Thai Elections Revive Drug War Controversy

[webfact]

Thai elections revive drug war controversy

by Rachel O'Brien and Thanaporn Promyamyai

KALASIN, June 24, 2011 (AFP) - Five years after he was toppled from power, the legacy of Thaksin Shinawatra's "War on Drugs" still haunts relatives of the dead who are horrified at the idea of his return.

"I wish I could kill them," food vendor Somporn said of the former prime minister and the policemen he blames for the death of his son, found tied to a tree in a public park in the northeastern town of Kalasin.

Pravit Sattawut died seven years ago, aged 21 -- killed, rights groups suspect, by the town's police as part of Thaksin's notorious crackdown on drugs, which outraged critics for its alleged extrajudicial murders and abuses.

The anger of Pravit's father goes against the grain here in the Thai northeast.

This is the heartland of support for Thaksin, a tycoon-turned-premier who now lives in exile but has said he hopes to return to Thailand by the end of the year if his political allies win a July 3 election.

Before a coup deposed him in 2006, Thaksin won over rural hearts with his populist platform. His get-tough approach to tackling the searing trade in drugs, particularly methamphetamines, was also hugely popular.

Now his youngest sister is running to be premier, and widely seen as his political proxy.

Yingluck Shinawatra told AFP in a recent interview that she would "handle the drugs policy with care (for) human rights" -- but some fear abuses could resume if her party wins with Thaksin as its de facto leader.

Thailand saw an 88 percent jump in murder cases during the main phase of Thaksin's drugs campaign, from February to April 2003, according to a 2008 report by a Thai special committee on anti-drugs policy.

The report said there were 2,873 murders in the period, 1,370 of them drugs-related.

Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International's Thailand researcher, said it was "quite frightening" to think that those behind the drugs war could soon return to the frontline of Thai politics.

"As the same political actors look like they're going to come back to relevance, it becomes more relevant again -- not just the last 'War on Drugs' but a future one," he said.

The government at the time said most of the victims were drug dealers shooting each other, but it appeared to condone the deaths and encourage police to take a zero tolerance approach.

"The drug sellers have been ruthless with the Thai people, with our children, so if we are ruthless with them it is not a big deal," Thaksin said as he launched the 2003 campaign, which called on authorities to draw up blacklists of suspects.

Many of the killings took place after those who were blacklisted left police stations where they had gone to turn themselves in or to clarify their status, according to Amnesty.

In Pravit's case, he was arrested in Kalasin town in February 2004 for getting into a fight, then released on bail before returning to the police station the next day to collect his mobile phone, his father Somporn said.

He never saw his son alive again.

"The doctor said he died from suffocation. The next day I opened the coffin and found bruises on his ribs, like someone had beaten him," he said.

Pravit had been jailed before for drugs possession, but had gone through a rehab programme and was a month off being certified clean when he died, according to Somporn. His girlfriend was also two months pregnant.

Today, a large plaque in front of Kalasin's town hall, dated 2002, proudly proclaims a "drugs free province" after an initial hardline campaign in the area, which earned praise from Thaksin and inspired his nationwide approach.

But activists say deaths such as Pravit's led to a legacy of ongoing police brutality and impunity, with just a handful of Thai police prosecuted in connection with the country's drugs war.

"The systematic cover up by high-ranking police officers at all levels has allowed abusive officers to remain in power and continue to terrorise the public," said Sunai Phasuk, a Thai analyst with Human Rights Watch.

Rights groups recognise at least 27 such cases in Kalasin that implicate police during Thaksin's premiership, and Sunai said there could be many more that have not come to light because of "ingrained impunity".

Only one of these cases has reached court: Six policemen have been charged with the premeditated murder of a 17-year-old found hanging in July 2004, several days after his arrest for stealing a motorbike.

His aunt Pikul Phromchan, an activist seeking justice in the Kalasin deaths, lives in fear for her life under witness protection while the case drags on -- the hearing was recently delayed until December.

"I fight as best as I can but I don't have much hope in the justice system," she said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-06-24

[givenall]

It is true that history repeats itself. Human is not designto learn from other people or countries mistake. I wish Thailand learns from 40years of drug war in US, it just does not work, especially reacting with violence.So all I can say is that people get very emotional about this subject on theboth side and the political parties are aware of this and use the issue for theirown gain. So do fall for it

[anon467367354]

when Thaksin said he would bring back the war on drugs I think that was a threat, I can't imagine any other reason to say that being that it failed miserably and can only continue to do so based on the results of other countries that have tried it or are still "doing" it.

