ONCB waiting for clear signals from Burma

The local director of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) is apprehensive that the new Burmese leader will not fully support Thailand's drug suppression in the region, following the ouster of Gen. Khin Nyunt as prime minister, replaced by Lt.-Gen. Soe Win.

Pittaya Jinawat, director of the ONCB in the North, said that it had noted the political change in the Burmese political leadership. It predicted a renewed spread of drugs by some minority groups that the Office had placed under observation, according to Pittaya.

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Extra-Judicial Killing in Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai

Pha Muang Task Force seized over 400,000 ya ba pills from two agents in Chiang Dao and Chai Prakan districts and confiscated the dealers' properties valued at 20 million baht.

A joint press conference was held on October 16 at the Pha Muang Task Force by Pol Lt Gen Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij, commander of Narcotic Suppression Bureau, Maj Gen Manus Paorik, the commander of Pha Muang Task Force, and Pittaya Jinawat, director of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Northern Office.

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More heroin is expected to be smuggled into Thailand, with the traffickers changing their transit routes to bring it in via Laos instead of Myanmar.

The Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Northern Office said international relations between Thailand and its neighbors Myanmar and Laos have improved, and Thailand is ready to adjust its strategic plan in the second "War on Drugs" in this region.

The prospects of future cooperation between Thailand and Myanmar are said to be bright. The Burmese authorities have cooperated well in reducing drug production among the minority groups, as well as helping to repatriate drug suspects fleeing Thailand to hide in Myanmar.

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The new assistant commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army has visited Pha Muang Task Force in Chiang Mai to stress that the suppression of drug smuggling is a hot issue.

Gen Lertrat Ratanawanitch, assistant to Commander-in-Chief Gen Pravit Wongsuwan, visited the task force on October 8 to familiarize himself with the drug situation in its area of responsibility.

He came to the North to attend the task force's briefing on drug prevention measures and drug suppression, including the Thai-Burma cooperation plan to help develop the villages along the Thai-Burmese border.

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Germany has signaled its willingness to help Thailand eradicate the production of opium in the Golden Triangle.

Germany's Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Health and Social Security toured the Drug Rehabilitation Center in Chiang Mai and said she was willing to cooperate with Thailand to help eradicate the drug scourge.

As part of an official visit to observe Thailand's drug suppression and AIDS operation and prevention, Marion Caspers-Merk visited the rehabilitation center of the Public Health Ministry in Mae Rim district on October 7.

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X-Rays to Be Used

The new Chiang Rai provincial governor has ordered X-ray machines to be installed to be used for drug searches, and wants community leaders, kamnan and village headmen to play a greater part.

Governor Veerakiart Somsoy said after he had outlined government policy to the community leaders in Mae Chan and Mae Sai districts, that Chiang Rai had stepped up measures throughout the province to track down drug addicts and dealers.

Strict measures will be enforced to suppress drug ringleaders and their networks of traffickers by working in cooperation with volunteers in the communities, including kamnan and village headmen. X-ray surveillance has been installed in the villages.

Veerakiart added that using the X-Ray measure in the province is implementation of government policy. The approach involving the community is expected to lead to greater efficiency and success.

The Tambon Administration Organization has also allocated money for the prevention and suppression of drugs at grassroots level.

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A "quality-of-life" training camp raising anti-drug awareness among Thai youth wrapped up recently under the leadership of Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang, who chairs the Dharma Centre in Ayutthaya province.

More than 1,200 young people from across the country attended his three-day anti-drug camp, which emphasised youth volunteers helping to get people free of addictive substances including drugs and alcohol.

Chamlong said the programme was developed with the cooperation of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation to promote awareness about the dangers faced in each community across the country.

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Beware of thy neighbor seems to be the concept

The Drug Combating Center in Lampang Muang District, assisted by the "people's power" is ready for the second wave in the "War on Drugs" campaign.

The Center and provincial authorities hosted an event to create more networking to keep a close watch on the drug situation. This is the response to the government's campaign to prevent the drug problem returning to the area.

Ruangrit Chormsuek, district chief officer of Lampang Muang District, presided over the launching ceremony at the district office, together with over 500 people including the region's Buddhist leaders, private sector, chiefs of the local government offices, including kamnans, village headmen, and the "People Power Club" in the villages.

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'Brutal Measures' Vow Raises Rights Concerns

The second war on drugs will focus on Klong Toey slum communities, which must be made free of drugs, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday.

Mr Thaksin opened the second six-month phase of Palang Phandin Ruam Kwadlang Yaseptid (the war on addictive drugs) yesterday at the Police Society in Bang Khen.

He instructed the police to be serious in combating the drug trade, especially the transportation of cocaine by motorcycles. The new metropolitan police commissioner and anti-drug chief should launch at least one more crackdown on drugs in the Klong Toey area where there were always drugs and anti-drug volunteers must remain on guard.

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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday declared a new round of a full-scale war on drugs, promising "brutal measures" against drug dealers and traffickers.

