The origins of the recent influx of amphetamines into Sanghklaburi , Thailand are unknown and widely debated. The Mon people claim the pills are Karen in derivation, while the Karen point fingers at the Mon. A third contender is Burmese officials, who most people agree have a hand in the illegal trade in some way. The question of amphetamine production is therefore a complex one, not confined to the illegal trade category. Its use has become widespread and very common in Burma .
On a recent visit to Mon state, I spoke to many Mon people, who were concerned about the amphetamine problem in their community. A lot of mothers I spoke to talked about increased amphetamine production as a potential disaster for the future of Mon youth. However, use of amphetamine is becoming ingrained in the community, with many working men also using the drug regularly.
For these men, amphetamine is used as a tool to help them in their work. They feel they can work longer on amphetamine, and not grow tired no matter what the weather conditions. In their view, a pill of amphetamine is akin to a tablet of medicine, and in this way it is an essential life aid.
Teenagers' motives for using amphetamine are less for work and more for partying, using the drug to feel good and be able to consume more whisky than they normally would, without feeling badly drunk or tired. University students in Moulmein (Mawlamyine) in the capital of Mon State stated the same, but in addition they felt it was a useful study aid, as they could stay awake longer and therefore read and study more.
A Moulmein University student stated the amphetamine business is becoming more and more lucrative. He went on to say that at the Moulmein market amphetamine can be purchased as easily as beans; at some counters if you buy ten at a time for 30,000 Kyat each you get a further three pills at a reduced price. With this incentive in place, affordability is not a problem, as many University students use the 'Buy 10 Get 3 Cheap' mode to become dealers themselves, on-selling the three 'bonus' pills and making enough money to survive in the University.
At the same time, opium consumption in the community has come down with more and more people turning away from opium towards amphetamine for a plethora of reasons. Many people stated they did not like using opium because it was harder to disguise usage than amphetamine. Pills can be easily transported anywhere and taken at any time, either swallowed or crushed into a drink. Opium on the other hand has a strong smell, and needs fire in a safe place to be smoked. Also, after smoking opium workplace productivity is massively reduced; users report wanting nothing more to do than lie down and 'zone out'. As reported above this is in stark contrast to the effects of amphetamine on the work, and is one of the main reason older people are turning to pills.
Min Tun, a 17-year old student from Kalorttort village in Mudon Township , wound up spending three nights in hospital injured and unconscious after driving himself and a friend home after using amphetamine and drinking alcohol. He recounted his experience after taking amphetamine when drunk: "You feel as though you are not drunk anymore, so when you drive you feel completely in control. But you're not, you are out of control. I didn't even know I'd had an accident until I woke up in hospital."
Last year, thousands of amphetamines were seized in Kwan-ka-bue village, Mudon Township . In Thanpyuzayat Township , more than one thousand pills were found during the water festival alone. Trading of illegal pills is widespread in the area, especially during festivals where many people are around and eager to party, gamble and take risks.
One pill sells for 3,000 Kyat in a village, and around 4,000 Kyat in a school. Many Mon youth are now consuming amphetamine at an alarming rate. This trend is exacerbated by the absence of parents, many of whom work in neighboring Thailand leaving their children with elderly grandparents. According to a source from Mon state, grandparents have a harder time keeping track of their grandchildren, who frequently purchase amphetamines and skip school.