[sirchai]

It is true that history repeats itself. Human is not designto learn from other people or countries mistake. I wish Thailand learns from 40years of drug war in US, it just does not work, especially reacting with violence.So all I can say is that people get very emotional about this subject on theboth side and the political parties are aware of this and use the issue for theirown gain. So do fall for it

Only one of these cases has reached court: Six policemen have been charged with the premeditated murder of a 17-year-old found hanging in July 2004, several days after his arrest for stealing a motorbike.

Time for them to become a police officers hub. Where in the world are cops there to kill innocent people? Sorry, I gotta puke..........................:jap:

[sirchai]

when Thaksin said he would bring back the war on drugs I think that was a threat, I can't imagine any other reason to say that being that it failed miserably and can only continue to do so based on the results of other countries that have tried it or are still "doing" it.

"I fight as best as I can but I don't have much hope in the justice system," she said.

There isn't hope, that's true. Even when a cop doesn't do his job, a contract killer will do it for 15,000 baht. Life's not fair.................................:jap:

[geriatrickid]

when Thaksin said he would bring back the war on drugs I think that was a threat, I can't imagine any other reason to say that being that it failed miserably and can only continue to do so based on the results of other countries that have tried it or are still "doing" it.

it did not fail miserably. At the time, organized crime syndicates had effectively established a defacto state in several of the provinces. The military, the police, the judiciary and the civil servants were in league with the drug cartels. The war on drugs was not so much against the drugs, but was an action to prevent Thailand beoming a Panama or Peru or Columbia. In that regard, the war on drugs was a success.Many of the people that died were casualties of the drug cartel feuds, either silencing people that would talk or settling scores. Others were indeeed hardened criminals. Some of the dead were innocent non implicated civilians that were either killed in error by the police and military or were intentionally murdered by the drug cartels to discredit the government's fight to keep the nation free of the drug cartels.

[robertson468]

when Thaksin said he would bring back the war on drugs I think that was a threat, I can't imagine any other reason to say that being that it failed miserably and can only continue to do so based on the results of other countries that have tried it or are still "doing" it.

it did not fail miserably. At the time, organized crime syndicates had effectively established a defacto state in several of the provinces. The military, the police, the judiciary and the civil servants were in league with the drug cartels. The war on drugs was not so much against the drugs, but was an action to prevent Thailand beoming a Panama or Peru or Columbia. In that regard, the war on drugs was a success.Many of the people that died were casualties of the drug cartel feuds, either silencing people that would talk or settling scores. Others were indeeed hardened criminals. Some of the dead were innocent non implicated civilians that were either killed in error by the police and military or were intentionally murdered by the drug cartels to discredit the government's fight to keep the nation free of the drug cartels.

"It did not fail miserably......................Some of the dead were innocent". Where in your twisted mind does the death of innocent members of the population justify a successful operation? You are either one very sad Dude or perhaps you need to engage brain before you hit "Add Reply" button.

[Pi Sek]

The objective of a war on drugs is to lower supply and demand to lower the overall production revenue (the area under which supply meets demand). Whatever happened in between, and perpetrated by whomever, the outcome of Thaksin's war on drugs was a huge increase in price and a slight increase in quantity - resulting in hugely increased profit margins for the supply network. The $-value of the drugs trade in Thailand grew due to Thaksin's efforts to stifle it.

So it failed, miserably. But then, it was never intended to impact the drug trade - it was a front to silence those who could not be otherwise legally silenced, as the investigation shelved by the late Samak showed (over half of the fatalities had no involvement in the drugs trade). The "drugs" part was just to give it a semblance of legitimacy - there are far more dealers in Thailand than the 1,050+ possible (but not confirmed) ones that were killed in 2003, or even the 1,450 confirmed innocents whom I refer to above.

[SICHONSTEVE]

when Thaksin said he would bring back the war on drugs I think that was a threat, I can't imagine any other reason to say that being that it failed miserably and can only continue to do so based on the results of other countries that have tried it or are still "doing" it.

"Failed miserably"!!!!

His rewarding of those police authorities, with immediate promotion (and probably cash incentives knowing Thaksin) for removing drugs SUSPECTS from the scene and punishment by way of demotion or removal from office for those that fell short of his quotas (this is the elimination of people we are talking about) are so obscene and unethical that I dread to think what will happen if Phuea Thai get in!!!

