thailandedition
Surin School Drug Bust: 30 of 100 Students Test Positive for Narcotics

Surin School Drug Bust: 30 of 100 Students Test Positive for Narcotics

Matichon•Society•4h ago

Reader Briefing

A significant drug problem is emerging among students in Surin, with a recent test revealing 30% of high-risk junior high and high school students tested positive for narcotics.

  • •A survey of 100 high-risk students in Surin found 30 positive for narcotics, highlighting a growing drug issue among youth.
  • •Senator Rujiphas Meekusol visited Surin to address the escalating problem of drug addiction and network suppression.
  • •New drug users are being identified from as young as Prathom 6 (6th grade) up to junior high school students.

Overview

  • •On June 3, 2026, Senator Rujiphas Meekusol visited Surin Province to discuss drug prevention and suppression efforts.
  • •Senator Rujiphas Meekusol visited drug rehabilitation centers and studied behavior modification programs for individuals undergoing probation.
  • •The visit by Senator Rujiphas Meekusol occurred due to the escalating severity of drug problems in Thai society, now classified as a 'national security threat'.
  • •Nearly 2 million people are reportedly involved with illicit drug use nationwide.
  • •Recent incidents of murder in Surin Province have been linked to drug-related psychosis.
  • •The Senate's Legal Affairs and Justice Committee is scheduled to visit Surin on June 5-6, 69, to study drug prevention and suppression.
  • •During his visit, Senator Rujiphas Meekusol spoke with a 59-year-old former drug user and a 19-year-old youth who started using drugs at age 14.
  • •A test of 100 high-risk students (Prathom 6 to Mathayom 3) at a Surin secondary school revealed approximately 30 students had narcotics in their urine, with nearly half being female.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Matichon (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Quotes

19-year-old youth
"I finished Prathom 6, studied until halfway through Mathayom 2, got into a fight with a teacher, so I quit. Now I study non-formal education. I don't want to come back. Mom visits often, and also said I started using drugs at 14."
ผมจบ ป.6 เรียนถึงแค่ ม.2 ครึ่ง ต่อยกันกับครู ก็เลยลาออก ตอนนี้เรียน กศน. ไม่อยากเข้ามาอีกแล้ว แม่มาเยี่ยมบ่อยๆ พร้อมบอกด้วยว่า ตนเองนั้น เสพยาตั้งแต่อายุ 14 ปี
19-year-old youth
"In schools, students use a lot, and I used to sell to students. From Prathom 6, they start using. It's hard to fix, the kids are confused. Even big schools can't stop it. Teachers don't know they're using because kids hide it in the bathroom."
ในโรงเรียน เด็กนักเรียนก็เสพกันเยอะ และเคยขายให้เด็กนักเรียน มีตั้งแต่ ป.6 ก็เริ่มเสพกันแล้ว แก้ไขปัญหายาก เด็กมึนด้วย ขนาดโรงเรียนใหญ่ ๆ ยังห้ามไม่ได้ ครูจะไม่รู้ว่าเสพเพราะเด็กจะแอบเสพในห้องน้ำ

Key Entities

Person

Rujiphas Meekusol(นายรุจิภาส มีกุศล)
Senator of Surin Province and Chairman of the Working Group for Studying, Preventing, and Suppressing Drug Networks and Crime.
19-year-old male youth(เยาวชนชาย วัย 19 ปี)
A young individual who shared his experience of drug use and rehabilitation in Surin.
59-year-old male(ชายวัย 59 ปี)
An older individual undergoing rehabilitation for drug use, encountered by Senator Rujiphas Meekusol.

Place

Surin Province(จ.สุรินทร์)ℹ️
The province where the drug issues and senator's visit are taking place.
Atulo Samran Niwet Forest Park(อุทยานธรรม อตุโลสำราญนิเวศน์)
The location of the 'Sense and Love' rehabilitation program in Surin Province.

Organization

Senate(วุฒิสภา)ℹ️
The legislative body to which Senator Rujiphas Meekusol belongs, involved in studying and addressing drug issues.
Committee on Legal Affairs and Justice(คณะกรรมาธิการการกฎหมายและการยุติธรรม)
A committee within the Senate that will visit Surin Province to study drug prevention and suppression.
Surin Provincial Volunteer Defense Corps(กองร้อยอาสารักษาดินแดน จ.สุรินทร์)
A local defense force unit in Surin where Senator Rujiphas Meekusol visited individuals undergoing rehabilitation.
Department of Provincial Administration(กรมการปกครอง)ℹ️
A government department responsible for the citizen rehabilitation program visited by Senator Rujiphas Meekusol.
Ministry of Interior(กระทรวงมหาดไทย)ℹ️
The ministry overseeing the Department of Provincial Administration and its rehabilitation programs.
A secondary school in Surin Province(โรงเรียนมัธยมแห่งหนึ่ง ในพื้นที่ จ.สุรินทร์)
A school where a drug screening program identified a significant number of students testing positive for narcotics.