Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Tuesday asked the army to beef up forces to suppress illicit drug smuggling along the Myanmar border and unrest in the South.
Speaking after meeting with army chief Gen Songwit Noonpackdee, Mr Srettha said he acknowledged the policy and plans of the army on resolving the unrest in the South with the cooperation of their Malaysian counterparts and measures to suppress illicit drug smuggling from Myanmar.
The soldiers will work closely with police to suppress drug smuggling seriously, he said.
"I also urge the army to extend their help to people in many issues that are related to their lives, such as extending help to citizens during flood or drought, working closely with local authorities to suppress illicit drug trafficking or helping to reduce the environmental impact such as prevent or put off forest fires. I want to see a closer relationship between the army and local residents," said Mr Srettha.
Meanwhile, RAdm Thanitpong Sirisawetsak, the Defence Ministry spokesman, told the media on Tuesday that the army will provide rehabilitation facilities in some of its military hospitals for patients with mental disorders caused by illicit drugs.
During the first phase, starting this month until February next year, a pilot project will be carried out by the Royal Thai Army Medical Department. Four of its hospitals in Prachin Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani and Kanchanaburi will have a mental health rehabilitation and recovery centre. The project will be expanded next year to cover five more hospitals in Udon Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Lampang and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Each army hospital will have a facility to handle up to 10 patients.
Afterwards, mental health rehabilitation and recovery centres will be introduced to the remaining 27 military hospitals. In total, they will be able to handle up to 110 patients, he said.