Today, drug problem has continuously become one of the national problems. It is currently getting more serious and significantly has direct effect on people’s way of life, peacefulness, safety, and the national development. This is due to the fact that drug addicted caused various social problems such as crimes, economic problem, etc. In addition, drug problem currently spreads into many communities including Islamic communities. It thus caused community problems, for example, the addict became paranoid and mentally disturbed, hurting themselves and others, disobeying parents, ignoring Islamic doctrines, committing crimes in the communities. So far, the religious leader, especially, Tok Imam, police officers, and related agencies have attempted to solve these problems but the permanently effective solution is yet to be seen. These are the close dangers that tend to increase and thus lead to the doubt whether the previous attempts were in the proper ways or not. The Provincial Police Region 1, appointed by the government to take charge in the prevention, suppression, and finding solution to the drug problem, is studying the problem solving method, officers’ operations thus far to locate the cause of problems and obstacles. Lesson learned in the practice was found accordingly.
Lesson Learned 1:
Only intention in the prevention and suppression of the drug problem cannot lead to the successful prevention and suppression without policy and clear procedures.
Lesson Learned 2:
Only policy, excellent as it may seem but without efficient organization management, represents a scrap paper.
Lesson Learned 3:
Only the organization, suitable as it may seem but lack of the people’s response, cooperation from the people in planning and operation, results in the total failure
Based on these lessons learned, the policy in the prevention, suppression, and solution to drug problem were defined accordingly to respond to the Government’s policy. Drugs are expected to be permanently eliminated from the community using the “Three No’s” policy namely, No manufacturers, No dealers, and No addicts along with the “Four Coordination”, which are the Coordination with the religious leader, the Coordination with the community organization leaders, the Coordination with the private sectors, and the Coordination with the state sectors. These four companionships join the cooperation in solving drug problems. And the mosques is considered as the center of the solution process since the mosques are the spiritual center for the community and play an important role in the Islamic community. The program was initially started in the four provinces in the vicinity of Bangkok where there is a great number of Muslim residents. There are 125 mosques involved in the program with 410,863 Muslims. There are 34 police stations involved in the program with more than 3,000 police officers. Therefore, solution to drug problem in the community is the critical point to resolve drug problem in the most efficient way.
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