Surat Thani police initiate successful Ban Klang rehabilitation

The police in Surat Thani launched a sustainable community rehabilitation project to address drug problems comprehensively, in line with national strategy. Following successful implementation in the Islamic community of Santisuk, the project has now been introduced in another Islamic community, Ban Klang.

Yesterday, August 25, a meeting was held at the Raotul Jannah Mosque in Ban Klang, Bang Kung subdistrict, Mueang district, Surat Thani Province.

The event was attended by Chaiwat Hatklao, a retired senior police officer and head of the community project inspection team, as well as Warayut Sukwat and Peeraput Karajedi, who are responsible for monitoring and advising on the project’s implementation.

Ban Klang is home to 118 households with a population of 420 people, most of whom are engaged in coastal fishing. Previously, the village had 28 drug-addicted people.

Upon the project’s initiation by the police, all 28 individuals have voluntarily participated in rehabilitation programs, achieving a 100% success rate in voluntary drug cessation. The project has received strong cooperation from religious leaders, aiming to transform Ban Klang into a drug-free community.

The event saw participation from the Director of the Provincial Drug Prevention and Suppression Centre in Surat Thani, provincial and district public health officials, volunteers, villagers, police officers from 17 precincts, and community leaders who gathered to discuss the project’s progress.

The Head of the Surat Thani Police Station, Niphon Chatri, stated that the Royal Thai Police’s comprehensive drug problem-solving initiative has previously succeeded in the Santisuk community, another Islamic village in Bang Kung. The initiative led to the cessation of drug use and sales, setting a precedent for the current project in Ban Klang.

Community leaders in Ban Klang expressed their commitment to surpassing Santisuk’s success without disrupting the villagers’ daily lives. Former drug-addicted people who have successfully rehabilitated are volunteering to support the project, preventing the re-entry of drugs into the village, reported Khaosod.