"Drug dealers and traffickers are heartless and wicked. All of them must be sent to meet the guardian of hell, so that there will not be any drugs in the country," Mr Thaksin said.

A lot of youngsters had fallen victim to drug dealers over the years and methamphetamines would likely make a comeback.

"These things are like cancer and we have to continue to keep a close watch on them," he said. The new, one-year campaign would involve decisive action against drug dealers and traffickers.

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As many as 2,500 people were killed in the first campaign of the government's war on drugs, and the country could well see more bloodshed now that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has declared a second offensive. The government's determination to rid Thai society of the evil of drugs deserves the support of us all. But the high fatality rate in the first six-month war on drugs last year has seriously marred what should be one of this government's major achievements in office.

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A coalition of 51 human rights and health organisations has called on the Municipal Council of L'Aquila and Instituzi Perdonanza Colestniana to withdraw the 2004 International Forgiveness Award given to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Thaksin was named as the recipient of the award for "his government's treatment of drug abusers as patients rather than criminals".

The award was presented to the prime minister during his trip to Italy last month.

The group, which comprises Thai and international organisations, said systematic and brutal human rights violations took place during the government's war on drugs under Mr Thaksin's leadership.

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West Says Asia One Of Prime Exporters

Wildlife and drugs smuggling go hand-in-hand with Asia being one of the prime exporters, said European and American justice officials yesterday.

However, a Thai wildlife expert said Thailand had in the past found cases of illicit drugs concealed among live animals sent to the United States, but that was ancient history.

"We continue to find various cases of both endangered animals and drugs being smuggled in the same container, or sometimes legal animals are used as live vessels to make it easier to pass through customs," said John Webb, a prosecutor from the US Justice Department. "Drug and wildlife trafficking may be the two greatest money-makers, aside from gun running, why not put them together."

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The Third Army Region has evaluated the cooperation in Thai-Burmese border village development, as part of the drive to stop the trafficking in drugs.

The Third Army Region's deputy commander, Maj Gen Pravit Klinthong and Pittaya Jinawat, the director of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Northern Office chaired the evaluation that was held at Nakhonping Palace Hotel, Chiang Mai on September 23. 150 commanders and officials of the Third Army Region attended.

Deputy Commander Maj Gen Pravit said Thailand had developed villages in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Tak provinces.

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For Anti-Narcotics, Law Enforcement, Regional Activities

U.S. Embassy Information Resource Center - U.S. Ambassador Darryl N. Johnson and Department of Technical and Economic Cooperation Director General Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda has signed an agreement through which the U.S. will provide more than USD 4.5 million of assistance to nine narcotics and legal projects in Thailand.

The projects cover the areas of criminal justice, law enforcement, trafficking in persons, intellectual property rights, drug crop control, demand reduction and regional cooperation.

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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday threatened to transfer officials who fail to prevent a resurgence of drug use and trafficking, a day after he announced another round in his war on drugs.

"I am serious about taking action against drug traffickers. Government officials, police in particular, must take action too as these traffickers destroy youths' lives, ruin the economy and damage the country," he said.

The premier cited Bangkok's Klong Toei district as needing extra attention from the Metropolitan Police Bureau as well as the Narcotics Control Board (NCB).

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Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, undaunted by an avalanche of criticism after more than 2,500 people were killed in his first war on drugs, launched another one on Monday, vowing to destroy drug bosses.

"We have to take serious actions against them because these wicked diseases never die," Thaksin said.

"We will continue our drastic actions against those I see as destroyers of everything from the future of our nation, our economy and our society. Many families have fallen apart because of them," he told hundreds of law enforcers and volunteers.

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Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has announced a second phase of his controversial war on drugs, vowing to destroy drug bosses.

Mr Thaksin says he needs to maintain his drastic approach because drug dealers are destroying the future.

He has ordered school principals to keep a close eye on students and directed village chiefs to monitor unemployed youths, the main targets of drug dealers.

The main weapon in the current drive will be legal restraints, including anti-money laundering and tax evasion laws.

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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday warned drug dealers against remaining in the trade while his government staged an "all-out war" on drugs over the next year.

"Nobody will be able to help them if they continue dealing in drugs. If they want to see the Prince of Hell, let me know," he said.

Thaksin said that the government would carry out another round in the war on drugs from this month until October of next year.

Thousands of suspected drug dealers were killed in the previous round of the government's war on drugs, attracting criticism from human-rights activists.

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A recent US State Department report salutes Thailand's progress in shutting down international drug traffickers, but much remains to be done on the home front.

Despite stepped up efforts at suppression by Burmese authorities, huge quantities of methamphetamines _ known in Thailand as ya ba (crazy drug) _ are still made in clandestine labs in Burma and smuggled into Thailand via the common border and through neighbouring countries. Intelligence sources say that most of the estimated 800 million ya ba tablets produced annually in Burma enter into Thailand.

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