Those Suspected Of Drug Crimes Are Now To Be Sent For Rehabilitation Rather Than To Court And A Term In Prison If Convicted. Those all-too-common newspaper and television images of drug-crazed men holding a child and/or woman hostage are expected to become a thing of the past should the new Drug Addict Rehabilitation Act help reduce the number of drug-related crimes. The Act, which came into effect on March 3, is the first of its kind in Thailand and, as such, it has been the subject of wide debate among probation officers, the police and the wider community. [continues 1328 words]
HAS OUR CONSCIENCE GONE TO SLEEP? The prime minister has decided to speak again. That's good. We cannot have a dumb prime minister. But perhaps before he speaks he should reread the constitution, specifically chapter 6 (The National Assembly), part 8 (The National Human Rights Commission), sections 199 and 200. They read, in part, as follows: "The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) consists of a President and 10 other members, appointed by the King with the advice of the Senate, from the persons having apparent knowledge and experience in the protection of rights and liberties of the people, having regard also to the participation of representatives from private organisations in the field of human rights... [continues 519 words]
Relatives of victims of drug-related murders are entitled to petition the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate the killings, Vithit Muntabhorn, of Chulalongkorn University's law faculty, said yesterday. In a discussion on violence in drug suppression at the university, Prof Vithit said human rights issues were borderless. Even people of nations not in the UN could ask for justice from the UN. He urged people whose loved ones had died in the government campaign against drugs to petition the commission. [continues 125 words]
Flow of information ends as trust withers Chiang Rai police put most of their informers in jail, losing their trust, as they struggled to meet the demand they cut the number of drug dealers and users by 25% in the first month of the war on drugs. A police source said the mass arrests dealt a serious blow to the province's drug suppression operations in March, _ the target has now been raised to 50% _ because the people who could lead them to major traders were now in prison and refused to give them information. [continues 486 words]
'Big Fish' To Face Greater Pressure There will be no let-up in the anti-drugs compaign after three months and greater pressure would be exerted against large-scale drug traders, said Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha yesterday. He said the Feb 1 campaign would not stop after three months as border drug flows required consistent efforts to stem. But Mr Wan Nor admitted the suppression drive could not be considered a success if there were still drug supplies waiting to flood in from the border. [continues 196 words]
Thai Rak Thai spokesman Suranand Vejjajiva has threatened Pradit Charoenthaithawee with impeachment after the human rights commissioner brought drug-related killings to the attention of the United Nations. The UN High Commission on Human Rights is worried about the number of people killed since the government's war on drugs began on Feb 1. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he was not worried if the UN investigated the drug deaths, but said Thais should not act as "whistle-blowers" or give away Thailand's independence. [continues 255 words]
Few people take criticism well. Since it usually involves unfavourable comment, the apportioning of blame for a fault, or passing judgment on our ability, decisions or actions, even the most confident of us recoil at the thought of being the subject of criticism. Indeed sages say that men rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. The value of criticism is priceless however. No open society can function without it. At its best, it puts the supposed merits of a thing to the test of intelligent discourse. At worse, it degenerates into little more than exchanges of verbal abuse. But the true value of criticism in a democracy is that it ensures a healthy society. Criticism asks those we put in power what they propose to do with our lives. It lends validity to the democratic process. [continues 504 words]
Thaksin should hand the UN Thai newspapers with translations to show it the level of press freedom in Thailand. Thaksin should also show the UN a picture of the meeting of press people celebrating Journalists Day on March 5 and identify the people in it. The UN would see for itself that the meeting was full of critics of the government. Even someone from the opposition was accorded a seat at the head of the table. Concerning people's fear of the government, the UN should be shown the results of polls that show people aren't living in fear, and actually do support the government crackdown on the drug trade, even after a month of criticism from the Human Rights Commission. Tavivoot [end]
