3,500 police officers in Chiang Mai take drug tests

Chiang Mai plans to ask 3,500 officers from every police station in the province to take a drug test to build confidence and trust in the community after the daycare centre massacre in Nong Bua Lamphu.

The Commander of the Chiang Mai Provincial Police, Thawatchai Pongwiwattanachai, reported to Thairath today that the police are to kick off a project called “Clean Police (โครงการตำรวจสีขาว).” The police, from high-profile to non-commissioned officers, will get drug tests by the end of this week.

Thawatchai explained that this project was launched to build trust and confidence in the community with its officers after former police officer Panya Khamrap murdered 37 people last week.

According to the report, urine drug testing kits will be sent to 38 police stations in the province and 3,500 officers will give samples by the end of this week.

If any officer is tested positive for drugs they will be sent to a drug rehabilitation centre and punished according to the law. Furthermore, those officers will be seriously punished if they are also involved in the illegal drug trade.

Thawatchai added that the police always had meetings to discuss drug problems in the community. He added that officers would do their best to stamp out those problems in the community and send addicts to a rehab centre.

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