Pubdate: Sun, 31 Dec 2000
Source: Straits Times (Singapore)
Copyright: 2000 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.
Contact:  Forum Editor, 390 Kim Seng Road Singapore 239495
Fax: 733-2690
Website: http://straitstimes.asia1.com/

US ARMY TO TRAIN THAIS IN WAR ON DRUGS

BANGKOK - With experience gained from efforts against the cocaine 
trade in Colombia, US Army units will next month begin training Thai 
troops trying to stem a narcotics tide coming from Myanmar.

A joint command headquarters is to be set up in the northern city of 
Chiang Mai next month, the Bangkok Post quoted a senior Thai military 
officer as saying.

Northern Thailand is on the frontline of a war against heroin, 
methamphetamines and other drugs flowing in from neighbouring Myanmar.

Lt-General Watthanachai Chaimuenwong said the problem is expected to 
worsen next year when the United Wa State Army sends even more drugs 
across the border.

This group is a narcotics trafficking outfit operating inside 
Myanmar, and is expected to increase methamphetamine output to 600 
million pills from the 400 million this year.

Only 25 million pills were seized in Thailand this year, he said.

The United Wa State Army has been described as perhaps the largest 
narcotics trafficking group in the world.

No details of the US-Thai military cooperation were given and 
military officials were not available for comment during the New Year 
weekend.--AP
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MAP posted-by: Kirk Bauer