`Superiority Complex' Behind Border Closure Cambodian leaders say Thailand's war on drugs and its ``superiority complex'' forced Phnom Penh to close its border with its bigger neighbour on Wednesday. Prime Minister Hun Sen told the opening of a health centre in Siem Reap yesterday that it was not safe for his countrymen to cross to Thailand because they might be killed in the anti-drug campaign. ``Thai soldiers have killed more than 1,000 people and arrested more than 10,000,'' Hun Sen said. ``I am very concerned about Cambodian people who go into Thai territory. They might get shot dead because of the Thai drug operations.'' [continues 503 words]
Agencies Not Passing Over Information The National Centre to Defeat Drugs is having trouble getting information because most state agencies have not bothered to send in reports in the last month. The agencies preferred to report direct to their bosses even though NCDD chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, had told them to report to the centre. ``Little information comes to us each day and what we do get lacks depth. ``We know that agencies are withholding information because they are competing with one another,'' a source at the centre said. [continues 165 words]
The Crime Suppression Division will ask the national police chief to investigate the shooting of a couple in Phetchabun, after their son asked the prime minister to intervene. CSD investigators have been looking into the slaying of Thanom Montha, 49, and Kwanla Puangchompu, 40, after their son, Suwit Baison, 23, an employee at Channel 11, lodged the petition last week. The CSD will ask Pol Gen Sant Sarutanont, the national police chief, to investigate. Police at Na Chaliang have started inquiries. [continues 138 words]
Smugglers could turn to using small planes now the army has moved to seal tight the northern border, Third Army commander Lt-Gen Udomchai Ongkhasingh said yesterday. The possibility had been raised by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, given the increased difficulty of bringing drugs into Thailand by land. The United Wa State Army, or Red Wa, the leading drug producers and traffickers on the Burmese side had recently opened five new methamphetamine plants along the Mekong river opposite Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district and three more opposite Tak. [continues 130 words]
Amnesty International has called on Thailand to protect the country's top human rights official who claimed to have received death threats since reporting on the country's violent anti-drug campaign to the United Nations. Dr Pradit Charoenthaitawee, a national human rights commissioner, said he had received several telephoned death threats but vowed to continue doing his job. The London-based human rights group said in a statement yesterday that the Thai government "should do everything in its power to provide protection to Dr Pradit and his family'' and "should immediately initiate an investigation into these repeated death threats.'' [continues 144 words]
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has jumped to the defence of one of its members who was threatened with impeachment after speaking to the United Nations about the ongoing war on drugs. Pradit Charoenthaithawee was threatened with impeachment by Thai Rak Thai spokesman Suranand Vejjajiva after speaking to the world body about the government's drug blacklists, extra-judicial killings, and an alleged failure to bring to court cases involving drug-related deaths. Dr Pradit subsequently denied a Foreign Ministry report claiming he had asked Asma Jahangir of the UN Human Rights Commission to investigate drug-related deaths in Thailand. [continues 188 words]
Troops Redeployed Amid Pill Influx Fears The army has been told to seal the border with Burma to stop drugs getting in. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told the military, police and local administration officials to work together in their drug suppression drive on the border with Burma, the main drug route, to prevent a new influx of methamphetamines. Defence Minister Gen Thammarak Issarangura na Ayudhya said Mr Thaksin was worried trafficking might increase given the shortage of methamphetamines inside the country since the campaign began. [continues 379 words]
Whether the drug killings are the work of gangsters or police, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and law enforcement authorities can not escape responsibility for failing to ensure public safety, a former deputy police chief said yesterday. The death spree had turned Thailand into a society of fear, Pol Gen Vasit Dejkunchorn said. ''Even worse, more women have become victims. The killings are not limited to men any more,'' he said in a speech on the lessons of extra-judicial killing at the Princess Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre. [continues 231 words]
As a regular listener to the BBC World Service, I can report that the main news bulletins for the last week or so have never failed to carry an item on the war on drugs. The BBC has never reported in judgmental fashion but with facts and figures speaking for themselves. I have to contrast the current situation with a couple of months ago, when the government was telling the world in general, and intending visitors in particular, that it was perfectly safe to come to the kingdom as there was no such thing as terrorism. [continues 89 words]
