BMA rewards communities and agencies battling narcotics
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration rewarded communities and agencies that had the best anti-drug efforts to mark International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26.
The event “Bangkokians Beating Drugs” was held at City Hall 1 in Phra Nakhon district on Thursday, presided over by deputy city governor Tavida Kamolvej.
Tavida presented awards and cash prizes to communities, elementary schools, district offices, and public health centres that organised outstanding anti-narcotic campaigns in the past year.
“Drug problems in Bangkok have become worse in the past five years, and the city needs participation from all parties to keep them at bay,” she said. “The key to successful anti-drug campaigns is to build immunity among community members, especially by ensuring that young children have proper knowledge of drugs and how to stay safe from them.”
Tavida added that the city has been supporting community efforts to battle drugs, including by providing healthcare, rehabilitation and career training to former addicts, and increasing local surveillance.
The BMA is now in the talks with several relevant agencies to establish cooperation and exchange information regarding drugs to identify communities at risk and address problems such as the economic and social limitations of each community, she said.
The BMA’s Social Development Department is the central agency for developing drug rehabilitation protocols in collaboration with the Public Health Ministry’s Social Rehabilitation Centres.
The protocols focus on reintegrating former addicts into the society as well as creating a welcoming environment for them.
