ABOUT 140 kilometers to the north of Bangkok, the renowned Thamkrabok Monastery Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in the central province of Saraburi has for decades been providing herbal detoxification not only to local but also foreign drug addicts.

Around 100 foreigners, of whom 80 percent are British and German, flock to the center every year to get treatment.

Brian, of Ireland, came to Thailand with five of his friends for treatment. He said he came to know about the center from a radio show and an anti-drug network in his home country.

After having gone through the rehab for 10 days, he said his health condition improved.

The process was simple and without pain, so he was confident he could stop using drugs for good.

“This medicine works. It works better than what we have at home. I would still be going through withdrawal symptoms from the heroin. But when I come to Thamkrabok, I take this medicine and it speeds up the process,” Brian said.

Julien, of Belgium, has been a monk for the past six years. He chose to become one after he was completely cured of drug addiction. He admitted that Thamkrabok’s treatments were different from those in Europe and that they truly helped drug patients to become upright once again.

“Hospitals back home would give you drug substitutes or tranquilizers like methadone or Valium, and you become addicted to those pills. But here you’re treated with herbal remedies to which you won’t become addicted. It takes only five days and you can stop using drugs,” Julien said.

The whole rehabilitation process, divided into two parts, takes around 15 days.
Physical detoxification, which constitutes only 20 percent of the process and which takes place in the first five days, includes vomiting, taking strong herbal medicine and bolus (herbal black pills), and a steam bath.

The rest of the process is involves mental detoxification through dhamma conversations, meditation and a vow to build up one’s will power.

“It’s not about curing headaches, fevers or stomachaches. It’s about the mind of the drug addict. If the person stops using drugs but has nothing to hold onto, then he or she will go back to drugs again. So, having a strong will is important, and that’s why our treatments are different from others,” said Boonsong Thanacharo, abbot of the Thamkrabok monastery.

In October, a conference on Buddhism and drug rehabilitation will be held in the US, where the treatment methods of Thamkrabok monastery are to be officially introduced to the world.