PHUKET: Steroids are available over-the-counter all over Thailand and can be purchased from many pharmacies in Phuket. The drugs are close to a natural hormone that instructs the body to increase muscle mass and strength, but their misuse causes side effects.
According to the Australian Crime Commission (ACC), Thailand is a popular departure point for bodybuilders seeking steroids. Australians are known to stockpile the drugs in Phuket before shipping them home, and local media has reported that amateur sportsmen and professional athletes from as far afield as Essendon in the AFL and Cronulla Sharks of the NRL have been caught using banned performance-enhancing substances.
Steroids mimic the actions of testosterone in the body, which increases muscle mass and encourages rapid recovery from exercise. However, their use can cause side effects including erectile dysfunction and high blood pressure, cholesterol and heart problems. They are also harmful to the liver, kidneys and lungs. Some bodybuilders take several types of steroids together _ sometimes with weight-loss drugs as well _ a practice known as stacking.
Mr Ward said there was a lot of fake and adulterated steroids on the global market, which has led to health concerns for people taking them. The Thai Food and Drug Administration says the illegal distribution of steroids is a serious problem and it works closely with foreign drug control authorities to tackle the issue. Last month a 65-year-old man in Sydney had his luggage searched after arriving at the airport from Bangkok and police discovered he was carrying 22,000 tablets of anabolic steroids and other narcotics inside a metal elephant statue strapped to his body. Steroids Thailand
