Anutin proposes tougher drug laws, presumption of dealing for possession

Bangkok, October 21, 2026 — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, serving as Interior Minister and head of the Bhumjaithai Party, alongside members of his party, have introduced two draft bills to reinforce Thailand's drug laws. The proposed amendments encompass presuming that individuals possessing narcotics intend to sell them, heightening penalties for drug users, and broadening investigative authority.

The bills, intended for presentation to House Speaker Sophon Sarum, are designed to fortify drug enforcement, eliminate legal loopholes, and enhance access to rehabilitation.

The proposed legislation seeks to augment the Office of the Narcotics Control Board's (ONCB) powers, enabling them to access central databases and exert control over online content that promotes drug use. Additionally, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau would obtain court approval to gather communications and data for drug-related investigations.

The draft also extends the maximum detention period for drug-related arrests from three to seven days, providing more time for investigation and the pursuit of larger criminal networks.

Moreover, the amendment enables individuals responsible for caring for someone suspected of drug use to seek treatment and rehabilitation on their behalf voluntarily. Anutin highlighted the government's intensified anti-drug operations, involving police, ONCB officials, local administrators, and the military. He cited a clash during an operation in Phetchaburi on October 20, stating that such confrontations with suspected traffickers were losses the government aimed to prevent.

Anutin emphasized that the government would not depend on chance to avoid such losses and called for comprehensive prevention and suppression measures to reduce casualties and combat drug trafficking. Sophon acknowledged the crisis in the drug situation, leading to widespread hardship, and underscored the legislative and executive branches' cooperation in proposing the stronger measures. The two bills must undergo the parliamentary process before becoming law.