Pubdate: Thu, 27 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
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Thailand (Thailand)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Thaksin+Shinawatra (Shinawatra, Thaksin)

CEREMONY TO SHOW UNITY IN CAMPAIGN

A ceremony to show unity against drugs among people of different religions 
will be held in Ayutthaya province tomorrow.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will preside over the event, which is 
expected to attract between 50,000-100,000 people including foreign 
diplomats, religious leaders and representatives from foreign anti-drug 
agencies.

Religious leaders are expected to return to their localities and run 
rehabilitation projects for addicts. Coordination centres will be set up 
throughout the country.

Mr Thaksin on Tuesday said he was confident the three-month campaign 
against drugs would provide his government with "more than enough" 
information to pass on at a five-nation drugs meeting to be attended by 
delegates from Burma, China, India, Laos and Thailand. The meeting has yet 
to be scheduled. India would be invited to attend because it was a transit 
country for drug precursors.

Mr Thaksin also claimed the United Nations Human Rights Commission was 
impressed with Thailand's efforts to suppress illicit drugs "because we 
provide the innocent with human rights protection". The creation of two 
monitoring committees had made officials involved more careful not to act 
beyond the scope of the law, he said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl