THAILAND

Herbs and vices: krathom a killer to some, curative to others

Spectrum, Tunya Sukpanich, Published on 16/09/2012

» More than 20,000 krathom trees in Nakhon Si Thammarat province have reportedly been cut down in the past few years as part of the government's policy to suppress the growing popularity of ''4X100'' krathom formulas among young people. It is not known how many more thousands of the trees may have been destroyed in other southern provinces. Many people say the harsh measures are unwarranted as krathom by itself has long been used as a traditional medicine and its effects are mild.