Bangkok: "Sophon" opened a public forum on solving the drug problem, emphasizing the need for integrated cooperation from all sectors given the fragmented budget. He stated that politics should be set aside for now, and efforts should be focused on amending laws to unlock the country's potential without requiring additional funding.

According to Thai News Agency, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives organized the "House of Representatives Meets the People" project, an activity promoting the House's role in integrated drug problem resolution. Mr. Sophon Saram, Speaker of the House of Representatives, delivered a special address on the topic of "Success in Solving Drug Problems Through the Cooperation of All Sectors," stating that the problem continues to worsen and threaten Thai society. He noted that Thailand is currently facing geopolitical crises, conflicts, trade competition crises, and emerging infectious diseases all impacting the world. A significant impact is the Middle East crisis, which has a massive economic blow. As legislators, they have listened to the executive branch and the people's grievances.

Mr. Sophon stated that, based on his experience fighting drug trafficking for three years while serving as Deputy Prime Minister, he had interacted with various drug-related agencies and observed the problem of fragmented funding across all ministries and departments. The obstacle was that these agencies operated independently. Therefore, he believes that integration is crucial. This opportunity to brainstorm with representatives from multiple provinces, if successful, would mark a new chapter in the country's history. He emphasized that integration has always been a key principle for government operations. He expressed his desire to see integrated use of funds by all sectors during this period of national crisis and limited budget allocation.

'We need to examine the laws to see if they are sufficient. As the Speaker of Parliament, my intention is for the legislative branch to be a driving force for this country, along with the executive branch. That means using laws to solve the country's problems. Therefore, I want to see members of parliament cooperate in resolving issues related to laws and regulations that are obstacles, whether it's investment or addiction, as quickly as possible. I want to emphasize that we should put politics aside and work together because I want to see a country that doesn't need to rely on budgetary investment. We need to amend laws to facilitate and efficiently drive the country forward without needing financial investment. We don't want to see laws expiring before representatives have enacted them. Therefore, what we really need to do together is to reduce the political aspect in some matters. If we all agree on how to move this country forward,' Mr. Sophon said.