An international seminar towards narcotic cooperation between ASEAN and China was held in at the Imperial Chiang Mai Resort in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai. Kamol Taiyapirom working on behalf of ONCB Northern Region revealed that the ONCB and narcotic suppression organization of Burmese jointly held the event. Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritsana Pol-anan, secretary general of ONCB presided over the seminar that was also joined by 60 representatives of UN and international and private sectors. The UN has tried to suppress opium planting and drug dealing at the Golden Triangle, so an association was created between ASEAN and China. The seminar also studied works in Thailand and Burma regarding alternative crops for opium in these areas. [end]
They May Be Worth Millions In Illegal Drugs Drug dealers smuggling heroin and speed pills from Myanmar were recently arrested with a haul of seven kilograms of drugs. The raw value was 2.8 million baht but sources said that this would bring 28 million baht on the street. Maj. Gen. Pairat Thongjaktu, commissioner of Pha Muang Task Force, said that in the early morning of July 25, patrolling soldiers near the second bridge at Baan Tha Kalam saw two men carrying a large sack. On requesting a search, the two ran back to the Burmese side, abandoning their bundle. [continues 188 words]
1,500 People Vow to Resist Drugs on National Anti Drug Day 1,500 people gathered at the Thapae Gate courtyard on June 26, the UN's anti drug day, to take a vow to resist drugs. Chiang Mai municipality joined with the Drug Combating Center in Chiang Mai to hold the campaign to encourage everyone, from all walks of life, to prevent and solve the drugs problem. Residents from 80 communities in Chiang Mai municipality area, government organizations, education institutes, foundations, associations and citizens' power groups took part in the event. [continues 93 words]
7.2 million baht, drugs and offenders seized The records of War on Drugs III show that from April 1 to June 16, 142 retailers and drug addicts with 38,000 speed pills were found and 7,200,000 baht from 13 drug dealers was confiscated, according to Pol. Col. Chamnan Ruadreuw, deputy commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police. Fourteen police stations set up almost a hundred checkpoints, resulting in the apprehension of drug dealers and illegal laborers. On June 16, 87 Burmese illegal immigrants were found, along with 8 weapons, 6 criminals, 1 motorcycle thief, 8 drug traffickers with arrest warrants out against them and 16 drug addicts and drug possessors with 200 ya ba pills. Pol. Col. Chamnan said that the officers would continue to suppress drug wholesalers and retailers with names in the police black list. He claimed that several drug dealers would be arrested before June 30, the scheduled end of the third war on drugs. [end]
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. [continues 72 words]
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. [end]
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. [continues 177 words]
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. [continues 59 words]
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. [continues 119 words]
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. [continues 508 words]
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. [continues 348 words]
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. [continues 286 words]
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. [continues 157 words]
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. [continues 187 words]
Following a royal amnesty to mark HM the Queen's birthday, 203 of the 3,787 prisoners in Chiang Mai Central Prison walked free on September 9. They were all considered as 'trustworthy' prisoners and had less than one year of their sentences to go. Most had been arrested in connection with drug offences. This is the second release of male prisoners at Chiang Mai Central Prison. The first took place on National Mother's Day, when 109 prisoners were released. [continues 117 words]
More Than Just The Thai and Burmese Armies On Patrol Several problems exist at the northern border, including minority groups, illegal entry of aliens and human trafficking as well as illicit drugs. Despite the much publicized War on Drugs (that has brought Thailand to the adverse notice of human rights groups around the world), problems continue to exist because there are several narcotic stockpiles in areas inside neighboring countries, especially Myanmar, where there are Wa group soldiers located at the border to protect the benefits for their government. And there are still orders from drug dealers on the Thai side so there is movement from other countries. [continues 726 words]
Successes In War Noted The amount of heroin seized in the north has more than doubled as a result of the government's war on drugs, while the number of arrests for amphetamines has dropped. Pittaya Jinawat, director of the northern Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), has disclosed that 40 kg of heroin a month are seized, compared with a previous monthly average of 19 kg. The number of amphetamines intercepted has dropped from 26 million tablets to 70,000 tablets a month. [continues 433 words]
And Score A 20,000 Baht Bonus! Udom Maneekhat, Chiang Mai Provincial Development Office head, said that the Chiang Mai Provincial Authorities appointed his office to work with former drug addicts who had been rehabilitated during the war on drugs. Part of the rehabilitation was training in useful occupational skills and investment management methods. In addition, the office has arranged training courses in March on the Poverty Eradication Scheme in seven districts, including Samoeng, Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Chiang Dao, Phrao, Fang and Mae Ai districts. [continues 69 words]
