NARATHIWAT: Significantly lower drug prices in Sungai Golok have transformed this border town into a major attraction for addicts, including many Malaysians from neighbouring Kelantan.
Thai authorities have responded by intensifying operations to dismantle syndicate activities throughout the area.
Supeeyan Daemokleng, chairman of the Sungai Golok Narcotics Administration Centre, confirmed that besides its notorious nightlife, the town has become a hub where addicts rent homestays specifically to satisfy their addictions.
“Although the majority of addicts in Sungai Golok are locals, we do not deny that Malaysians also come here due to the entertainment scene and cheaper drugs.”
“Methamphetamine-type drugs, in the form of syabu and yaba pills, remain the most widely smuggled substances from the Golden Triangle area to Bangkok, Songkhla, Narathiwat, and Sungai Golok, before crossing into Malaysia.”
Supeeyan added that the price of yaba pills here can be as low as 10 baht (RM1.40) each, with some reports suggesting they can be obtained for as little as two baht (RM0.30).
By contrast, in Malaysia, the price of the same pill can reach RM5 to RM8, due to legal risks, smuggling costs, and supply constraints.
Supeeyan said that, to curb syndicate activities, local authorities now conduct three to four raids every week.
“Our approach is clear: No Drugs, No Traffickers. We are committed to fighting drugs at the grassroots level, as instructed by the highest authorities in Bangkok. We believe that, without strict action, more drugs will be smuggled into Malaysia for big profits.”
He also disclosed that last July, authorities successfully seized 615 kilogrammes of syabu, worth hundreds of millions of baht, in the Sungai Golok area, bordering Lubok Gong, Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, and arrested several local suspects, believed to be involved in the trafficking syndicate. – Bernama
