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ST-Thai PM blames Yangon
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The Straits Times, JAN 5 2000=20
Drugs: Thai PM blames Yangon=20
Chuan Leekpai hits out at Myanmar's lack of cooperation in =
stemming the inflow of drugs, alleging that the latest haul comes from =
Myanmar=20
BANGKOK -- Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday blamed the =
Myanmar authorities for soaring drug-addiction rates among youth because =
of their lack of cooperation in stemming the inflow of illicit drugs.=20
The criticism follows the discovery by police here of two hauls =
totalling 3.8 million amphetamine tablets allegedly manufactured by =
ethnic Wa insurgents in eastern Myanmar.=20
"I have instructed the national police chief to find more =
effective measures to intercept drugs as this haul has proved that =
international cooperation was useless," Mr Chuan told reporters.=20
"From the report it is clear that the drug belongs to the Wa, so =
the drugs certainly came from outside Thailand," he said.=20
"I have made the observation that the arrests were accidental. How =
can that quantity of the drugs have slipped past the authorities' eyes." =
Although Mr Chuan did not directly name Myanmar, Yangon has =
repeatedly vowed to cooperate with neighbouring Thailand to clamp down =
on the illicit cross-border trade.=20
Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan received an assurance of =
cooperation while in Yangon in August at a meeting with powerful junta =
First Secretary Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt.=20
Thai officials have blamed the United Wa State Army for =
trafficking hundreds of millions of amphetamine tablets made in jungle =
laboratories across the border.=20
Critics of the Myanmar regime accuse it of allowing the Wa =
insurgents to continue trading drugs in return for a ceasefire.=20
Many believe the junta also profits financially from the trade, a =
charge Yangon's generals deny.=20
Myanmar is one of the world's biggest producers of heroin along =
with Afghanistan and is accused of hosting hundreds of amphetamine =
factories along its border with Thailand.=20
Meanwhile, Thailand reportedly has more than 600,000 child drug =
addicts.=20
Researchers from Chulalongkorn University's Education Centre for =
the Underprivileged recently found that children made up more than 50 =
per cent of total drug arrests and up to 80 per cent of cases in the =
juvenile court related to amphetamines.=20
In Bangkok, amphetamine use is rampant in the slums. In Klong Toey =
port slum -- home to 100,000 taxi drivers, stall holders, dockers and =
the unemployed -- amphetamines known as Ya Baa are widely consumed by =
users who need to stay awake for long working shifts. -- AFP=20
=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Helvetica, Arial" =
size=3D2><B>The Straits=20
Times, JAN 5 2000 </B></FONT>
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<P>
<TABLE border=3D0 cellPadding=3D5 cellSpacing=3D0 style=3D"HEIGHT: =
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<TD vAlign=3Dtop><FONT size=3D+2><!-- head ends here --><FONT=20
color=3D#800000><STRONG>Drugs: Thai PM blames Yangon =
</STRONG></FONT></FONT>
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P><B>Chuan Leekpai hits out at Myanmar's lack of cooperation in =
stemming=20
the inflow of drugs, alleging that the latest haul comes from =
Myanmar</B>=20
<P>BANGKOK -- Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday blamed =
the=20
Myanmar authorities for soaring drug-addiction rates among youth =
because=20
of their lack of cooperation in stemming the inflow of illicit =
drugs.=20
<P>The criticism follows the discovery by police here of two hauls =
totalling 3.8 million amphetamine tablets allegedly manufactured =
by ethnic=20
Wa insurgents in eastern Myanmar.=20
<P>"I have instructed the national police chief to find more =
effective=20
measures to intercept drugs as this haul has proved that =
international=20
cooperation was useless," Mr Chuan told reporters.=20
<P>"From the report it is clear that the drug belongs to the Wa, =
so the=20
drugs certainly came from outside Thailand," he said.=20
<P>"I have made the observation that the arrests were accidental. =
How can=20
that quantity of the drugs have slipped past the authorities' =
eyes."=20
<P>Although Mr Chuan did not directly name Myanmar, Yangon has =
repeatedly=20
vowed to cooperate with neighbouring Thailand to clamp down on the =
illicit=20
cross-border trade.=20
<P>Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan received an assurance of=20
cooperation while in Yangon in August at a meeting with powerful =
junta=20
First Secretary Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt.=20
<P>Thai officials have blamed the United Wa State Army for =
trafficking=20
hundreds of millions of amphetamine tablets made in jungle =
laboratories=20
across the border.=20
<P>Critics of the Myanmar regime accuse it of allowing the Wa =
insurgents=20
to continue trading drugs in return for a ceasefire.=20
<P>Many believe the junta also profits financially from the trade, =
a=20
charge Yangon's generals deny.=20
<P>Myanmar is one of the world's biggest producers of heroin along =
with=20
Afghanistan and is accused of hosting hundreds of amphetamine =
factories=20
along its border with Thailand.=20
<P>Meanwhile, Thailand reportedly has more than 600,000 child drug =
addicts.=20
<P>Researchers from Chulalongkorn University's Education Centre =
for the=20
Underprivileged recently found that children made up more than 50 =
per cent=20
of total drug arrests and up to 80 per cent of cases in the =
juvenile court=20
related to amphetamines.=20
<P>In Bangkok, amphetamine use is rampant in the slums. In Klong =
Toey port=20
slum -- home to 100,000 taxi drivers, stall holders, dockers and =
the=20
unemployed -- amphetamines known as Ya Baa are widely consumed by =
users=20
who need to stay awake for long working shifts. -- AFP <!-- tail =
starts here =
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