AYUTTHAYA, 26 June 2013 Authorities staged the 42nd annual drug incineration ceremony in Ayutthaya province on Wednesday, in a bid to reiterate the government’s tough stance on illicit substances.
The ceremony held at Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate was presided over by Deputy Public Health Minister Dr Cholanan Srikaew, on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. 3.3 tons of seized illegal drugs worth 10 billion baht were burnt at the ceremony. The lot comprised 2,793 kilograms of methamphetamine pills, 298 kilograms of crystal meth, 125 kilograms of heroin, 4 kilograms of ecstasy, and 17 kilograms of cocaine.
The incineration was a continuation of the government’s efforts to stamp out drug use in the Kingdom. The government earlier said that it considered drug suppression a key policy and burning the drugs was one measure to stop drugs from reaching communities nationwide.
Dr Cholanan said that the number of drug abusers in Thailand has reached 2 million. This year, the Public Health Ministry plans to rehabilitate over 300,000 addicts.
