Illicit Drug use in the Asia Pacific Region - Burnet Institute

Situational analysis of illicit drug issues and responses in the Asia–Pacific region
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Despite reductions in the overall number of
seizures, quantities of drugs seized in Thailand
between 1999 and 2003 have generally
increased . Seizures of heroin and opium have
increased from 404 kilograms in 1999 to 635
kilograms in 2002, and from 2046 kilograms in
1999 to 4034 kilograms in 2002 respectively .
There has been a seven-fold increase in the
quantity of ecstasy seized from 1999 (21,000
tablets) to 2002 (147,000 tablets) . Cocaine
seizures have also increased dramatically
from 0 .62 kilograms being seized in 1999
to 14 .73 kilograms seized in 2002 (Office of
the Narcotics Control Board, 2003a) .
Law enforcement activities and seizures
of drugs bound for international markets
continue to implicate Thailand, especially
Bangkok, in international drug trafficking .
In 2003, drugs were seized being imported
for sale in Thailand, seized in transit through
Thailand destined for other countries and
seized being exported from Thailand (Office
of the Narcotics Control Board, 2003a) .
Crop studies and crop eradication statistics
The 2003 opium survey conducted by the
Office of the Narcotics Control Board reflected
trends in previous years of reduced opium
farming in Thailand . It was estimated that
842 hectares were planted with opium in
2003 . Findings from the 2003 survey also
showed that farmers replanted areas that have
been destroyed in previous years . Farmers also
planted opium crops amongst legitimate crops
in an attempt to avoid detection .
It is estimated that 767 hectares of the 842hectare
opium crop were destroyed in 2003,
leaving an estimated yield of about 1 .81
tonnes of opium . The Office of the Narcotics
Control Board (2003a) predicts that opium
production could increase in the 2004 season
as opium prices are expected to rise due to
the ongoing war in Afghanistan and successful
eradication of opium from Myanmar .
A11 .4 Drug-taking practices,
risk factors and trends
Drug-taking practices in Thailand have
remained stable over the last few years . High
levels of ATS use prevail, with smoking being
the most prominent route of administration .
Several studies have suggested links with
increased HIV risk associated with ATS use,
especially among youth who report increased
sexual contact and reduced condom use
while intoxicated . Links between ATS use
and mental health problems have also been
reported (Lewis, 2003) .
As discussed in the policy section, violence
associated with recent policies of suppressing
drug use and drug users are a major risk
factor . There have been numerous reports
of violence targeted at people suspected of
being involved in the drug trade (Human
Rights Watch, 2004) .
Due to the lack of harm reduction services
for IDUs in Thailand, HIV is a major risk
factor associated with drug use . Recent
reports from Thailand suggest that IDUs in
metropolitan areas are injecting Domicom,
a pharmaceutical drug with sedative effects,
to enhance the effect of heroin . This practice
increases the likelihood of overdose and also
the chance of injecting-related infections .
Recent studies suggest that heroin injection
is more prominent in southern Thailand than
previously thought (N . Thompson, personal
communication, April 2005) .
A11 .5 Summary table
Estimated number of drug users 2–3 million (50,000–100,000 IDUs)
Main drugs used ATS, cannabis, kratom, inhalants
and opium and heroin
Drugs injected Heroin and ATS
Estimated prevalence of
HIV infection among IDUs
30–50%
A11 .6 Country responses to drugs
Agreements and treaties
Thailand is a party to the 1961 United Nations
Single Convention, the 1971 UN Convention
on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988
UN Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in
Narcotics .
Thailand, along with Cambodia, China, Laos,
Myanmar and Vietnam, signed a UNODC
Memorandum of Understanding covering a
subregional action plan aimed at controlling
precursor chemicals and reducing illicit
drug use in the highlands of Southeast Asia .
Thailand is also a member of ASEAN and a
signatory to the ACCORD ‘drug-free ASEAN
by 2015’ agenda .
Thailand has bilateral agreements relating to
drug issues with Myanmar, the United States
of America, Australia, France and Japan .
There is also a UN-convened Harm Reduction
Task Force which is to monitor the implementation
of harm reduction responses in Thailand,
including support of the TDUN global fund
grant . At this stage the functioning of this task
force has not been investigated publicly .
Policy responses
In 1976 Thailand’s parliament passed
the Narcotics Control Act, setting up the
Narcotics Control Board, chaired by the Prime
Minister, and the Office of the Narcotics
Control Board, which has the responsibility
of coordinating all matters pertaining to
drug control and serving as the secretariat to
the Narcotics Control Board . Since the introduction
of this Act, Thailand’s drug control
policy has focused on reducing drug supply
through law enforcement, by crop control
and by tightening access to pharmaceutical
drugs including precursor chemicals used in
the production of heroin and ATS .
Upon taking office in 2001 Prime Minister
Thaksin declared the ‘prevention and
suppression’ of narcotic drug abuse as one
of the three major problems to be addressed
by his Thai Rak Thai Party government .
Integrated into the 9th National Economic
and Social Development Plan (2002–2006),
the government announced its drug
strategy — Ruam Palang Pandin — which,
literally translated, means the strengthening
of national integrity to fight drug problems .
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Country profiles: Thailand