Thai Elite Military Unit Reformed To Combat Burma Drug Exports

[george]

Elite military unit reformed to combat Burma drug exports

By John Le Fevre

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- An elite military unit that was disbanded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been reformed to combat the increasing amounts of drugs being smuggled into Thailand from Burma.

Previously known as Task Force 399, the reformed unit will be based in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district under the new identity of the 151st special warfare company.

Originally funded and supported by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) and trained by US Army Special Forces troops, Task Force 399 focused its attention on the Thai-Burma border to stem the flow of heroin, methamphetamine’s and other drugs in the kingdom.

However, in October 2002 the unit was disbanded by Shinawatra, allegedly to ease tensions with Burma who accused the unit of crossing into Burma and destroying drug factories.

According to reports from the International Intelligence Fusion Centre (IIFC), the number of factories producing methamphetamine, or ice as it is more commonly known, along the border has increased from 11 last year to 23 this year, with an estimated 400 million tablets being smuggled into the country.

Though the original unit was disbanded, a joint intelligence agency task force set up along with it was retained and had continued its operations in close cooperation with the IIFC.

According to information from the intelligence unit, 19 of the drug factories bordering Thailand are operated by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), also known as the Red Wa, which the US has described as the world's "biggest gang of armed drug traffickers".

In May 2001 the Thai Army fought a pitched battle against the Red Wa after it set up a position on Thai territory at Hua Lone hill near Chiang Mai.

Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, a former chief of the 3rd Army, yesterday welcomed the revival of the unit, saying its work was still needed.

He said it was a shame the unit was disbanded just to appease Burma and the fight to stamp out drug trafficking should be a priority, regardless of who was providing the funding.

-- thaivisa.com 2009-08-13

[dale8]

Hello, the illegal drugs destroy so many lives as the psychopath drug dealers get wealthy. I hope they can do the job to remove the drugs, but we do not need to have any death squads that judge for themselves who should be killed as this activity is bad in the same way as the drug dealers. The senior dealers need to lose their money to make an impact, and I hope no military units from Thailand will take the drugs to sell for themselves.

[givenall]

About time

One more nail to Thaksin old legacy coffin

Edited August 13, 2009 by givenall

[h90]

Hello, the illegal drugs destroy so many lives as the psychopath drug dealers get wealthy. I hope they can do the job to remove the drugs, but we do not need to have any death squads that judge for themselves who should be killed as this activity is bad in the same way as the drug dealers. The senior dealers need to lose their money to make an impact, and I hope no military units from Thailand will take the drugs to sell for themselves.

I think removing some of the drugs will only increase the market price/profit/bribes.

In my opinion the only way is to give drugs for the people already addicted for free in special shops, that takes out the money of this business.

[emancipationthailand]

[snip]

Throughout past 70 years, beside suppressing civil protests via tanks and machine guns (1973, 1976, 1992) and assisting in national disasters, I haven't heard much of the military's achievements. I thought the army had been humiliated in battles and in the three most southern provices quite often?

I doubt that spending massive PR funding would count as achievement. (ISOC's MOSO)

Also, so Thailand is willing to pull this stunt with a possible aim to make the US happy, but refused to extradite the international terrorist Victor Bout? Strange ......

[emancipationthailand]

About time

One more nail to Thaksin old legacy coffin

Ummm. I'm not too familiar with any facts that Mr.T runs drug trading and you seemed to indirectly pointed? Please enlighten us then. Otherwise, someone may consider this as defamation?

[hammered]

Knock Knock .... Do you farangs here know the international drug lord Ullrich Wolfgang and his incident with the Democrat Party years ago?

try google it for a change, please ....

Throughout past 70 years, beside suppressing civil protests via tanks and machine guns (1973, 1976, 1992) and assisting in national disasters, I haven't heard much of the military's achievements. I thought the army had been humiliated in battles and in the three most southern provices quite often?

I doubt that spending massive PR funding would count as achievement. (ISOC's MOSO)

Also, so Thailand is willing to pull this stunt with a possible aim to make the US happy, but refused to extradite the international terrorist Victor Bout? Strange ......

Were you around in the Wolfgang days? He wasnt exactly an international drug lord in the terms of the Mexican and Colombian drug lords.

When was Bout convicted of terrorism by the way?

[Plus]

Bout was convicted in absentia in New York, wasn't he?

Doesn't matter. Thais have problems with drugs, the US has nothing to do wtih it.

There's a great number of people who would give up the habit if drugs were unavailable/too expensive, and for them cutting off the supplies would work the best - it's like being forced into a rehab.

It's also about time Thais have grown some balls and confronted Wa about the matter. Of course it's easier to kill your own compatriots and you still get the whole glory, ala Thaksin, but that strategy doesn't seem to work anymore - they don't dare to go on another rampage and without actuall killings numreous drug wars announced every couple of months have no effect whatsoever. All Thaksin's bla bla bla about decriminalising the addicts, sending them to rehabs, getting sworn oaths not to trade, none of that works by itself - killing people without mercy was the singlemost cause of drug war success.

[walterego]

"I think removing some of the drugs will only increase the market price/profit/bribes.

In my opinion the only way is to give drugs for the people already addicted for free in special shops, that takes out the money of this business." h90 :D

Now that would be just way to simple wouldnt it? cant have a plan that actually works!

Edited August 13, 2009 by walterego

[geriatrickid]

About time

One more nail to Thaksin old legacy coffin

Ummm. I'm not too familiar with any facts that Mr.T runs drug trading and you seemed to indirectly pointed? Please enlighten us then. Otherwise, someone may consider this as defamation?

Wait I am confused. According to the Thaksin is to blame for everything vocal minority in Thai Visa, Mr. Thaksin had elite military squads roaming the countryside killing allegd drug trafficers. But now I see Mr. Thaksin disbanded an alleged undisciplined rogue unit and he still gets accused of being soft on drugs. Golly gee, I do wish the venom spitting Thaksin haters could get their basis of hate straight.

Well at least now people have a reminder as to why the military didn't like Mr. Thaksin: He wanted some discipline in the ranks and an end to random killings. But hey, who cares when the facts can be distorted and stories invented to blame Thaksin for the crimes that were committed by folks in military uniforms and that refuse to allow the military to be subjected to civilian oversight.

[ham]

yes cool, if they (army) take it in their own hands, then availability is guaranty ;-) i mean it is much saver to dislocate in army convoy's

See the progress of the DEA in Columbia, never so much cocaine on the planet, or opium in Afghanistan, no really they are sooooo successful, must be the right doctrine, na?

[humbug]

you really have to wonder just how involved the thai military are in the drug trade, they man the borders all along burma and laos and yet these countries are blamed for exporting their cash crops and chemicals to thailand. maybe this elite thai military unit is re-activated to cut out those production facilities which are trying to evade the thai military's allowance for a safe passage .