Opposition, Activists Take Thaksin To Task Opposition politicians and human rights activists yesterday accused the government of using extra-legal means to kill drug suspects while playing to the public's emotion by citing the welfare of children to justify it. Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat party deputy leader, said Thaksin Shinawatra was twisting the issue by branding anyone who did not agree with his policy to ``kill off'' drug suspects as ignoring the needs of Thai children. ``Today we can all see if Mr Thaksin is a democratic man or not. His fierce attacks of critics have him using words that are more and more unreasonable. He runs the country using his personal satisfaction as a yardstick rather than what is right and lawful,'' Mr Abhisit said. [continues 433 words]
Says Children Should Come Before Dealers Defending his war against drugs, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday urged Thailand not to pay so much attention to the rising death toll that they lost sight of the ``big picture''. ``One of the flaws in our society is that we rarely look at the big picture. If we do, we'll be able to gauge what is right and what's wrong,'' he said during his weekly radio address. Mr Thaksin said the big picture was that between 700,000 and one million children used drugs, and that in only one month, 220,000 drug pushers had surrendered, with more to come. [continues 511 words]
The special rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Asma Jahangir, has expressed deep concern at the many deaths in Thailand's war on drugs. Ms Jahangir has urged Thai authorities to ensure law enforcement and security officials carry out their duties in strict compliance with national and international human rights, and in particular that "the strict limits on the use of lethal force, as stipulated under the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law-enforcement Officials, are followed rigorously and without exception". She also called on authorities to carry out transparent and independent investigations into each death. [continues 304 words]
On Wednesday afternoon, a couple was brutally shot and killed on their way home after paying a 5,000-baht fine for marijuana use at a police station. Five minutes later their neighbour was gunned down in his home while the rest of the family looked on helplessly. Ten-year-old Anont Montha came running in, only to see his parents, Thanom Montha and Kwanla Puangchompu, lying in a pool of blood. The five surviving children of this family were staying with relatives. They intend to move out and sell the house after today's funeral rite. [continues 309 words]
The Current Anti-Drug Campaign Has Drawn Headlines Right Around The World - for All the Wrong Reasons - but This Should Not Be Allowed To Detract From All the Good Work That Has Preceded It. 'We used to grow opium," said Asoupa, a Lisu farmer in northwest Thailand, "but now we only grow cabbages and corn and other crops. It's better. If we grow opium, we get in trouble and lose everything." Asoupa represents the country's once-primary opium growers, the hilltribes of northwest Thailand - the Lisu, Lahu, Akha, Mein and Hmong. Living in remote jungle villages, they practise slash-and-burn agriculture. [continues 1347 words]
Tragedy Perpetrated In Name Of Justice Child and human rights advocacy groups have condemned the government and state officials for being over-zealous in their drug crackdown, which claimed the life of an innocent nine-year-old boy on Monday. Chakkapan Srisa-ard, known as Fluke, was shot dead when police tried to stop the getaway car driven by his mother, who then escaped on foot. Activists from 11 organisations yesterday demanded an end to the government's violent crackdown. "We plead that this boy be the last innocent victim killed in the government's anti-drug war," said Boonthan Tunsuthepverawongse, of the Peace and Human Rights Resource Centre. [continues 261 words]
Three Investigators Charged With Murder City police have pressed murder charges against three drug investigators who allegedly sprayed bullets at a car killing a nine-year-old boy who was inside. Pol Lt-Gen Damrongsak Nilkuha, city police chief, said Nang Lerng police had filed murder charges against Pol Sgt-Maj Pipat Saen-in, Pol Sgt Panumas Chanakham and Pol L/Cpl Anusorn Taensuwan, attached to the investigation unit of Bang Chan police. They were freed on bail after Pol Col Nipon Pupansri, deputy commander of city police division 4, went to guarantee. [continues 525 words]
Devastated Family Demands Answers Relatives of nine-year-old Chakkapan Srisa-ard _ allegedly shot dead by drug police chasing his mother _ hope the tragedy will stop the urge to kill. "I want police to think about that little boy every time they are about to draw their guns," an uncle, Somchai Kerdrungruang, said yesterday. Chakkapan, or Fluke, died a lonely death. His father, Sathaporn, had just been arrested for peddling 6,000 speed pills and his mother, Pornwipa, was fleeing for her life when the boy took his last breath. [continues 172 words]
