Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2005
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2005
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39
Author: Wassana Nanuam
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?237 (Drug Dogs)

PM WANTS FARM PROJECTS IN BURMA TO CONTINUE

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra wants the national anti-drug agency to 
carry on crop substitution and farm projects at Yongkha village in Burma 
opposite Chiang Rai, while the agency wants to know Rangoon's stance before 
spending 15 million baht more on this.

Last week, Third Army commander Lt-Gen Picharnmet Muangmanee said the Third 
Army and the Doi Tung Royal Project had already halted assistance to 
various development projects for ethnic Wa, including the 30-million-baht 
Yongkha village development project and development of twin villages at the 
border costing 20 million baht, because the minority group did not stop 
producing drugs.

Pol Lt-Gen Krisna Pol-anan, secretary-general of Office of the Narcotics 
Control Board, said the prime minister wanted the ONCB to continue helping 
the Red Wa with farming development and crop substitution, especially those 
at Yongkha village opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Fa Luang district.

"The ONCB, Third Army and Doi Tung Royal Project have already withdrawn all 
our staff [from the projects] because we need the Burmese government's 
confirmation that it still wants us to continue the projects," he said.

He said the Yongkha village project was being run by Burmese and Red Wa 
staff trained by the ONCB and Doi Tung Royal Project until the Gen Maung 
Aye-led Burmese government confirms its stance on the project, approved by 
former Burmese prime minister Gen Khin Nyunt.

The United Nations also wanted the ONCB and Doi Tung Royal Project to 
introduce farm and crop substitution projects to several areas of Laos and 
Afghanistan.

Pitthaya Jinawat, director of the Northern Narcotics Control Centre, said: 
"I believe the Burmese government still wants both the ONCB and Doi Tung 
Royal Project to carry on the Yongkha project because we have prepared 70 
million baht for it and would this year spend 15 million baht."

An answer from Rangoon was expected during a Thai-Burmese anti-drug meeting 
to be held in Pagan, Burma, on May 8-11 and the ONCB plans to run similar 
projects to other areas of Burma if approved by the junta, Mr Pitthaya added.

On the third phase of the national anti-drug war, Pol Lt-Gen Krisna said 
all areas nationwide would be "x-rayed" again to round up drug dealers who 
remained in the country and those who had returned from their hideouts abroad.

Continued cooperation would be sought from Burma since there were still 
drug production sources there, and the Red Wa was still producing drugs and 
might expand drug smuggling routes to Laos, the ONCB secretary-general said.

The ONCB recently bought four specially-equipped vehicles worth 50 million 
baht each and was renting two mobile x-ray and drug test units to be 
deployed to the deep South to help detect the carrying of explosives by people.

To improve work efficiency of the Regional Police Bureau 5's drug sniffer 
dog division which now had 112 dogs to serve the North, canines considered 
too old or ineffectual would be discharged and replaced with new ones.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom