Meas Vyrith (left), secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), led the Cambodian delegation, while his Thai counterpart Phanurat Lakboon (right) hosted the meeting. NACD
Cambodia and Thailand have stepped up their collaborative efforts in the fight against drugs, with a new agreement to implement five key action areas aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of their joint drug control efforts.
The agreement was made during the 15th Bilateral Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation, held on May 14, in Krabi province, Thailand.
After exchanging experiences and holding discussions, the two sides agreed to collaborate on five main tasks. They include the inspection of drugs, precursor chemicals, and other chemical substances, drug analysis and identification documentation, education and prevention of drug abuse, treatment and rehabilitation and cooperation on capacity building for drug suppression efforts.
The Cambodian delegation was led by Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), while the Thai side was led by Phanurat Lakboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) of Thailand.
Lakboon emphasised the importance of joint suppression efforts to improve the effectiveness of addressing drug-related problems.
He also expressed his appreciation to the Cambodian side for their continuous and constructive collaboration, which has helped implement the outcomes of the bilateral meeting and brought peace, security and development to the peoples of both nations.
Vyrith thanked Thailand for its consistent support for joint efforts to suppress cross-border drug issues. He also highlighted ongoing cooperation in prevention, treatment for drug users and the control of chemical precursors that could be diverted to narcotics production. This included the use of bilateral mechanisms focusing on capacity building for officials, research activities and information sharing, he explained.
Both sides regarded the spirit of this meeting as one rooted in friendship, mutual understanding and deep, comprehensive dialogue, which resulted in fruitful outcomes and laid the foundation for further strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation. The discussions also contributed to more effective regional mechanisms for combating drugs.
