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Drug Free Mosque Program
Provincial Police Region 1
Thailand

The Problem

1.Background and situation
Today, drug problem has become a national problem. It is currently getting more serious and has significant direct effect on people’s way of life, peacefulness, safety. Moreover, it also has a great impact national development due to the fact that drug addiction 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 permanent effective solution is yet to be seen. These are the close dangers that tend to increase and thus lead to doubt whether the previous attempts were indeed correct 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 problems, cannot lead to successful prevention and suppression without policy and clear procedures.
Lesson Learned 2:
Policy, excellent as it may seem, 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.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
2.Development Success Indicator
The committee has appointed indicators for evaluation of the process as follows:
1.No more manufacturers, dealers, and addicts left in the community
2.Satisfaction level of people recognizing crime problems, recognizing the strength of the community. Implemented basis was the high satisfaction of people, high strength of the community, safety of life and property. The implemented statistic value was the average values with the acceptable limit of 80 percent.
3.Agreement and cooperation with the implemented measures using the complete assigned procedures of which the evaluation was divided into two parts as follow:
Part 1: Quantitative Evaluation
1.Evaluation accomplished from the whole relevant target group associated with drugs in the Islamic community including the manufacturers, dealers, addicts, and the risk group
2.Evaluation accomplished the seven-step process of the program including evidence documents and photos accompanying each procedure.
Part 2: Qualitative Evaluation
1.Using the evaluation based on the questionnaires to evaluate people’s satisfaction in every mosque, qualified according to Item 1 as follows:
1.1Using systematic selection sampling method with 30 percent of the total population
1.2Once the population is determined, the satisfaction evaluation criteria of Ajlan Johnson will be applied in the next step.
2.In-depth interview with those who are involved in the program including the Provincial Islamic President, Tok Imam, rulers, drug involving people, and responsible police officers.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
3. Development Team
In order to proceed with the program, the operation committee has been appointed to handle the program as follows:
1.Policy Committee comprising the commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1 as a committee and the Samut Prakarn Islamic Committee President as an advisor.
2.Program Executing Committee comprising the commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1 as a committee and the Provincial police officers as committee and the four-province Islamic Committee President as an advisor.
3.Evaluation Committee comprising the commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1 and appointed police officers
4.Program Executing Committee of the Provincial Police
5.Mosque Committee

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
4(A)Strategic Plan in Problem Solving
1.Using the Three No’s policy as previously mentioned for strengthening network responsible for preventing drug problem and crime in the community according to 7 procedures.
2.Using the “Four Coordination,” as previously mentioned to build alliance. The guidelines are as follows:
2.1Coordinating with various organizations with common intention to resolve drug problems, especially, the religious leaders with vital roles in solving drug problem in the community.
2.2Coordinating in accumulating resources from various organizations such as local administrative organizations, administration officers, public health officers, State Enterprises and private sectors, etc. Activities to be conducted are:
- Seminar for the juveniles and interested persons
- Appointing police officers working in the community
- Coordinating with public health section to handle those who wish to quit drugs
- Arousing the community to realize and to act against drugs
3.Strategy of categorizing target groups:
- Juveniles
- Employees
- Unemployed
- Traders
4.Strategy in designating mosques as the center to resolve problems since mosques are the spiritual center for the community and play an important role in the Islamic community. In addition, the Tok Imam is the religious leader who is respected and trusted by Muslims in the community.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
4(B) Important Key to Development
1.Good working groups at all levels. Great effort, patience and full cooperation are the main factor to overcome all of these obstacles.
2.Cooperation between the community, religious organizations, and various agencies to resolve drug problems. All sectors give high priority to the program, participate in the activities of the program, and provide support in forms of resources.
3.Continuously updating, storing, and analyzing information every consecutive month. The information is jointly analyzed each month to find approaches to resolve the problem and brought into the meeting of the administration section of the Provincial Police Region 1 to inform participants of the progress of the program.

