A drug dealer was shot dead and a police officer wounded when narcotics control officers pursued two ya ba dealers from Mae Ai into the city area. The incident happened on the night of December 11, at Baan San Pa Khoi Nue, in Muang, Chiang Mai. Pol Lt Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayuthaya, commissioner of the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5 and Pol Maj Gen Jiruj Promobol, Chiang Mai Provincial Police commander, rushed to the scene with a squadron of officers and the duty doctor of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. [continues 173 words]
A joint seminar on drugs control measures between Thailand and Burma was hosted by Pol Lt Gen Kritsana Pol-anan, secretary general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Brig Gen Saw Win, chief of police and of the central committee of the Burmese narcotics control board, and Pithaya Jinawat, director of ONCB Northern Region, in Chiang Mai on December 9. The seminar examined progress on the planting of cash crops to replace the growing of opium. At Baan Yong Kha in Burma the Thai authorities have helped villagers find markets for their alternative crops, and progress is good. The area previously used for opium growing has decreased from almost one million rai to 200,000 rai. Cooperation from villagers has been very positive, the seminar heard, and the Burmese authorities are able to name specific areas as being completely free of narcotic plants. [continues 57 words]
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]
Previously unsuccessful searches of Chinese Haw villages, Baan Roong Aroon at Tambon Huay Pa, Baan Rak Thai, and Baan Mok Jampae at Tambon Mok Jampae in Muang, Mae Hong Son were repeated, after further reports of drug movements during the rainy season. Apparently, the villagers wait until the police withdraw and then carry on smuggling as normal. However, new reports indicated that several new houses had been built with secret compartments and hollow spaces that could be used to hide drugs. Other houses, previously the homes of dealers who had been evicted, were once again occupied and the police were checking on the new residents and a wary eye is being kept on these villages. [end]
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra renewed his commitment to the war on drugs on April 11 at a meeting attended by Deputy Prime Minister Pol. Gen. Chitchai Wannasathit and the Minister of Interior, Suwat Liptapanlop and other dignitaries. Officials are instructed to cooperate to control and eradicate drugs in every region of Thailand. "Today is an important day when we join together to warm Thais hearts by saving our children from drugs. Even though we have already done this twice before, the government will continue to pursue results ... and eliminate the drugs that destroy our country's future," the PM said. [continues 237 words]
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) held a seminar on system management to prevent drug dealing within eight Northern provinces, at Lotus Pang Suan Kaew Hotel on March 23. Almost 300 participants attended. Pinyo Thongchai deputy secretary general of ONCB, said, "A system management to prevent drug dealing depends on pursuing drug issues and receiving information from residents. There are an estimated 10,000 drug dealers for whom there are arrest warrants out but they have escaped from the country or hide in different provinces. Some narcotic laws will be reformed to update suppression in many different cases and for preventing escapes, as many drug dealers are covering their activities by establishing a good public image, helping society or with charitable activities. They are running legal businesses but dealing in drugs in the back." [continues 151 words]
Disguised as regular ya ba buying customers at the irrigation canal near Huay Tung Thao reservoir in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, police ended up gunning down Santipap or "Luang" Thairomyen, 31, and Worapoj Laosorn, 28, two Lisu hill tribesmen drug dealers, on the morning of March 22. While they were in process of trading, the two men detected the sting and started shooting. Police returned fire and the two fell, riddled with bullets. They found 30,000 ya ba pills, an AK-47 assault weapon and a .22 mm pistol. [continues 167 words]
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]
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. [continues 214 words]
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. [end]
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. [continues 165 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]
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. [continues 418 words]
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. [continues 244 words]
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]
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. [continues 219 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]
