The Public Health Ministry plans to announce a new regulation allowing those found in possession of less than 10 methamphetamine pills to be classified as drug addicts and eligible to enrol for treatment rather than being sent to jail, said the minister, Cholnan Srikaew.
Yesterday, Dr Cholnan revealed at a ministry meeting on drug suppression operations during the 2024 fiscal year that the ministry will redefine the term drug addicts to include patients with a history of substance abuse and will attempt to send them to rehabilitation.
The announcement is part of an overall plan to better deal with drug abuse in the kingdom.
Dr Cholnan said the plan also aims to connect local clinics with major hospitals to aid with treatment processes, including providing easier service access for drug users.
He said the ministry has set up a committee to work with the Narcotics Control Board to amend the ministerial regulation.
The process is expected to be completed in December.
The ministerial regulation will state that anyone who is found to possess over 10 methamphetamine pills will be seen as a drug dealer, while those who possess less will be considered drug users.
Dr Cholnan said the 10 methamphetamine pill number is based on a general drug package, which consists of 10 pills.
However, an investigation is still required to determine if people with less than 10 pills are drug dealers or not.
The ministry will also open small Thanyarak Hospital branches across all of Thailand’s provinces to treat narcotic drug users.
He said 146 community hospitals want to participate in the project, which will begin on Dec 1.
The ministry will also create more psychiatric wards in every state-run provincial hospital, Dr Cholnan said.
At present, there are 69 psychiatric wards in 58 provinces, so the ministry will need to establish more psychiatric wards to cover all 77 provinces, he added.