ADDICTS SHACKLED 24 HOURS A DAY TO PREVENT `COLD TURKEY MADNESS'

Chaining drug addicts is an effective way to have them quit drugs, says a
monk who runs a drug rehabilitation centre in Ayutthaya.

Phra Thawee Ayuwatthago said at his Temjai drug rehabilitation centre in
Wat Worachet temple yesterday that drug addicts were chained around the
clock for 10-30 days to prevent them from going berserk or damaging things
while suffering withdrawal symptoms.

However, staff always sought consent from addicts' parents or guardians
before chaining them, said the 65-year-old monk. He said the measure was
effective because addicts would eventually stop being violent.

Once that happened, patients underwent religious training and herbal
treatment for three to four months, after which most quit drugs for life,
he said.

Public complaints over his methods prompted a delegation of public health
officials to visit the temple yesterday.

Ayutthaya public health chief Dr Thaweekiart Boonyapaisancharoen said he
appreciated the intention of the centre to help drug addicts but chaining
up people was tantamount to torture and should stop.

Ten drug addicts were found chained by their hands and ankles yesterday.

Dr Thaweekiart also told the monk to improve hygiene at the centre.

Phra Thawee said the patients would be unchained if proper buildings were
constructed to contain the "mad addicts".

Pongpat Vijitvorakan, a 24-year-old supervisor at the centre, said he was a
former drug addict who had failed to quit drugs at costly public and
private clinics. He eventually quit drugs at the Temjai centre.

Private clinics usually gave sleeping pills and tranquilisers to patients,
who then became addicted to those drugs.

Mr Pongpat said he had been chained at the Temjai centre. It had been
effective in that he had overcome his drug need.

The 12-rai centre on the Ayutthaya-Sena road accommodates 153 patients,
including five women. It is a branch of the drug rehabilitation and Aids
shelter at Wat Bo Ngern in Pathum Thani.

The branch was developed late last year as the Wat Bo Ngern centre, opened
in 1998, was congested with tens of thousands of drug addicts and Aids
patients.