New drug war causes human rights concerns

It is well known that the northern Thai provinces were once notorious for opium production, and these days many farmers still use drugs as cash crops. Every year or so, the government of the Thai north’s biggest province, Chiang Mai, announces and implements a series of drug raids, seizing great amounts of drug crops, these days mostly marijuana.

A new war on drugs has been declared this year by Minister of the Interior Chalerm Yubamrung, and his policies are harsh. Some NGOs in the area have pressed authorities to abide by international human rights standards on their upcoming campaign, citing how the last raids under disposed PM Thaksin Shinawtra were criticized not only in Thailand but abroad for their inhumane blitzes of cruelty and intolerance.

A quote by the minister shows just how he plans to carry out his scheme, as he reports, “If drug dealers do not wish to die, they should change their ways. Whilst I am Interior Minister, drug suppression strategies will follow those used during former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s time in office. If this leads to the deaths of 3,000-4,000 criminals, then so be it. As to those of you in the opposition party, I will say that you care more about human rights than the drug problems in Thailand�.