Pubdate: Fri, 06 Feb 2004
Source: Nation, The (Thailand)
Copyright: 2004 Nation Multimedia Group
Contact:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1963
Author: Pravit Rojanaphruk

NO QUICK FIXES

Anti-drug volunteers tell Pravit Rojanaphruk about the realities on the 
ground in Bangkok's Klong Toei slum in the concluding article of The 
Nation's series to mark the first anniversary of the launch of the war on drugs

Is the war on drugs, with all its draconian tactics that have been so 
criticised by National Human Rights Commission, still being waged? Although 
there are no official signs that it is, periodical reports of killings 
still appear in the local newspapers, says commissioner Vasant Panich.

He said no complaints had been filed with his commission since the 
three-month war on drugs had ended, though if any had, the agency would 
most likely be too busy with existing cases to pursue new ones.

The Klong Toei slum in Bangkok, Thailand's largest, is arguably still a hub 
for the methamphetamine trade. With a population of 90,000 and a reputation 
- - or notoriety - for its drug trade, Klong Toei could serve as a key 
indicator of whether both the drugs and the war on them will return.

During the three-month assault on drugs, at least 15 people were killed 
there in either "silence" or extrajudicial killings. Hundreds of others 
were sent to rehabilitation centres. During the war, more than 200 border 
police were sent into the slum to make sure that connections between drug 
dealers and local police did not stand in the way of the investigation.

However, Senator Prateep Ungsongtham Hata - founder of the Duang Prateep 
Foundation in Klong Toei - has said that the drugs are already back, and 
two alleged dealers were mysteriously gunned down last month.

However, at least 10 neighbourhoods in the area are now being patrolled 
every night by members of a group of nearly 1,000 volunteers, who take 
turns going out to interfere with drug sales.

Covering an area of 2,264 rai, with six police stations overseeing 
different parts of the slum, there is plenty of room for error when it 
comes to battling the illegal drug trade in Klong Toei, Prateep said. "It's 
strange to think of how quickly [the dealers and drugs] are making a return 
[in Klong Toei]," he said.

Conversations with four anti-drug community leaders from different areas of 
Klong Toei gave an insight into the war on drugs and the likelihood of the 
slum becoming a centre for drug-peddling once again. Their names have been 
changed to protect their identity.

On Extrajudicial Killings:

Nongluck: "You can talk about letting justice take its due course, but do 
bad people know what is right? Their way is an eye for an eye. The drug 
dealers are not stupid, but the killings I saw were meted out against the 
real bad guys. There was no mistaken identity. The police told us it's not 
easy to arrest them as they seldom have evidence. Some hid their drugs 
inside a plastic bag submerged in the polluted water under their stilt 
houses using a fishing net. Others hid their drugs inside Buddha statues. 
And if someone were to file a complaint, that person would be the first one 
to be killed. People here say that as long as the two clans [names 
withheld] are still around, drugs will also still be around. These people 
have networks with the police and they are not foolish."

Somjit: "Silence killings may have disappeared for now, but many of those 
on the blacklist who fled are now back. The difference is that now the 
sales are not as blatant as before. The price has also gone up. It used to 
be three pills for Bt100. Now it's Bt350 for one. The drugs still abound, 
but many of the addicts have been sent to rehab."

Viphar: "Three were killed in my neighbourhood during the three-month war 
on drugs and nearly 100 were arrested. The good thing about the post-war 
period is that a number of sellers have moved on to conduct their trade 
elsewhere and people here no longer queue up to buy drugs."

Is The War Won?

Nongluck: "When one dealer is shot dead, three or four spring up to take 
his place."

Viphar: "It's like a hen with lots of chicks. These days, they [the 
dealers] become even richer because the price has shot up. Some also mix 
the Red Wah [drugs] with local substances."

Somjit: "It's [the drug trade] like a mushroom [the way it grows]. It has 
started showing signs of growing back."

Nongluck: "And no one in the neighbourhood dares to speak out."

