New Anti-Drug Campaign Risks Abuses : Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch called on the Thai government to end punitive treatment of drug abusers, carry out major reforms in policing, and provide justice for the close-to-3,000 extrajudicial killings during a similar campaign in 2003.

Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch said the Thai prime minister said that this time around killings will not be tolerated, but the government said the same thing last time. "Somchai's credibility is at stake here."

Recently Somchai government has announced the new campaign on drug suppression would focus on a search for drug dealers. The aim was to reduce the supply to users between the ages of 13 and 18.

And those caught buying drugs would have to take part in a rehabilitation program at military camps or be sent to prison. 

Adams said given Thailand's poor record with respect to coerced drug treatment, the statement raises serious concerns.

 "Forcing drug users into badly designed rehabilitation programs is incompatible with international standards requiring fully informed consent to treatment," Adams said. "Furthermore, fear of prosecution and harsh treatment will drive them away from seeking health care services that are theirs by right and that could actually help them."

The director also referred to an investigation into the extra judicial killings that took place during government of Thaksin Shinawatra in which provided shocking findings that 2,819 people had been killed between February and April 2003.

Many of those killed had been blacklisted by police or local authorities as suspected drug dealers. Police officers were suspected to have been involved in many of the attacks, particularly as many were killed soon after being summoned to police stations for questioning.

"Many of the same people suspected of killings and other abuses in the last 'war on drugs' remain in positions of authority," Adams said.

"The government should prosecute and discipline those involved in previous abuses and institute reforms before asking the police to mount another campaign. Otherwise, more people are likely to be killed."