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
4(C) Difficulties found in the process
In the Islamic community, the “religious leader” has significant role to strengthen the community and involves daily life of Muslims. Therefore, the religion is very significant for creating network. Cooperation from the religious leader is thus important. According to Islamic doctrine, the officials must show respect by meeting the religious leader in person. Otherwise, there will be some misunderstanding and regarded as disrespect. This will cause many difficulties in getting cooperation from Muslims in the community. Understanding Muslims’ way of life is the major factor to the cooperation in the solution to the drug problem.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
4(D) Resources used in the problem solving and associated expenses
1.Financial resource will be used in various activities, e.g., arranging the meetings, organizing the opening ceremony of program, providing a training to community relations staffs and volunteers as well as making a flag and picture of Majesty the King etc.
2.Personnel resource relates to the allocation of the police officers to be on duty at every mosque to ensure safety, give advice, and search for cooperation from the local Muslims and the responsible people. Before performing a duty, all police officers will be trained how to conduct while working in the mosque.
3.Equipment resource includes supply of various instruments such as office tools to be used in the related jobs and the vehicles and fuel to facilitate transportation to different mosques.
4.Administration resource includes the long term planning, setting goals to complete the entire program from June 2008-July 2009. The plan is composed of 7 steps:
1) Preparation
2) Action
3) Creating an united front in the “Four coordination” system
4) Strengthening the potentiality of Islamic community
5) Coordinating with staffs responsible for prevention, suppression and remedy.
6) Follow-up and evaluation of program
7) Public opinion of Muslims in the community and proclaim itself as “Drug Free Mosque”

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
5.Is the process stable and practical with other areas?
Committee meetings are held monthly. The policy-level and mosque working groups join the meetings to report the progress and related information as well as difficulties experienced during the operations. The meeting participants then cooperatively analyze and settle the course of actions for treatment. A process is set in place for continuous follow ups and results in an efficient operation process. Except four suburban provinces, the operation has been expanded and applied in another five remaining areas of responsibility. In addition, the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand realizes the importance of the program. Therefore, the Drug Free Mosque program is planned to proceed in every mosque in Bangkok and all over the country.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
6. Strengthening the Service System
The above “Four Coordination” is implemented in accordance with the established plan. This is accomplished by encouraging community residents to take part in solving drug problem. Once people in the target group participate in every procedure, the community will be strengthened accordingly. Having requested for cooperation in finding drug abusers or addicts in the community, it appeared that the great number of the addicts willing to join the rehabilitation program. Once the rehabilitated addicts return to their communities, the police officers will continuously follow up to make sure that they can lead their lives normally and have promising careers and will not become unemployed, vagabond, and will never return to drugs. If the process is done in the complete cycle and the society accepts the return of these former addicts, it is expected that they will not revert to drugs again. If the community is strong enough, it becomes possible to set various measures to tackle drug problems. Measures that may be taken include social, religious and monitoring measures, as well as law or even economic measures. These methods are aimed at preventing and monitoring existing problems. If the community takes part in appointing measures or methods by itself, people will accept the local regulation. It thus results in the effective enforcement of these measures. This will lead to more effective solution for the existing and future drug problems or even crimes and other problems. People’s lives will be more safe and secure. They finally feel satisfied with officers’ performance and foster more cooperation in the near future.
Therefore, developing the stronger communities in a sustainable way requires the following factors:
1. All related sectors must be dedicative, patient, determined, and putting all efforts to resolve problems in the Muslim communities.
2.Involvement of the leaders of the religion, communities, private sectors, government sectors, and operating officers who must seriously and continuously cooperate in the same team with the work planning to provide helps, supports, contribution to each other.
3. Making operational system with clear and practical procedures with the proper guideline into the same direction for all operating officers.
4. Residents in the communities cooperate and understand the intention of the program
5. The important thing that has great effect is that the police officers and all related sectors take pride in this mission, which is the contribution to help the human-beings for better peaceful lives and the development of the country.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Provincial Police Region 1
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Pol.Col.Mongkol Ketphan
Title:   Superintendent  
Telephone/ Fax:   02-9362177
Institution's / Project's Website:   02-9362180
E-mail:   songkiat53@hotmail.com  
Address:   Provincial Police Region 1 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road,
Postal Code:   10900
City:  
State/Province:   Bangkok
Country:   Thailand

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