The Cabinet has provisionally approved a stringent new regulation that changes the legal approach to methamphetamine possession. Under the new law, individuals found with more than one methamphetamine tablet are to be considered offenders and will not qualify for rehabilitation options.

The adjustment is a modification of previous legislation, which only subjected individuals caught with five or more tablets to legal prosecution. The change aims to close a loophole that allowed individuals possessing fewer than five tablets to receive treatment as addicts rather than face incarceration, potentially bypassing a prison sentence.

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin explained that under the new regulation, individuals caught with one methamphetamine tablet, equivalent to no more than 100 milligrams, may only qualify for rehabilitation if they prove the drug was for personal use. Failing to demonstrate this will lead to prosecution.

The draft regulation is now set to undergo review by the Council of State before returning to the Cabinet for final approval. Somsak anticipates that the law could be finalized within the month.

The government also plans to intensify its crackdown on the drug trade by seizing drug-related assets and offering rewards to officials and informants who assist in drug case investigations and prosecutions.