Chalerm favours rehab for drug users

Chalerm favours rehab for drug users

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung has offered to extend leniency to those whose urine turns purple during a drug test.

The deputy prime minister told police officers in a meeting at the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MTB) head office on Wednesday that those testing positive for drugs should be rehabilitated instead of being arrested.

The new policy is in contradiction to current police practice of immediately arresting anybody failing a drug test when their urine turns purple.

Mr Chalerm defended his new policy, saying it should encourage people in Bangkok using illegal drugs to turn themselves in for treatment.

About 60% of people in Bangkok used illegal drugs, according to the deputy prime minister in charge of the police force.

“Police should not focus only on arresting illegal drug users but also on getting them to stop using narcotics as well. Rehabilitation seems to be the best method to me,” Mr Chalerm said.

He also pressed Bangkok police to address the problem of gambling on horse racing arcade games.

Mr Chalerm said that he cannot directly remove the arcade machines but he can put pressure on police to closely monitor the activity and also to not be involved with the illegal operation.

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