Pubdate: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand) Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2000 Contact: http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/ Author: Anucha Charoenpo JOINT EFFORT TO PROTECT THE REGION The United Nations Drug Control Programme and Thai officials yesterday expressed a joint vision of a drug-free Asean by 2015. UN and Thai delegates spoke in advance of a three-day international congress next week in Bangkok to address this specific goal. Sandro Calvani, representative of the UNDCP Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific, said ministers of regional nations will come to share views on steps needed to be taken to achieve a drug-free Asean by 2015. He said more than a hundred national and international drug control bodies have a mandate and work plan to reduce drug abuse and drug trafficking in the region. He said delegates will discuss issues such as civic awareness on the dangers of drugs, the social response, building consensus, the rule of law enforcement and eliminating the supply of illicit drugs by boosting alternative development programmes. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens