Speaking at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday (June 19), V/Gov Snith revealed that kratom had weighed in as the number one controlled substance in local drug arrests according to statistics reported for April.
“Kratom is still very widespread in Phuket. Despite efforts by officials strictly searching for drugs, kratom is smuggled into the province to be sold all the time,” V/Gov Snith said.
“From the statistics of drug arrests in April, arrests for kratom were number one, followed by ya bah [methamphetamines], ya ice [crystal meth], and marijuana, respectively,” he added.
Most arrests were for drug possession, followed by drug possession with intent to sell, V/Gov Snith noted.
The official report for the meeting, which was also attended by local police, marked that relevant organisations in all three districts in Phuket had been ordered to “investigate for strict suppression” of illegal drug use, with a special mention that schools should take steps to prevent youths from becoming involved in drugs.