The report, released on the official NNT website at 5:02pm yesterday (July 1), quotes Phuket Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok as saying the province is now on high alert against the spread of heroin as there have been heroin-related arrests every month, including five cases in May 2018. (See report here.)
V/Gov Snith is also quoted as saying that “all related agencies have been instructed to be on high alert and implement drug prevention and suppression measures, as well as block the smuggling of drugs into the province by land, sea, or air. This includes the prevention of drug smuggling in ordinary postal packages sent via private carriers”.
V/Gov Snith came when he spoke in regard to the drug situation in Phuket and stated that the authorities have been working to suppress drug abuse in the city as drugs are the root cause of many social problems.
“However, the city continues to see an increase in drug use, with Kratom now the most popular, followed by methamphetamine pills (ya bah), crystal meth (ya ice), and cannabis,” V/Gov Snith said according to the NNT report.
“Kratom, a psychoactive drug, has recently become the most widely available drug in Phuket province despite efforts to suppress drug abuse,” he added.
On February 13 this year The Phuket News reported the arrest of Chaloemsak Matchawet from Takua Thung, Phang Nga at 10:30pm on Feb 12 when he was found in possession of three plastic bags containing 585 ya bah pills stashed in his underwear, and one small bag containing 109 milligrams of heroin in his left shoe.
Chaloemsak told police that he had bought the drugs from a man named “Off” whose last name he claimed not to know, for a price of B15,000 per 200 pills and that he paid B45,000 in total. (See story here.)
On June 11, the Phuket Provincial Police announced recent arrests for drugs made in their continuing campaign “Battling crime for the good of the community” set for May 28 – June, three of which were heroin-related. (See story here.)