Viphar: "Actually, we have been branded by them [the drug dealers] as 
friends of the police. They ask us about this openly, and then follow by 
openly declaring themselves to be big dealers."

Nongluck: "These people lack any conscience whatsoever."

Viphar: "Some of the big shots may be gone, but new faces are replacing them."

Nongluck: "Well, at least the new [police] superintendent is a good guy, 
and he knows who is who in the trade."

Viphar: "But I can only trust two cops at the police station. Meanwhile, 
the dealers curse Thaksin for making their lives and professions difficult."

Nongluck: "I heard on Sunday that the two [influential drug-dealing] clans 
are in the middle of a feud of some sort. Now one clan is cutting the price 
per pill to Bt200."

Viphar: "Those who do not sell drugs really love his excellency Thaksin 
[Shinawatra]. The situation is generally better."

Nongluck: "But good people are not safe, because the dealers are armed. 
They can do whatever they like. If the government gets a little lax, they 
will make a full comeback."

Viphar: "I'm afraid that it will be worse than before. The dealers said 
they would not forgive those who killed their sons, brothers and sisters."

Maethi: "But we must admit that out of 1,000 or so drug sellers, there are 
now probably no more than 500 left."

Somjit: "Drug addicts are also on the decline, but new faces from the 
outside have become the new buyers."

Nongluck: "The problem is that with less methamphetamines around, [young 
people] are now turning to sniffing glue instead."

Viphar: "Yeah, it can be easily bought at mega-stores like Lotus."

Nongluck: "But community mom-and-pop shops don't sell it [glue] anymore, 
they know it's bad."

Persistent Problems

Maethi: "Both methamphetamines and glue still abound. The authorities claim 
that 95 per cent [of the drugs] have been removed, but I think 70 per cent 
is a more likely figure. In the long run, I think community strength and 
unity will be a key factor. Yes, the police have the duty to track them 
[drug dealers] down, but that alone is impossible without a strong 
community. The chance for a comeback is 99 per cent, however.

"It won't do for the government to just declare victory and think it's 
over. The media must keep vigilant. The government must declare a 
continuous war for five consecutive years to reduce the chance of drugs 
making a return to 50 per cent."

Nongluck: "But I wonder how we can strengthen the communities. As we all 
know, many communities are weak. They live under the shadow of influential 
figures and are afraid of drug dealers . . . This situation is common for 
most communities. I must admit that I felt safer when the patrol police 
were sent in . . . Thaksin must also stay in power, otherwise we will be 
killed."

Somjit: "But I haven't yet heard the name of the police general that the 
media has reported is the mastermind of the drug trade. Months ago the 
government vowed to unmask the person, but I haven't heard any names 
mentioned."

Maethi: "There are nearly 1,000 volunteers like us, but we can't compete 
with the money [of the drug trade]. Once a large sum of cash is thrown into 
a community, all the talk about strength and unity evaporates."

Helping Themselves

The 20,000-strong community of Tambon Khik Noi in Phetchabun's Khao Khor 
district was one of the areas branded by the government as being 
drug-infested. The reason for this designation is mainly that a large 
portion of the population there is ethnic Hmong.

Since the official three-month war on drugs ended, three people have been 
gunned down and many locals are saying that the deaths were the work of men 
in government uniform.

"I'm not sure if the war is truly over. But ever since His Majesty the King 
spoke [on the subject], the war has become unusually quiet, though I'm not 
sure if the government will use the same tactics if drug activities 
resurface," said Forng Ritnatikul, coordinator of the Hmong Community 
Network in Phetchabun.

Forng said the Thai media has the tendency to automatically brand Hmong 
people as drug dealers. Though he admitted that many Hmong were active in 
the trade, he said they did not deserve to be killed extrajudicially.

Forng said he hoped any future attempt to eradicate drugs would recognise 
local initiatives and participation.

"We believe that we can overcome the problem by ourselves, and we want the 
government's support on the matter. Killing [to solve a problem] is not our 
way.

Some people may be bad. But they also have their good sides. Killing is 
never an appropriate solution," he said.
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