A few hours away from Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand is Pattaya, a seedy beach town with a burgeoning reputation for sex and drugs. It’s here that Australian amateur bodybuilders like Jarrad Fisher head to buy performance-enhancing supplements that would be illegal back home, and which are priced a fraction of their black market equivalents. The practice is fuelling a vibrant black market and exposing athletes to serious health and legal risks.

The drugs in question are steroids, a group of synthetic hormones that boost muscle growth and repair. The FDA warns that excessive use can cause a range of side effects including hair growth (on the face and chest), low sperm count, acne, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Some, such as shrinkage of the testes and enlargement of breast tissue in men, are irreversible. For women, excess steroid use can lead to changes in the menstrual cycle, deeper voice and enlargement of the clitoris, which are also often unreversible.

The global steroid trade, with Thailand as a key player, raises concerns about the potential for adulterated products and inconsistent quality control to impact public health. Moreover, the proliferation of clandestine labs in Thailand contributes to the availability of illegal substances. In addition, international criminal networks exploit weak links in the supply chain and Thailand’s porous borders to traffic steroids to locations worldwide. The steroid trade in Thailand highlights the need for enhanced international cooperation to combat this illicit activity. Steroids Thailand