Pubdate: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand) Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2002 Contact: http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39 War On Narcotics: PM BACKS CALL TO USE DRUG FUNDS Seized Assets Will Pay For Police Operations Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has seconded the idea to use assets seized from drug traffickers to finance drug-busting operations. The prime minister said police needed the "means" to drive the anti- drug campaign and traffickers should be indirectly made to foot the bill. Mr Thaksin was also receptive, albeit cautiously, to a suggestion for the government to churn out fake speed pills causing minor sickening effects such as nausea and vomiting to make them unattractive to buyers. Sitha Thiwaree, secretary to the deputy defence minister who floated the idea, said the fake pills should be made available at low prices or even free of charge in a market-dumping tactic to destroy the mainstream drug network. The prime minister said the suggestion was made "in jest". But it would not hurt for the Public Health Ministry to study the idea, he added. Mr Thaksin also said it was worth considering rewarding informants who helped in drug busts. They should, for example, be given two baht for every speed pill seized. He added that a senior leader of a European nation had suggested Thailand should legalise marijuana and other less serious drugs to draw people away from the really harmful ones. Mr Thaksin stressed he did not intend to follow the advice but this was yet another idea to ponder. Addressing a meeting to assess the national strategy to beat drug trafficking, Mr Thaksin backed the proposal to turn drug assets into financial resources. "We'll use what we took from the traffickers to weed them out," he said. He added, however, that the amount of cash to be channelled to police had yet to be determined. The proposal was put forward by Pol Maj-Gen Vut Vithitanont, the Chiang Rai police commander. He said tentatively 5% of the value of drug-generated assets impounded should be put into a fund and distributed to provincial police to finance drug raids. He acknowledged the acute shortages in staff and equipment to ensure effective suppression. Police abusing the fund would be liable for punishment three times harsher. Pol Maj-Gen Vut said that in Chiang Rai alone, 889 drug traders were on trial and the number nationwide was likely to top 50,000. Peerapan Premaputi, the Anti Money-Laundering Office secretary- general, said a draft bill on the tapping of trafficking gains was awaiting cabinet consideration. Mr Thaksin emphasised anti-drug cooperation on all levels. A fruitful drug suppression required categorising of the "supplier side, the demand side and the potential demand group". Supplies entered the country largely from Burma and Laos through the common borders. Police chief Pol Gen Sant Sarutanont said about 60,000 non- commissioned officers who obtained a bachelor's degree would be trained in drug-busting. He vowed to root out rogue officers dealing in drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex