Thailand targets low-cost meth precursor flooding country with 180,000 pills/hour

The call comes after the government launched a crackdown on drugs, specifically methamphetamine, in the wake of Thursday’s mass killing that left 37 people dead, mostly young children. The killer, Panya Khamrab, was an ex-policeman who had been sacked due to methamphetamine possession.

ONCB secretary-general Wichai Chaimongkhon said sodium cyanide is a problem because its legal status allows drug rings to make meth pills at cheaper cost. The street price of a tablet of meth in Thailand is now as low as 20-25 baht, as illicit drug labs use sodium cyanide to pump out about 180,000 pills per hour.

“The ONCB is now pushing for controls on the chemical so that it will not be abused,” Wichai said.

He added that Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin is in talks with the US Drug Enforcement Agency on how to cut off supplies of the precursor.

Wichai listed the ONCB’s six measures to combat Thailand’s drug problem as prevention, suppression, seizure of assets, rehab for drug addicts, cooperation with foreign governments, and management.

He said prevention helps to suppress the trade because if there are no buyers, then traffickers cannot sell their drugs.

On foreign cooperation, the ONCB is exchanging information with neighbouring countries to intercept drugs smuggled into Thailand.

The cooperation has been expanded to Europe and Australia, he said, adding that Canberra has invited Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam, the justice minister and ONCB officials to observe drug suppression operations there.

On drug rehab, Wichai said ONCB actions were in line with a 2016 UN accord to deal with traffickers as criminals and drug addicts as patients.