Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin backed efforts to further use seized assets from narcotic drug cases to help fund the rehabilitation of drug addicts.
Mr Somsak on Tuesday said when he chaired the Justice Ministry, he had amended some narcotic laws, including those that focus on seizing assets.
He said a previous set of laws was too passive concerning asset seizures, resulting in only 20 million baht yearly going to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board's (ONCB) narcotic drug fund when it should have been much more.
"We have to change from the defensive approaches to emphasise asset seizure and offer rewards for tip-offs," he said.
Mr Somsak said that related sectors are working to ensure the law allows using the ONCB's narcotic drug fund to help rehabilitate patients suffering from mental disorders associated with chronic drug use.
This follows an update of the Public Health Ministerial Policy on Drug Possession Act, published in the Royal Gazette on June 17, which emphasises the need to encourage drug users to undergo rehabilitation.
Mr Somsak said anti-drug efforts are a national priority, which includes treatment for drug addicts.
He said the ministry has developed Community-based Treatment and Rehabilitation and Harm Reduction Centres (CBTx) facilities nationwide.
Approximately 10,000 CBTx facilities have become a key component in helping addicts and drug users access comprehensive treatment, he said.
Those who complete their rehabilitation at CBTx will be sent to one of the 3,258 Social Status Rehabilitation Centres in order to prepare them to return to society.
Last year, at least 1.9 million narcotic drug users in Thailand were reported to have received medical help for their addiction. Of those cases, 38,000 were considered to have been in a critical state.