Three weeks into a massive drugs crackdown, there are disturbing reports of wholesale violations of human rights and the law. These reports require careful attention if the government hopes to receive long-term support for its policy against illicit drugs. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced his tough crackdown on drug dealers will continue, as it should. But the premier should also be willing to investigate the growing, widespread and universal reports of murders and massive legal violations by some of those involved in the campaign. Credible reports and complaints claim police and officers of pthe state at high levels are targeting or setting up suspected petty drug dealers for extra-judicial killings. Authorities must look into such reports seriously, end legal abuses or risk the reputations of both the Thaksin government and the country. [continues 537 words]
Thaksin's brand of drug suppression is going haywire. The incidence of drug-related deaths rose sharply during the first 10 days of the campaign (Post editorial of Feb 14). It would seem that Thaksin as a senior law enforcement officer cares nothing if those killed are not his children or relatives. The law enforcement authorities blame the deaths on gangland executions. But they have no proof and have not arrested the suspected murderers. Before Thailand returns to the old Western lawlessness and people take the law into their own hands, it is time to put a stop to this campaign and to reassess its operations. Aroon Suansilppongse [end]
Doctors Say Police Thwart Autopsies Unable To Give Cause Of Unusual Deaths Doctors are concerned the new autopsy law will become ineffective in the face of the government's "carefree" attitude to the killing of drug suspects. The law requires a doctor to carry out a forensic examination in the case of every unnatural death. Pornthip Rojanasunan, acting director of the Forensic Science Institute, said the justice system could be jeopardised by a lack of explanation of extra-judicial killings. Many drug dealers had died since the Feb 1 launch of the government's crusade against drugs. [continues 479 words]
Little Evidence Of Users Saying `No' The city administration's addict rehabilitation centres are not attracting drug users despite the government's controversial crackdown. Manop Kovitaya, director of Wat Paiton Health Centre, said there were now rehabilitation units in all 62 city health centres, but few people were attending them. Lat Phrao and Wattana districts, for example, each had only four patients being treated for methamphetamine addiction in January and February. Last year, the city treated about 7,000 heroin addicts and almost 800 methamphetamine addicts. [continues 188 words]
Gangs Make 'House Calls', Kill Occupant Two people on a police blacklist for drug trafficking were shot dead in separate attacks in two southern provinces yesterday. In the first case, police went to a house in tambon Pak Pun in Muang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, finding the body of Sommai Thongmee, 37. His wife, Thippawan, told police that three men in a double-cab pickup truck had arrived at their home, asking to see Sommai. The men went into the house and talked to her husband. [continues 376 words]
DIRTY BUSINESS: Whether for domestic abuse or just passing through, heroin appears to be making a comeback in Thailand Sithichai Sukhathip had a very special mobile phone number for those who knew it. One call settled prices, delivery schedules, terms of payment and the amount of heroin or methamphetamine the caller wanted. At the age of 32, Sithichai was a rich man. Even while he was serving a life imprisonment term in his detention cell inside the Khong Phai Prison in Nakhon Ratchsima's Si Khiew District, his mobile phone kept him busy dealing drugs. [continues 1653 words]
Authorities have arrested 5,700 drug suspects, seized 3.8 million speed pills and frozen 129 million baht in assets in the first five days of their war on drugs since Feb 1. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday he was pleased with the results and urged officials to keep up the good work. He said the government would continue its tough action to ensure all provinces were drug-free. He did not elaborate. Human rights groups have voiced concern about the rising number of deaths among alleged drug traders, believing many were victims of summary executions by police. [continues 181 words]
The government announced it is waging a war against amphetamines, setting a target to eliminate them from the kingdom within three months after Feb 1 of this year. Governors and district police chiefs that fail to accomplish this shall be heavily punished. Simultaneously, rewards for the seizure of amphetamines leading to convictions were increased to three baht a pill as an incentive for arresting officers, which include civil servants, policemen and armed forces officials. Not surprisingly, we have since seen such headlines as "Drug murders escalate to 18 a day," "17 shot dead daily in drug-related cases" or "24 more shot dead, sacrificed to amphetamine gangs." [continues 571 words]
