3 days ago
Acting PM affirms anti-drug stance
Acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai affirmed the government's commitment to combatting the spread of narcotics in the country, before adding officials who are negligent and/or complicit in the illegal drug trade will face serious consequences.
Speaking on the national TV programme Okadthai ("Thai Opportunity") on Sunday, Mr Phumtham said tackling the country's drug epidemic is one of the government's top priorities. He also promised to address the problem with sustainable solutions, instead of temporary measures.
He echoed sentiments voiced by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and suspended PM Paetongtarn, saying illegal drugs are a major obstacle to national development, as it hinders economic growth at the grassroots level.
The acting prime minister said he has received complaints from several community leaders who claimed many local officials — from district chiefs to provincial governors — are complicit in the drug trade.
"People are aware of what's going on. They wonder why [those officials] can continue to claim that they don't know, when we all do," he said.
He admitted that enforcement has been a problem in the past, with those in power failing to decisively act on known offenders.
'From now on, if I visit an area and see a problem, I'll immediately order those officials to be transferred elsewhere. I did the same when tackling call-centre scams. I removed the police chiefs in three districts in Tak for allegedly backing illegal casinos,' said Mr Phumtham, who is also the Interior Minister.
'If I see negligence or complicity, they'll be removed first, then they'll face legal action. I believe this approach will bring real change.'
He also said the government is working with Interpol to track regional kingpins and disrupt their financial activities.
In addition, he said, the government has launched a number of campaigns to stop drugs from being trafficked across borders, such as the 'Seal Stop Safe' campaign, which targets drug smugglers at the nation's borderswith Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.
He promised to step up border patrols and deploy advanced surveillance tools, including CCTV and thermal drones, to monitor routes used by traffickers.
'I will visit each area without announcement in advance. If I see good work, I'll support it. If I see failure, there will be consequences, regardless of rank.
"Drug suppression is now a national priority, and we must act accordingly,' he said.
He called for local communities to support the government's effort to combat drug smuggling, citing its benefits for the local economy.
"As long as our bureaucratic mechanisms aren't being exploited to commit crime, we can solve these problems," he said.
