Pubdate: Fri, 07 Mar 2003
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2003
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39
Author: Anucha Charoenpo
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/area/Thailand
Note: On Feb. 1, 2003, Thailand instituted a 3-month campaign to eradicate
all drugs.

DATA COLLATION CENTRE KEPT OUT OF THE LINK

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.

State agencies lacked unity in the drugs fight and opening the centre was
supposed to solve that problem.

Staff could not force agencies to send in their reports. Requests to send in
information of public interest daily at 9am were ignored.

Officials at the centre were frequently embarrassed being unable to
immediately answer querries from people who telephoned seeking information
about certain cases, the source said.

Centre staff who were unable to answer immediately felt embarrassed.

``Pol Lt-Gen Chidchai Wannasathit, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board
secretary-general, is also the NCDD secretary,'' he said.

``We believe he understands the problem and is seeking a solution.''

The centre, which opened on Jan 28, has 30 staff on loan from the Narcotics
Control Board, Royal Thai Police headquarters, the Interior Ministry and the
army.

One of its sections collates information on the anti-drug crusade which
began on Feb 1. Information obtained is supposed to be analysed for further
investigation.
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk