'Jail-Cam' Broadcasts Intended to Deter Drug Dealing

BANGKOK - Thailand said Monday it will make live Internet broadcasts of life behind prison walls, including convicts' last moments before execution, in a bid to deter lawbreakers, especially a burgeoning number of drug dealers.

Though no date has been fixed to begin the web broadcasts, cameras have been installed at Bangkwang maximum-security prison on the outskirts of Bangkok, which houses more than 6,000 inmates. Nearly 1,000 are sentenced to death, and 65 are awaiting execution with no appeals pending.

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Maj. Gen. Manus Paorik, commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, has commanded his soldiers to increase their activities and patrol the border areas to suppress drug trafficking gangs.

As part of this Xmas spirit, the soldiers of the 2nd and 127th Cavalry Divisions set up a sting operation at Ban A-runothai in tambon Muang Na, Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai, purporting to buy drugs from one of the drug gangs in the region. When the dealers appeared at the appointed time, the soldiers were ready to continue the subterfuge, but the two dealers sensed a trick and began firing at the soldiers.

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Office of Narcotic Control Board (ONCB) called on all countries facing illicit narcotic crop cultivation problems to join a workshop on Utilization and Application of Satellite Imageries for Narcotic Crops Survey held during December 21-22 at Duang Tawan Hotel, Chiang Mai.

Initially, the ONCB knew of around 2 million hectares of potential opium poppy areas, covering 12 provinces of the Northern part of Thailand. It is noted that most people involved with the illicit crops are hill tribes in remote areas.

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Money laundering all washed up?

Sixty-eight Chiang Mai police inspectors attended a workshop on Drug Case Investigation and Money Laundering at Nakorn Ping Palace, Chiang Mai December 7-9.

Pol Maj Gen Wutti Wittitanon, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5, presided over the workshop and officials from Office of Chiang Mai Provincial Judge, Chiang Mai Court, Faculty of Law, Chiang Mai University, and Prosecutor Office Region 5 were special lecturers.

National Police Bureau Chief, Pol Gen Kowit Watana emphasized the significance of law enforcement on drug cases and improvement and development of police investigation, using forensic science and technology to eradicate drug trafficking, said Pol Maj Gen Wutti.

Frequently, drug and money laundering cases are lost in the courts because Thai police did not fully understand anti-money laundering laws and the traffickers hired skillful lawyers to fight for them, said Pol Maj Gen Wutti.

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Spot Image and the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) have sealed the first successful collaboration to assess the use of SPOT imagery for monitoring illegal crops in South-East Asia. A regional training center has been set up under a technology transfer agreement to benefit all countries in the region.

Located in Chiang Mai, this operational training center is funded by the ONCB, SPOT Image and the French government. The center offers a full program of courses, equipment, software, and documentation for processing and interpretation of SPOT imagery.

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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday lashed out at human rights advocates for accusing his government of committing serious breaches of human rights.

Mr Thaksin said those accusing Thailand of human rights violations should look at all facets of the problems, and not consider just one.

He said those who harmed others must respect the rights of their victims. It was nonsense if those who never respected people's rights wanted others to respect theirs, the prime minister said, citing examples of those who have beheaded others or killed innocent people.

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190 Pha Muang Task Force soldiers have been assigned to deal with drugs and security, specifically targeting villages along the Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai borders with Myanmar and Laos.

Many villagers in the two provinces continue to experience problems related to national security, drugs and illegal workers entering Thailand. To encourage them to participate in solving the problems, Maj Gen Manus Paorik, commander of Pha Muang Task Force, dispatched his men on December 1.

They also set up 10 local public relations centers in four border villages in Chiang Mai and six in Chiang Rai. They have been tasked to elicit cooperation in poverty alleviation in Baan Lee Saw Pa Kluay, tambon Piang Luang, Wiang Haeng district, and in securing peace in Chaiprakarn district, Chiang Mai, and the Mae Sai and Chiang Saen districts of Chiang Rai.

They will conduct camps for youths, community leaders and volunteers as a sign of the country's gratitude. Public speakers from the Pha Muang Task Force will speak on drugs, moral values and leadership. This project is aimed to involve 80,000 leaders and volunteers.

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The results of a two month operation of the 2nd War on Drugs in the eight Northern provinces were declared on November 4 at the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5.

Commissioner of the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5, Pol Lt Gen Panupong Singhara Na Ayuthaya, and Provincial Police Chief of the eight Northern provinces presented a report at the press conference.

Eleven suspects and 181,796 ya ba tablets, a 10 wheel truck, four pick-up trucks, two motorcycles, two AK-47s and 27 bullets, a shotgun and nine bullets, a grenade and 280,000 baht in cash were displayed as evidence.

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A press conference to announce progress in the 2nd War on Drugs was held on December 2 at Duang Tawan Hotel, Chiang Mai.

Suwat Jan-ittipol, deputy secretary of ONCB (Office of Narcotics Control Board) said that from now on the ONCB would concentrate on people and places. All known traffickers and users would be targeted while drug conduits along the border remain under scrutiny.

Arrest and property confiscation are main measures for traffickers while rehabilitation will be provided for users. At present, there are approximately 50,000 drug users.

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With Friends Like Our 'Ally' To Our West And North, Thailand Hardly Needs Enemies

Trying to score some quick political points, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in his first encounter with his Burmese counterpart, Soe Win, called on the newly installed chief to track down and hand over Wei Hsueh-kang, a notorious drug lord wanted by both the US and Thailand.

Soe Win would not say yes or no, but his silence has been interpreted as believing the request to be wishful thinking on Thaksin's part. Wei is wanted by the US for heroin trafficking and carries a US$2-million (Bt78.2-million) price on his head. The Thai authorities also want him for jumping bail in 1988 on similar charges.

