Drug Use in Thailand

Drug use in Thailand is becoming an increasing problem. Heroin and opium are still popular drugs in Thailand, but they are being replaced by yaba. Yaba is a combination of caffeine and methamphetamine, which is mainly manufactured in Myanmar. Other drugs like ecstasy and cocaine are also becoming a serious concern in Thailand, but not as much as heroin and yaba.

Thailand has strict laws against drug users, which include the use of the death penalty for drug traffickers. However, these laws do not stop people from using drugs, and ongoing drug use in Thailand is affecting all levels of society.

The History of Opium and Heroin Use

For centuries, opium was a problem in Thailand. In 1958, in an attempt to rid the country of the problem, the government decided to ban opium; this led to a rise in heroin use and about one year later, Thailand experienced its first heroin epidemic.

Heroin use diminished, but in 1967, the second epidemic began. People in the north of Thailand still used opium, but in the rest of Thailand, injecting heroin was more common. By 1993, estimates suggested that there were 1.27 million drug abusers using heroin in Thailand. Today, heroin and opium are both a problem still, but Yaba has overtaken these drugs as far as use goes, and it has become one of the main concerns for the government in Thailand.

Yaba

Yaba means ‘crazy medicine’ in Thai. Yaba was outlawed in Thailand in the early 70s. However, the drug has grown in popularity in Thailand due to its easy availability and low price. Yaba comes in tablets that are most often red. New users often simply swallow the tablets, but as the users become addicted and increase their dosages, they often crush the tablets and snort the drug or smoke the drug off a piece of foil. The drug can also be injected. To enhance the appeal of the drug to young people, the tablets are often candy-flavoured, with grape, vanilla and orange being popular flavours. 

The drug is used throughout Thailand’s schools, and unfortunately, many students are not aware of the harmful and addictive effects until it is too late. Yaba abuse is so rampant among the younger Thais that schools are carrying out random urine tests on their students.

The drug instils a sense of self-confidence and can also initially increase performance and stamina. The drug also appeals to many young people in Thailand because, to them, it’s fashionable and trendy. Thailand has released many ads trying to inform the Thai people about the dangers of this drug, but the rate of use is not slowing down. People claim to like the energy it provides and the carefree feeling that accompanies it.

Yaba is now not only a problem drug in Thailand but is becoming a problem in surrounding countries, and last year, it started becoming popular in Europe and the US. The small size of yaba pills makes it relatively easy to transport the drug across the porous Thai-Myanmar border. With Thailand being a major tourism destination in Southeast Asia, it’s easy to see how the spread of yaba to other countries was almost inevitable.

Drug Statistics in Thailand

A household survey conducted in 2007 showed that yaba is the drug used by most Thais between the ages of 12 and 65. Heroin, inhalants, and ecstasy then follow. The survey estimated that there are at least 4,000 heroin addicts in Bangkok alone. Most of these addicts inject heroin. Fifteen percent of yaba users also injected the drug instead of smoking it.

In 2002, there were 215,209 drug-related arrests; 70,000 of these were Thais convicted for yaba-related offences. Estimates suggest that at least 5% of the population in Thailand uses Yaba.

Health Concerns

Thailand’s heroin and other intravenous drug users have a high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS or hepatitis because needle sharing is common. Thailand is considered to be a country with an HIV/AIDS epidemic, with at least half of the intravenous drug users being HIV/AIDS positive.

Sex workers in Thailand are known to use heroin and yaba. As a result, the workers are more likely to have unprotected sex. This will lead them to contract not only HIV/AIDS or hepatitis but also other sexually transmitted diseases.

Government Treatment Option

Despite the Thai government’s severe stance towards drug use, they recognise the seriousness of the problem and are taking steps to help users deal with their addiction. 

Thailand has set up numerous government treatment and rehabilitation programmes for drug users. Admissions at these centres have increased dramatically over the past twenty years. Yaba is the most common drug of choice for those admitted, then heroin, and the third most popular drug is opium.

Government treatment centres have a high rate of readmissions from people who have relapsed immediately after completing their programme. Many of these programmes are overloaded and suffer from a general lack of knowledge among the staff. Many addicts refuse to get treatment at these centres due to a lack of privacy and the concern that the police and government will place them under increased scrutiny.

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