Thai authorities use social networks to nail drug traffickers

BANGKOK, October 12 (TNA) - Thai agencies concerned, including the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), now use social networks to crack down drug trade and traffickers. ONCB Secretary-General Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen told journalists on Friday that the application of social networks recently led the ONCB to arrest students who sold drugs via Facebook in the Thai North. Police General Pongsapat said his agency, thus, plans to now use social networks to ask people to report illicit drug businesses to the ONCB via the Internet and the ONCB hotline number, 1386. Besides, the ONCB chief acknowledged, he has also ordered his subordinates to watch out for online drug trafficking, as the youths are actively using online social networks, and to keep a close surveillance on parcels to block drug delivery by mail. The new ONCB chief suggested that authorities concerned use the Internet as well to convince the youths not to abuse drugs, noting that over the next three months, the ONCB will be seriously tackling narcotic problems at 12 drug-plagued communities, three in Bangkok and the rest in other provinces. Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will launch her government's new anti-drug campaign on October 20. (TNA)