Ministry to combat yaba abuse among Thais in Israel
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The Foreign Ministry has joined with related agencies to combat methamphetamine (yaba) abuse among Thai workers abroad, acting on a report that around half of the 27,000 Thai workers in Israel suffered with the problem, which is costing Bt50 billion in lo
Thongchai Chasawat, director-general of the Consular Affairs Department, said yesterday that a recent inspection of Thai workers’ camps in Israel found that many workers were taking two tablets of yaba a day.
Besides affecting their health, the yaba abuse fuelled assaults against Israeli citizens, which could damage bilateral ties between the countries, he said, adding that drug trafficking by Thais in Israel is also tarnishing Thailand’s image.
Witthawan Sunthornkhajit, deputy secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said the maximum punishment for taking yaba in Israel was six months in jail. He added that the ONCB would join forces with the Foreign Ministry, Thai Post, Customs Department, the Employment Department and Narcotic Suppression Police in a working committee to prevent and suppress yaba trafficking from Thailand to Israel.
As a short-term solution, all packages sent to Israel would be rigorously checked and senders would be required to show their ID cards, while Israeli authorities would crackdown on yaba dealers, most of whom are Thais working illegally in Israel.
The Thai Embassy’s Labour attach
