CABINET NOD FOR BIG ANTI-DRUGS CAMPAIGN

B2,006m Budget For 54 Projects

Forty state agencies will take part in a cabinet-approved drugs bust
next fiscal year.

Families, communities and schools will be asked to help.

Government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said cabinet yesterday
endorsed the Narcotics Control Board's proposal for 54 anti-drug
projects to be run by 40 work units under 10 ministries and two
independent organisations with a budget of 2,006.69 million baht in
fiscal 2001.

Under the proposal, all these agencies will spend their allocated funds
on anti-drug activities only, and must consider setting aside budgets
for their units in the provinces based on the degree of severity of
drug problems in each province.

Communities and educational institutes will be used as bases to build
up the people's resistance to narcotics and to ensure that drug addicts
are treated as patients.

In addition, all kinds of anti-drug operations will be mobilised to
combat drug production, trade and smuggling in Thailand.

The projects are aimed at easing drug problems in at least half of the
country's districts, with co-operation from families and communities.

According to the goals of the projects, at least 50% of Thailand's
villages and communities should apply for drug-free community
programmes and at least 25% of them must become drug-free zones.

At least half of the country's schools and educational institutes must
be free of drugs and the number of drug-addicted students should be cut
to less than 10%.

No less than 300,000 drug addicts must be offered medical treatment and
rehabilitation on a voluntary basis.

Eight more drug rehabilitation centres will be set up in every province
and the capacity of existing ones, including those in eight
correctional centres, 70 prisons and 24 youth observation centres, must
be improved.

It is also hoped to reduce the number of major drug producers and
traders by 400, limit opium-growing areas to under 7,000 rai, and
destroy all marijuana plantations.

Under guidelines for the projects, drug suppression will focus on drug
producers and smugglers, influential figures and corrupt state
officials.