The Effectiveness of the Implementation of 2016 (B.E.2559) United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem Resolution in Thailand

Abstract

This article discussed the outcome of the research on the Effectiveness of the Implementation of 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem Resolution or UNGASS 2016 Resolution in Thailand. The objectives of the study were to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of UNGASS 2016 Resolution in Thailand which is an implementation of drug policy while ensuring other relevant 4 social aspects namely (1) the respect and protection of human rights (2) the implementation of age-appropriate measures (3) gender-appropriate measures and (4) criminal justice measures. The research also aimed to identify factors conducive to the effectiveness of UNGASS 2016 Resolution implementation in Thailand and to identify problems and obstacles in the implementation process. This research utilized qualitative study complemented with quantitative study. The qualitative study used data from 2 main sources: primary data from interviews of key informants in relevant agencies in Thailand and participant observation during national and international meetings related to drug policy, and secondary data from documents of various agencies and relevant researches. The quantitative study was conducted by analyzing data from questionnaires’ responses by 4 groups of sample population namely the key informants who played role in giving directions for policy implementation, implementers in various agencies and people who were affected by the policies which were divided into 2 sub-groups: children and youth and women prisoners who committed drug-related crime. The result of the study found that some of the policy recommendations indicated in UNGASS 2016 Resolution were implemented strongly in the drug policy implementation in Thailand especially the protection of Right to the highest attainable standard of Health, the implementation of age-appropriate measures in drug prevention, the implementation of gender-appropriate measures for women prisoners from drug offences, and diversion measures to reduce overcrowding of prison population. However, some areas needed to be improved such as the respect and protection of human rights during the arresting process, drug treatment in children and youth outside the criminal justice proceedings including girls and women and alternatives measures to imprisonment. Main problems and obstacles of the policy implementation were the lack of synergy between relevant agencies. Policy implementation in some areas were contradictory between agencies such as between law enforcement agencies and harm reduction agencies. There was lack of resources, especially, experts in some fields. Moreover, there was a high level of interdependence between agencies, which means that approval of policies’ objectives or policy acceptance from various agencies needed to be ensured in order to attain the implementations’ outcome, which proved to be more difficult than the low level of interdependence between agencies. The result of the study can be applied to improve and address the UNGASS 2016 Resolution implementation process in Thailand and can help to develop drug policy which increasingly takes into consideration other social aspects especially the respect and protection of human rights, the implementation of age-appropriate measures, gender-appropriate measures and criminal justice measures.