Pol Col Thawee visited the community on Saturday (Sept 13) together with officials from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Corrections Department, Phuket ISOC, Chalong Police, Rawai Municipality and other agencies. The aim was to review prevention and suppression efforts and to listen directly to the concerns of community leaders and residents.
“The drug problem here has been ongoing for years, despite strict enforcement and many arrests,” Pol Col Thawee said. “It cannot be solved by law enforcement alone. We need treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and suppression to work together.”
He stressed that strengthening the community through career opportunities, youth activities, and education was essential to reduce vulnerability.
“Rawai’s Sea Gypsy village is a traditional community with its own cultural identity, but it faces land issues, insecure incomes and limited opportunities. These conditions increase the risk of drug involvement, especially among youth as young as 12 and 13 years old,” he said.
To help relieve hardship, the minister said he would request Corrections Department officials to assign well-behaved inmates to support community development activities. He also instructed related agencies to integrate efforts with local leaders and residents to build resilience against drugs and create long-term solutions.
Arrest figures underline the seriousness of the problem. From February to September this year, officers in Muang District reported 29 drug arrests, seizing 1,747 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) and 20.74 grammes of crystal meth (ya ice). Chalong Police made 31 arrests, confiscating 1,701 meth pills and 114.28g of crystal meth.
Local leaders echoed the need for sustainable approaches. Panwong Hiranchai, a village security officer, said Phuket’s tourism-driven economy made income readily available, fuelling risky behaviour.
“Changing lifestyles cannot happen overnight. It requires ongoing promotion of community development, including activities that draw on our cultural identity to align with tourism,” he said.
Pol Col Thawee concluded by reaffirming his commitment: “The Sea Gypsy community must become a drug-free area. To achieve this, the government must take the issue seriously, not only with suppression but also by supporting the well-being of our people.”