government will promote the cooperation with other countries and border authorities in preventing and suppressing the trafficking of narcotic drugs and reactants into the country. And sixth, the government will convince more than 600,000 patients to receive medical treatment.
Set Goals
The Yinglak government has set the following six goals:
First, it will curb narcotic problems and strengthen 60,000 communities to immediately reduce drug demand in the market. Second, the government has set up a national center on anti-narcotic effort, the NCCD, which is the center of the cooperation between relevant ministries, provinces, local administrative organizations and border agencies. Third, it will build up the structure of authorities and responsibilities among relevant officers, including criteria for rewards and punishment. Fourth, the government will base its operation on people in communities and the participation of all sectors. They are expected to regard this issue as an urgent issue. Fifth, the government has asked the Office of Narcotics Control Board to support the NCCD. Sixth, the Finance Ministry and the Bureau of Budget will allocate budgets to authorities at all levels to enable them to work smoothly. This is because the government has truly made its anti-narcotic effort a national agenda.

Punjab Police Launches Anti-Drug Smuggling Drive

The positive outcome is likely to emerge from the green signal given by the Punjab Government to the police to start a drive to prevent smuggling of narcotics in the state. For a long time, Punjab has been the epicenter of narcotic products, especially heroin smuggling. Recently, the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered the biggest consignment of heroin which value in the international market is estimated at $27.5 million.

The contraband was pushed into Punjab from across the border and the same was to be sent to Delhi, Mumbai, and abroad. This process has been ongoing for a long time. Smugglers across the border have been transacting this trade in connivance with their counterparts on the Indian side.

It cannot be denied that this trade could not be made possible without collusion with the security forces and custom authorities on either side. Yet, nevertheless, the credit for recovering such a large consignment of heroin goes to the BSF personnel.

Impact on the Youth
The smuggling of narcotics obviously leaves a massive impact on the youth of Punjab. Not only do they fall victim to the adverse effect of the drug addition, they also play into the hands of smuggles. In order to meet the requirement of their drug addiction habit they get involved into smuggling activity being carried out by antisocial and unlawful elements.

In addition to heroin, other narcotic products are also used by the youth. There are certain areas of the state where the youth find themselves entrapped in the quagmire of drugs. Owing to this, not only the state's economy is being adversely affected but the progress of development projects also is being hampered.

It is not that steps have not been taken by the state administrative machinery to stem this trend. From time to time, steps have been taken toward this end at the social and administrative level, but no positive result has emerged so far.

Special Anti-Drug Addiction Campaign
Now that state Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has directed the Punjab Police chief to start a special anti-drug addiction campaign, it is to be hoped that some positive results would emerge in the near future. In 2007, a total of 111 kg heroin was seized.

In the current year, up to mid August, 125 kg heroin has been seized so far. A major part of this seizure is likely to be consumed by the youth in Punjab. Badal has underlined the need to secure the cooperation and coordination of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) so that the menace of drug addiction could be controlled in an effective manner.

Tight Security Needed
In addition to foreign smugglers and intelligence agencies, anti-social elements also must be behind this large-scale smuggling of narcotics from the long border with Pakistan. Given that a large number of youth in Punjab are suffering from drug addition, its fallout in the form of threat to the security of the Indian borders and regional integrity cannot be ruled out.

Hence, it has become imperative to beef up vigilance along the border along with endeavors to keep the young generation away from drug addiction, through the cooperation of NGOs at the social, religious, and political level.