On 10 – 14 September 2017, the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board led a group of youth winner and first runner-up team from the “6th Thai Youth Initiative against Drugs contest 2017”, namely, the Sirirattanathorn School and Thammawittaya Foundation School, to conduct a study visit on narcotic drugs in Beijing and Tianjin in the People’s Republic of China. The delegation visited the National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) of China, the Tianjin Art Middle School, the local authority who provided advice and treatment services in Tianjin and paid a courtesy call to the Thai Ambassador in Beijing.

The delegation departed Thailand in the morning of 10 September 2017 and arrived in Beijing on the same day in the evening. They were warmly welcomed by the representative of NNCC, China and the Minister-Counsellor on Drugs of the Royal Thai Embassy in Beijing. In the morning of 11 September 2017, they had a chance to pay a courtesy call on Mr. Li Yuanzhen, Deputy Secretary-General of NNCC who gave a special information session on the implementation of drug prevention and control measures in China consisting of various kinds of projects. In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation took a high-speed train from Beijing to Tianjin and visited Tianjin Middle Art School who organized several drug control activities. Afterwards, the delegation visited a local center responsible for providing advice and treatment services for drug users in Tianjin. On 12 September 2017, the delegation explored the city of Tianjin and went back to Beijing in the evening to pay a courtesy call on His Excellency Piriya Kemphol, Ambassador of Thailand to China who hosted a dinner in honour of the delegation.

This study visit was organized in collaboration with NNCC, relevant Chinese authorities, and the Royal Thai Embassy to help Thai youth gain valuable experiences and comprehension about drug prevention in China. In addition, they had the chance to learn about economic, social and cultural situation in China, an impression and inspiration for self-improvement and contribution to the overall development of Thailand.