Another new lethal recreational drug in Thailand
It often occurs at the southern beaches of Thailand, like on Koh Phangan island, where outrageous parties take place and travelers from all over the world party and consume the most makeshift drugs on the planet. Now, Australia’s official representative in Phuket warns of a new drug cocktail made from a local coffee leaf trafficked by criminals who see the market of impressionable tourists who wish to experiment with new drugs.
Kratom, the leaf, is mixed with the insect repellent DEET and combined with cough medicine, cola and ice. Larry Cunningham, Australia’s honorary consul in Phuket, says the drug leaves users in a vulnerable and stupefied state.
At Thailand’s beach rave parties, chaos ensues, and users of kratom often find themselves victims of rape, assault and thefts, which they never report due to the drug’s adverse effects.
“What do you do if you are out of it from taking this stuff and you are dragged away in the night and raped by a pack of Thai guys?” says Cunningham.
Combined with the codeine of cough syrup and a coffee leaf, the kratom cocktail gives user an opiate-like effect for the low cost of only $3.
Since 1943, the drug has been banned in Thailand, but flash forward to today, and you’ll see Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri trying to legalise it. His reasoning is that the use of kratom may detract people from using other drugs in Thailand, like methamphetamine and crystal meth.
“Kratom was used a traditional medicine in the past,” Nitisiri told Thai journalists last week.
When a full moon rises on the beaches of Koh Phangan, up to 30,000 ravers gather together on one kilometer of beach, sipping the kratom cocktails from buckets.
“Previously the buckets contained mixes like cheap Thai whiskey but now drinkers have no idea what is in there,” Cunningham stated.
One distressed Australian women wounded up at the Australian embassy in Bangkok wearing nothing but a t-shirt and bikini. She had been raped the night before, and all her valuables were stolen during the party she attended.
It often occurs at the southern beaches of Thailand, like on Koh Phangan island, where outrageous parties take place and travelers from all over the world party and consume the most makeshift drugs on the planet. Now, Australia’s official representative in Phuket warns of a new drug cocktail made from a local coffee leaf trafficked by criminals who see the market of impressionable tourists who wish to experiment with new drugs. Kratom, the leaf, is mixed with the insect repellent DEET and combined with cough medicine, cola and ice. Larry Cunningham, Australia’s honorary consul in Phuket, says the drug leaves...
It often occurs at the southern beaches of Thailand, like on Koh Phangan island, where outrageous parties take place and travelers from all over the world party and consume the most makeshift drugs on the planet. Now, Australia’s official representative in Phuket warns of a new drug cocktail made from a local coffee leaf trafficked by criminals who see the market of impressionable tourists who wish to experiment with new drugs.
Kratom, the leaf, is mixed with the insect repellent DEET and combined with cough medicine, cola and ice. Larry Cunningham, Australia’s honorary consul in Phuket, says the drug leaves users in a vulnerable and stupefied state.
At Thailand’s beach rave parties, chaos ensues, and users of kratom often find themselves victims of rape, assault and thefts, which they never report due to the drug’s adverse effects.
“What do you do if you are out of it from taking this stuff and you are dragged away in the night and raped by a pack of Thai guys?” says Cunningham.
Combined with the codeine of cough syrup and a coffee leaf, the kratom cocktail gives user an opiate-like effect for the low cost of only $3.
Since 1943, the drug has been banned in Thailand, but flash forward to today, and you’ll see Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri trying to legalise it. His reasoning is that the use of kratom may detract people from using other drugs in Thailand, like methamphetamine and crystal meth.
“Kratom was used a traditional medicine in the past,” Nitisiri told Thai journalists last week.
When a full moon rises on the beaches of Koh Phangan, up to 30,000 ravers gather together on one kilometer of beach, sipping the kratom cocktails from buckets.
“Previously the buckets contained mixes like cheap Thai whiskey but now drinkers have no idea what is in there,” Cunningham stated.
One distressed Australian women wounded up at the Australian embassy in Bangkok wearing nothing but a t-shirt and bikini. She had been raped the night before, and all her valuables were stolen during the party she attended.
