The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is the central policy-making body within the United Nations’ system dealing with illicit drugs and acts as the governing body for the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

This year’s session will be chaired by Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office along with other international organizations in Vienna. It will welcome top counter-narcotics officials and experts from around the world including ministers from Afghanistan, Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Portugal, Russian Federation, the United States and Indonesia, in addition to the Executive Director of UNODC and the President of the International Narcotic Control Board, and a video message from Sam Kutesa -  President of the UN General Assembly. Participants would have the opportunity to take part in 64 side events, including two from Thailand related to alternative development, as well as 21 exhibitions arranged by Member States, UN entities and civil society.

For many years, Thailand has been advocating mainstreaming the principle of Alternative Development as the sustainable means for reducing and eradicating illicit cultivation of narcotic crops. Under the guidance of HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha - the former Ambassador of Thailand to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Vienna, Thailand has initiated 5 draft resolutions which has successfully been adopted by the CND and the UN General Assembly. These resolutions focus on the adoption and promotion of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development, the prevention of drug abuse for the well-being of children, youth and families and communities, and endorsing cooperation to counter the drug problems in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. This year, Thailand also proposed a draft resolution promoting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development.

For the first time in many years, the Commission will exercise its treaty-based function of scheduling substances under international control. The 53 Member States of the CND, of which Thailand is a member, will take action on the scheduling of 13 substances recommended by countries and the World Health Organisation, with the aim to strike a balance between preventing drug abuse and diversion while ensuring availability for medical and scientific use.

Of particular concern this year is whether to put “Ketamine” (known in Thailand as Ya K), and other substances recommended by WHO under international control.

“The important thing”, says Ambassador Arthayudh, “is to strike a balance between the regulatory framework which also relates to addressing widespread drug abuse and criminal aspects, and taking care of the human dimension.”

The CND has also been mandated by the UN General Assembly to lead the preparatory process for the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 (UNGASS 2016). There will be a special segment for UNGASS 2016 with interactive discussions on the topics of drugs in relation to health, crimes, human rights, the new challenges and the reality of the world’s drug problem as well as development-oriented drug control strategies with Alternative Development at the center of the discussion.

Each year, more than 1500 participants from the Member States of the United Nations, relevant UN entities, international organizations, the academia and civil society organizations, attend the CND to review the world drug situation, explore strategies on measures to combat the world drug problem, including through reducing demand for drugs, promoting alternative development initiatives and adopting supply reduction measures.

Thailand will be represented in the CND with delegates from all agencies within the drug control regime – the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Attorney General, the Royal Thai Police, the Food and Drug Administration, the Royal Project Foundation, the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, and the Thailand Institute of Justice.