Crackdown by police likely to limit supplies Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh yesterday threw his support behind the proposed establishment of a special court to try drug suspects. Gen Chavalit, chief of the National Centre to Defeat Narcotics, said authorities should give the idea some thought. The deputy premier was referring to a suggestion made by privy councillor Gen Pichit Kullavanich that people indicted for drug offences should be tried in a special court. ``I agree with the privy councillor's idea. We should give it some thought,'' Gen Chavalit said. [continues 456 words]
Thirteen officials in Mae Fa Luang district have tested positive for drugs and will have to quit or face serious punishment. About 360 officials, soldiers and local people took part in a recent oath-taking ceremony at Doi Tung development project site, Mae Fa Luang. Among them were Chiang Rai governor Narin Panichkij, provincial police chief Pol Maj-Gen Wut Withitanont, Provincial Administration Organisation president Nukul Winitwalai and Mae Fa Luang district chief Chainarong Boonwiwattanakarn. After the ceremony, everyone was tested for drugs and 13 officials tested positive for opium and methamphetamines. [continues 201 words]
I am writing about "Suspected traffickers shot dead in Bangkok" (Feb 1). Your effort to "eradicate the country of drugs within three months" seems like a noble cause. The United States has been attempting to do the same for almost 90 years. The net result of our efforts has been that now 1.3% of our citizens are addicted to recreational drugs. Ninety years ago 1.3% of our citizens were addicted to drugs. Ninety years ago and greater than a trillion US dollars wasted. My advice to Thailand and the rest of the world is: Carefully observe US drug policy, then do the opposite. Don't follow us, we're lost. Kirk Muse Arizona, USA [end]
Nong Khai, Vientiane In Cooperation Deal Joint measures with Burma to fight drug trafficking along the Thai- Burmese border will be highlighted during Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's visit to Rangoon next week. ``I will discuss the drugs issue with the Burmese to work out joint measures against drug trafficking along the border,'' Mr Thaksin said during yesterday's visit to the army headquarters, where he told a gathering of army officers of the government's determination to root out the drugs problem. [continues 202 words]
The Education Ministry says all schools must be free of drugs by the end of this year and is offering incentives to administrators and teachers. However, failure will be punished. Deputy Education Minister Sirikorn Maneerin said schools declared drug-free would receive special budget funding, promotions and bonuses for executives and staff. But executives who neglected to take action, or failed to eradicate drugs, would be moved to inactive posts. The education minister would seek cooperation from all provincial governors and police chiefs in reporting on each school's anti-drug performance. [continues 225 words]
Police Safety Comes First In Campaign Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has warned traffickers on the run from the government's war on drugs to think twice about returning to Thailand. Mr Thaksin said he was happy with the first three days of the campaign, with prominent drug dealers having been arrested while many others were being hunted down. Any drug dealers who had fled Thailand would be arrested if they came back, he said. "They have to run for the rest of their lives and not come back because we have details about all the important dealers." Mr Thaksin said the drug clampdown would be evaluated constantly and improved after three months. [continues 228 words]
The army will this month turn 37 military camps into rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Maj-Gen Jongsak Panitkul, director-general of the Directorate of Civil Affairs, said the army would open applications for male and female addicts aged 15-35 years to join the army-run Wiwat Ponlamuang anti- drug school scheme. Teenage addicts must be accompanied by their parents. They will be sent to one of 37 military camps which can accommodate 100 addicts each. The applicants will learn military discipline and receive treatment for 45 days. [continues 80 words]
Six Suspects Dead, Four Shot By Police The opposition has warned the government against condoning extra- judicial killings in the war on drugs, after a weekend in which six drug suspects were killed, four by police. The Democrats say a campaign of secret killings would create a climate of fear and possibly lead to international trade boycotts. Jaran Dithapichai, a human rights commissioner, said his panel fielded complaints every year about alleged police executions of drug suspects, masked as justified shootings. [continues 447 words]
Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of Khun Thaksin, but drugs dealers are definitely not in my phone book. So what if Khun Thaksin set an impossible deadline to get rid of all drugs in Thailand? If the deadline is not met, he will probably come up with some lame excuse. However, I welcome whatever extra effort the police are using to achieve this target. Khun Thaksin should make sure that these efforts continue even after the three months are up. I for one will be standing up and applauding Khun Thaksin if he has the courage to admit that there was not enough time and extends the deadline, rather than just let the whole thing drop just like his promise to solve Bangkok's traffic jam. [continues 103 words]