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Premier Cites Public Support As Key Factor; Says Battle Must Continue

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday asserted that the administration's second round of war on narcotics had made more progress than the first round due to the people's increased support.

"We found more than 7,000 drug addicts, and 4,000 of them are already receiving treatment. We also arrested more than 2,800 drug dealers and seized assets from 22 of them worth nearly Bt 19 million, and we burnt 3,500 kilograms of drugs" Thaksin said in his weekly radio address.

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Another 'extra' statistic?

The Pha Muang Task Force operating along the Myanmar border arrested two drug dealers and killed another at Mae Fa Luang district of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai's Chiang Dao district.

Under the command of Maj Gen Manus Paorik of the Pha Muang Task Force, five teams of the 3rd Cavalry Special Task Force soldiers, 138th Cavalry Battalion were on patrol along the Mae Joke-Terd Thai route in Mae Fa Laung district, about 500 meters from the border on November 25. They came across two Burmese and apprehended one of them. He was in possession of drug-taking equipment and a firearm.

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80 officials from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, including district chief officers, superintendents, customs and immigration officials, and narcotics suppression police met to discuss border problems.

Maj Gen Manus Paorik, Pha Muang Task Force commander

The meeting, held at the Pha Muang Task Force on November 25, included discussion on drug trafficking, problems associated with the issuing of alien laborer ID cards and the illegal entry of alien laborers.

Commander of Pha Muang Task Force, Maj Gen Manus Paorik, said participants were informed of the Pha Muang Task Force's border mission. The task force urged relevant organizations to supply the names of illegal alien laborers or migrants who had to be repatriated.

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Although the war on drugs ended almost two years ago with the government proudly announcing it a big success, the operation has left indelible wounds on many people who have been searching in despair for justice and the answers to their misery.

Thai-language Kom Chad Luek daily recently published a touching plea from the daughter and niece of a victim in Phetchaburi. With the murder of the head of their family, no government agency has been able to solve the mystery of the case or take any responsibility for it.

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Narcotic operations are moving from the border regions to urban areas of the northern region.

The change in focus began on October 4 and will continue until December, Kamol Taiyapirom, director of the coordination division of Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Northern Region, announced.

Kamol Taiyapirom, director of the coordination division of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Northern Region.

"Urban areas have become hiding places for some drug dealers and target areas, triggering a greater spread of drug use among students and in schools," said Kamol. By comparison, border areas have become less profitable for drug trafficking because of constant suppression of soldiers and police.

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The editor of the "Pa Loke" newspaper of Saraburi province, Wichen Puapun, 49, and Sawat Sornsawan, 50, a resident of Chiang Mai's San Pathong have been arrested in possession of 480,000 ya ba tablets.

The tablets were found in Wichen's car while they were driving along the Chiang Mai-Lampang Superhighway to Bangkok in Hang Chat district, Lampang on November 6. The two men were sent to the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5 for questioning.

Police learned there were another six dealers involved when the two confessed they bought the drugs at Ban Pang Mai Daeng, in tambon Keud Chang, Mae Taeng district, Chiang Mai.

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Once they survived by cultivating opium. Now most of the hill tribes who did so are supporting their families by growing other crops through the Nong Hoi Royal Project.

It is quite an achievement that 25 percent of Doi Kham crops are produced by the project in Chiang Mai's Mae Rim district. The former hill tribe poppy farmers are now employed by the Royal Project, and have turned it into a new agro-tourism and eco-tourism site.

Situated in Nong Hoi Kao village in tambon Mae Raem, it takes about 45 minutes via the Chiang Mai-Fang Highway (Highway107). After 17 km, turn left onto the Mae Rim-Samoeng (Highway1096) and continue for 15 km. Then take the paved road on the right (between km 14-15) and continue for 7 km.

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The Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has called on all anti-drug networks to meet to devise new suppression strategies. Pittaya Jinawat, director of the ONCB, made the call in preparation for the "Second War on Drugs" on November 3 at the Tarin Hotel in Chiang Mai.

He addressed 100 participants from the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5, Office of Primary School Education, student representatives from both government and private universities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working with youths in slum communities and hill tribes.

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In Bangkok, Be Ready to Give a Urine Sample

BANGKOK, Thailand - Police burst into the dark nightclub after midnight, weave through the crowd and lock the doors, trapping nearly 400 bewildered customers inside. The lights flicker on, and a voice over loudspeakers orders everyone to submit to urine tests for drugs.

It's part of a three-year-old "social order" campaign to curb drug abuse that has cast a damper over Saturday night partying in Bangkok.

It started in 2001 with the then interior minister, Purachai Piemsomboon, leading television crews into the neon-lit venues on high-profile busts. He has since gone on to higher office, but his "Mr. Clean" title has passed to Pracha Maleenont, a former entertainment business and TV station owner, who hasn't missed a beat in seeking to tame Bangkok's famously freewheeling night life.

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A Thai court sentenced a British man to death and another to 33 1/2 years in prison on Monday after they were found in possession of drugs including heroin, methamphetamines and ecstasy.

Anthony Flannaghan, 33, was found guilty of illegal drug possession with intent to sell and sentenced to death, said Judge Thawat Choonkluabthong and court documents.

Flannaghan denied the charges and told reporters outside the court room that he planned to appeal the sentence.

A second defendant, Stephen Wilcox, 39, was sentenced to 33 1/2 years in prison and fined 800,000 baht (US$19,500; euro 15,300) for drug possession, Thawat said.

Wilcox was initially sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 1,200,000 baht (US$29,300; euro 22,900), but had his sentenced reduced after he pleaded guilty.

The convicts, whose hometowns were not immediately known, were shackled at the ankles and handcuffed together.

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