– Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Bhumjaithai MPs submitted two draft amendments to narcotics laws on the 21st of October, asking that they be treated as urgent.
– One bill would presume that possession above personal-use thresholds is for distribution. It also raises penalties for involving youth or using computer systems to encourage drug use, expands ONCB data access, and clarifies rehabilitation procedures.
– A second bill would allow Narcotics Suppression Bureau police to seek court approval for broader data access and extend the maximum period officials may hold drug suspects from 3 days to 7 days.
– The bills must still pass Parliament. They form part of the government’s stated push to intensify suppression.
Bangkok: Thai Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has led Bhumjaithai Party MPs in submitting two draft bills around illegal narcotic drugs that would expand investigative powers, lengthen detention of drug suspects, and create a presumption that possession above certain thresholds is for sale, leading to stricter punishment.
The bills were handed to the Speaker of the House on the 21st of October with a request that they be listed as urgent. Anutin, speaking as party leader, described the changes as necessary to address a national problem more effectively.
The first draft amends the Narcotics Code. Where the quantity of drugs possessed exceeds the legal threshold set for personal use, the bill would presume the drugs are held for distribution. It would also increase penalties for people who use or encourage minors to commit drug offences, or who exploit legal loopholes.
Additional offences would cover the use of computer systems to induce or encourage drug use. Officials of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board would gain the power to draw data from central databases for case-building, treatment and rehabilitation, and to order the suspension or deletion of online content that promotes drug use. The draft also seeks to clarify rehabilitation steps so they match current practice and to allow family members or caregivers to bring someone in for voluntary treatment.
The second draft amends the Narcotics Procedure Act. It would let police officers from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau apply to the Criminal Court for orders granting access to information in any form or channel for investigation and case expansion. It would also extend the period during which officials may hold a person arrested for a drug offence from a maximum of three days to a maximum of seven days, giving more time to gather evidence.
Anutin said the longer detention window and wider data access were intended to improve the effectiveness of investigations. The presumption of intent to sell when quantities exceed personal-use levels is focused at making charges easier to pursue. Both bills must still be examined and voted on by Parliament before they can become law.
The proposals sit alongside other recent government steps on narcotics, including continued enforcement operations and earlier discussions of rehabilitation pathways. No immediate opposition reaction had been widely reported at the time of the submission.