New fears for Thai drug users

Between February and April 2003 the Thai government started a ‘war on drugs' with the aim of ‘eradicating all drugs in Thailand' in time for the then prime minister Thaskin Shinawata's birthday. This brutal pogrom against drug users resulted in the deaths of 2,819 people and the forced detention of tens of thousands more. In June 2003, Lifeline along with drug workers, drug users and human rights groups throughout the world joined forces for an international day of protest against these state sanctioned murders. Of course the deaths of so many people did not eradicate drug use in Thailand.

Shinawata was eventually overthrown by the military and is currently the owner of Manchester City football club. Since January Thailand has a new government headed by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. Within days of the recent appointment of interior minister Chalerm Yubamrung the war on drugs was re-instated. "Narcotics must be lessened in 90 days, although they can't be wiped out," said Chalerm, a former police captain whose son was acquitted of charges of killing a policeman in a bar for lack of evidence. Drug users and human rights groups in Thailand fear a repeat of the horrors of 2003.

Lifeline will attempt to keep up-to-date with events in Thailand and post any news we receive on our web site.

See history:
http://www.actupny.org/reports/thai_support.html http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/497/thailand_investigations_drug_war_killings_get_underway
http://www.ukhra.org/thailand.html
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=4225 http://www.aidsinfonyc.org/tag/activism/thaidrug.html

Michael Linnell
Director of Lifeline Communications