During the four days from July 22-25, officers netted 24 suspects charged with serious drug offences and 19 arrested for drug use, Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat announced at a press conference at Provincial Hall on Friday (July 25).
Officers also seized 1,873 methamphetamine pills (ya bah), 43.64 grams of crystal meth (ya ice), three grammes of ketamine and five ecstasy pills. Seven assets worth an estimated B123,000 were also confiscated, he added.
The results of the anti-drugs operation were deemed so important that they were announced at two events at Provincial Hall on Friday: first in front of an assembly of uniformed law-enforcement personnel in front of Provincial Hall; and again at the press conference held inside Provincial Hall.
However, Governor Sophon went on to emphasise the results of anti-drug operations in Phuket in the past.
From Oct 1, 2023 to July 21, 2025, law enforcement on Phuket closed 2,262 drug cases, which involved arresting 2,379 suspects – including 1,401 for serious offences and 978 for drug use, Governor Sophon explained.
He added that seized during that time were:
- 253,876 methamphetamine pills
- 28.9kg of crystal meth
- 1.49kg of cocaine
- 28,268 ecstasy pills
- 4 kilogrammes of ketamine
- Other illegal substances
Nineteen drug trafficking networks were also dismantled, and 456 assets with a total value of over B42 million were seized during the , Governor Sophon added.
During the 659-day period, Phuket officials closed 13 major cases involving 17 suspects – including two foreigners, he said.
The governor reaffirmed that the province will continue to enforce its zero-tolerance drug policy and expand the “Sustainable Subdistrict Project” to build “drug-free villages”, with 22 communities already taking part. Some 310 people have undergone rehabilitation through the scheme so far.
Governor Sophon reaffirmed that the crackdown will continue in line with national policy and emphasised the need for all sectors to work together to create safe, drug-free communities.
“This campaign is not just about arrests. It’s about long-term prevention, rehabilitation and cooperation,” he said. “We are committed to protecting the people of Phuket from the dangers of drugs.”
“This campaign is about making Phuket a safer, healthier place to live,” said Gov Sophon. “The success so far is thanks to strong cooperation across all sectors – police, health, administration and the local communities,” Governor Sophon concluded.