Cambodia is examining the "Drug Free School Project" being successfully implemented in Laos to enhance the effectiveness of drug education and dissemination efforts.

Lim Tong Huot, director of the Education and Public Relations Department of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), and Suphaphat Hib Orsot, advisor in charge of drug issues at the Thai Embassy in Cambodia, held a meeting on August 2 to discuss drug prevention projects in schools.

Tong Huot mentioned that during the meeting, the Thai side introduced the project which is currently being implemented in Laos through the Thai International Cooperation Agency (TICA).

“The project was successfully implemented in Laos, and they want to expand it to Cambodia … We will adjust it to fit our country's situation and will examine the possibility of [implementing it],” he told The Post on August 2.

The meeting was conducted under the auspices of Phana Veunida, deputy secretary-general of the Cambodian Development Cooperation Board (CDCB) of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).

She applauded and supported the initiative, recommending that it be prepared promptly to be included in the agenda of TICA’s mid-term meeting on implementation cooperation, scheduled for September.

Tong Huot also emphasised that while the idea originated from Thailand, Cambodia will develop and tailor the project.

He said the country can learn from Laos’ experience of deploying it.

He also stressed the importance of the many slogans that are posted in Cambodian schools to educate students about the dangers of drugs.

“Every family sends their children to school, so we educate them there, raising awareness on drug-related issues,” he said.

“When students are informed, they will share this knowledge with their families, which helps address the drug problem more openly. Authorities can then continue their efforts to combat trafficking, reducing the government’s concerns about the issue,” he added.

Tong Huot stated that the fight against drugs requires a multi-sector and multinational effort, which cannot be achieved by any single entity alone.

“We support and welcome all parties to participate in outreach projects to expand our drug education efforts quickly and extensively,” he said.

In the first six months of 2024, he claimed that drug education initiatives reached approximately 16 million people.

Municipal and provincial courts handled a total of 527 drug-related cases involving 1,337 suspects, with 1,031 arrests made in July 2024 alone, according to the Ministry of Justice.