Suspected Traffickers Shot Dead In Bangkok Police have denied responsibility for killings involving two suspected traffickers after they kicked off a government plan to eradicate the country of drugs within three months. The deaths stemmed from in-fighting within the drugs trade as prominent figures moved to eliminate the risk of being exposed by potential stool pigeons, Metropolitan Police chief Pol Lt-Gen Damrongsak Nilkhuha said yesterday. In Bangkok, Thongsuk Petchsawat was shot and killed at her home in the Min Buri area. Police had linked Thongsuk to Surachai "Bangron" Ngernthongfu, a suspected major trafficker. [continues 320 words]
Tea Plantations Can't Compete on Wages High unemployment and the rising cost of living in Burma have forced thousands of Palaung people to turn to drug producers for jobs in border areas, according to a Palaung meeting. Palaung State Liberation Front secretary-general Mai Aik Phong told last weekend's PSLF meeting that it was becoming more difficult to combat the drugs menace because of mass unemployment, leaving many with no choice but to serve drug producers, dealers and traffickers. [continues 331 words]
The gold Rolex watch studded with over two dozen half-carat diamonds worn by Bao Youxiang, commander of the United Wa State Army, featured in the latest issue of Time magazine is a telltale sign to the wealth of the warrior born in the impoverished hinterland of Burma. The diamonds alone would easily fetch two million baht on the Thai jewellery market. Bao Youxiang, according to Time, is said to hold a substantial interest in hotel and casino operations in cities in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. His family also reportedly owns Yangon Airways, one of Burma's two domestic airlines. [continues 546 words]
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday he had made it clear to Burma that its relations with Thailand depended on Rangoon's sincere cooperation in suppression of illicit drugs. His remark followed news reports that Burmese authorities had seized five million methamphetamine pills and more than 30kg of heroin on Wednesday. The news was confirmed by Thai intelligence reports, Mr Thaksin said. He had earlier told Rangoon it must help in the fight against drugs if it wished to maintain good relations with Bangkok and Thai support for Burma's national development. [continues 120 words]
The House drug suppression follow-up committee is pushing for the establishment of an international drug control police head office in Thailand with support from the United States. Col Winai Sompong, chairman of the panel, said the commitee's proposal on forming the International Drug Control Police headquarters in Thailand won support from Washington after it was presented to US authorities during the panel's study trip to the US in June. The members met the US deputy secretary of state, senators, representatives of US anti-drug units and the Supreme Court for discussions. [continues 194 words]
Chinese Haws Send Pills To Thai Workers Chinese Haws in northern border villages use connections with their relatives in Taiwan to export illicit drugs for sale to Thai workers there, a military source says. The drug business had been detected at villages in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which once housed refugee camps for remnants of the Kuomintang -- former Chinese nationalists who fled Taiwan 50 years ago. Most Kuomintang members escaped the fighting to Taiwan, but some also settled here. The settlers in Thailand have maintained contacts with relatives in Taiwan and send their children to study there. [continues 520 words]
Senate Mulls Lifting Of Ban On 'Krathom' Asenate committee is visiting the South to study a proposal to remove the stimulant plant krathom from the government's list of banned substances, enabling it to be used in the treatment of methamphetamine addicts. The proposal to introduce krathom as a methamphetamine substitute was put forward by politicians after research in Japan and Australia found it could be used in place of morphine during surgery, said Pinya Chuayplod, panel chairman. "If other countries turn krathom into a valuable asset, who will take responsibility for the loss to the nation?" he asked. [continues 58 words]
Police want to prosecute more drug suspects, and have asked the government to increase the number of drug-specialist investigators in every province from next year. National police chief Pol Gen Sant Sarutanont said yesterday most current investigators did not specialise in drug cases. Hence, they faced many problems regarding inquiries into small and medium-scale drug suspects. Pol Gen Sant said the investigators lacked expertise and field experience, and were not careful in their investigations, which was why prosecutors often dropped charges against suspects. [continues 145 words]
