Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced his government will eliminate the abuse of methamphetamine pills within its tenure and measures will focus on quick confiscation of drug dealers' assets.
The prime minister made the announcement while presiding over the incineration of 25 tonnes of narcotics in Samut Prakan province on Sunday. The destroyed illicit drugs from finalised cases included 12 tonnes of methamphetamine pills, 11 tonnes of crystal meth and 418 kilogrammes of heroin.
"Narcotics problems have been on the government's national agenda since its formation," Mr Srettha said on the occasion.
In the first year of its tenure, the government would reduce the illegal drugs problem as much as possible and methamphetamine pills would disappear within its tenure, he said.
"As prime minister, I lead the combination of efforts from all organisations and people to solve the problem and I will keep following up on progress," Mr Srettha said.
"The problem must be reduced within a year and this government will eliminate methamphetamine pills. I will destroy all of them, like what you see today," the prime minister said at the narcotics incineration event.
According to him, effective solutions will be the quick seizure of drug dealers' assets and fast destruction of seized narcotics.
"If authorities take too long to confiscate drug dealers' assets, they will be financially healthy enough to resume their narcotics business," Mr Srettha said.
"Drug dealers must be tackled decisively. These people are criminals who should not just be jailed. What they fear most is the confiscation of their assets. I ask organisations to impound their assets as soon as possible and not to let them be transferred conveniently," the prime minister said.
Other solutions will include the rehabilitation of drug addicts, prevention of drug abuse and the suppression of drug smuggling.