Ministry of Justice mobilizes efforts in hosting the international conference to fight drug problem
Poverty and lack of opportunities are the main causes of drug problems as well as other related crimes. Alternative Development is an approach to tackle drug problems by introducing alternatives for villagers not to get involved with drugs, particularly,
Alternative Development Programmes incorporate not only crop replacement but also development of key basic factors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, income generation and improvement of quality of life to ensure self-sufficiency and as a result a sustainable development.
Due to its long experience and success in implementing royally-initiated alternative development projects to solve illicit opium plantations and drug problems and improve the quality of life of the hill tribes and highland people, the Royal Thai Government is proud to share its expertise and best practices on alternative development according to the “Philosophy of the King” with the World.
In November 2011, Thailand together with Peru and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) co-hosted the International Workshop and Conference on Alternative Development or ICAD1 in which study visits took place in Thailand in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai with 152 participants from 28 countries worldwide. ICAD1 culminated in the draft of the International Guiding Principles on Alternative Development: (IGPs on AD). The draft was presented to and endorsed by the High-Level International Conference on AD in Lima, Peru in November in 2012. After endorsement, Thailand played a leading role to accelerate the adoption of the IGPs on AD at the 56th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and later at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, which was then known as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development or UNGPs on AD in December 2013.
In Thailand, these AD guidelines have been practiced for more than 40 years. This year, 2015, the hosting of the International Seminar Workshop on the Implementation of United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development 2: ICAD 2 during 19 – 24 November 2015 in the provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Bangkok represents the pride of the Royal Thai Government and provides it a good opportunity to inform the world that Thailand remains a leader in alternative development, successfully applying the “Philosophy of the King” to eliminate illicit crop cultivation with the King’s Philosophy becoming an integral part of the UNGPs on AD.
The Ministry of Justice and ONCB invite all Thai people to jointly demonstrate their great respect and gratitude to His Majesty the King and his royal dedication to alternative development to solve illicit opium cultivation on the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King’s 88th birthday anniversary on 5 December 2015. ICAD2 will present his wisdom through royally-initiated projects that help both Thai people and the world according to the “Philosophy of the King”. It is a great opportunity for Thailand to show its best practices and leadership on alternative development that can solve not only illicit crop plantation and drug problems but also promote sustainable development which is a key goal of the United Nations for the world in the years to come.
