BANGKOK, 19 April 2012 – A recent opinion survey by Assumption University has indicated that drug problems remain rampant in the country, with more than three million Thais using narcotic drugs over the past year.
The poll, which covered 48 million people aged between 12 and 65 in 17 provinces, has revealed that 76 percent of the respondents believed the disappearance of Pseudoephedrine – based cold pills was linked to production of methamphetamine. About 66 percent disclosed that drug trafficking and abuse could still be seen in their communities.
The survey has also found that nearly four million respondents had ever used other kinds of drug apart from alcohol and cigarettes. The number of drug users aged below 24 is estimated at one million while that of adult drug users is estimated at two million.
The northeastern region has the highest number of drug users with more than one million. Coming second is the central region with 700,000 drug users. The northern and southern regions rank third and fourth with 500,000 and 300,000 drug abusers respectively. Bangkok alone has 200,000 drug users.
Forty-one percent of the respondents think the anti-drug campaign during the Thaksin-led administration was more effective than that currently carried out by the Yingluck administration. Thirty-three percent have an opposite view. Twenty-six percent have no comment. As much as 65 percent are not quite satisfied with the government’s performance in drug suppression while the rest are very satisfied.