How can it be right to incentivise the police to murder people simply on account of their past dealings with drugs or even those just suspected of being involved in the drug scene??

This is wanton and injudicial murder we are talking about here - this is not far removed (maybe equivalent) to those perpetrating 'war crimes' essentially. I cannot see how he got away with it scot free, but do it he did!!

His ill thought out and murderous escapades may have been popular at the time with the people but what about those innocently affected families who lost loved ones through ambitious and greedy so called law enforcers who wanted to bump up the numbers in their elimination frenzy for personal gain??

[RedNIvar]

Downside, all in the drug trade and their families along with those in the sex industry will end up voting the other way.

I will never object to a no nonsense stance by any government when dealing with drugs. Thailand should take a much tougher stance like Singapore and Malaysia. Shoot first ask questions later; and if they do catch you, to the gallows you go. Way too easy in Thailand to get drugs.

Wishful thinking I guess when the drug industry is helping to line the pockets of the police and politicians. IMHO.

[bobbin]

when Thaksin said he would bring back the war on drugs I think that was a threat, I can't imagine any other reason to say that being that it failed miserably and can only continue to do so based on the results of other countries that have tried it or are still "doing" it.

it did not fail miserably. At the time, organized crime syndicates had effectively established a defacto state in several of the provinces. The military, the police, the judiciary and the civil servants were in league with the drug cartels. The war on drugs was not so much against the drugs, but was an action to prevent Thailand beoming a Panama or Peru or Columbia. In that regard, the war on drugs was a success.Many of the people that died were casualties of the drug cartel feuds, either silencing people that would talk or settling scores. Others were indeeed hardened criminals. Some of the dead were innocent non implicated civilians that were either killed in error by the police and military or were intentionally murdered by the drug cartels to discredit the government's fight to keep the nation free of the drug cartels.

A new low for the "kid".

Seriously, what are you smoking?

You are out of step with the emerging consensus on the utter failure of the "Drug War", which actually translates into a War by the State on it's own citizens. A one-sided war for the most part, as there are few retaliatory killings of State officials by the "enemy". Exception being Mexico, which scares the Hell out of USA

[RKASA]

Drug use amoung Thai kids is up 129% after 2006

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit - Today

[rixalex]

it did not fail miserably. At the time, organized crime syndicates had effectively established a defacto state in several of the provinces. The military, the police, the judiciary and the civil servants were in league with the drug cartels. The war on drugs was not so much against the drugs, but was an action to prevent Thailand beoming a Panama or Peru or Columbia. In that regard, the war on drugs was a success.Many of the people that died were casualties of the drug cartel feuds, either silencing people that would talk or settling scores. Others were indeeed hardened criminals. Some of the dead were innocent non implicated civilians that were either killed in error by the police and military or were intentionally murdered by the drug cartels to discredit the government's fight to keep the nation free of the drug cartels.

As far as your assessment of the breakdown of those killed is concerned, you may be right, you may be wrong... at the end of the day, it is just your guess, educated though it may be. You have no evidence. You have no proof. Just hearsay and rumour.

Everybody has a right to a trial. Passing judgement without one is bad enough, but when the penalty is death, the only civilised humane reaction - no matter what the perceived upside might have been - is outrage, disgust and complete condemnation.

[RogueExpat]

The objective of a war on drugs is to lower supply and demand to lower the overall production revenue (the area under which supply meets demand). Whatever happened in between, and perpetrated by whomever, the outcome of Thaksin's war on drugs was a huge increase in price and a slight increase in quantity - resulting in hugely increased profit margins for the supply network. The $-value of the drugs trade in Thailand grew due to Thaksin's efforts to stifle it.

So it failed, miserably. But then, it was never intended to impact the drug trade - it was a front to silence those who could not be otherwise legally silenced, as the investigation shelved by the late Samak showed (over half of the fatalities had no involvement in the drugs trade). The "drugs" part was just to give it a semblance of legitimacy - there are far more dealers in Thailand than the 1,050+ possible (but not confirmed) ones that were killed in 2003, or even the 1,450 confirmed innocents whom I refer to above.

Go to the top of the class.

This is exactly what the war on drugs was about. Creating a smokescreen of public admiration, whilst clearing the competition and raising profit margins, amongst other things that were going on at the time.

[Roadman]

Downside, all in the drug trade and their families along with those in the sex industry will end up voting the other way.

I will never object to a no nonsense stance by any government when dealing with drugs. Thailand should take a much tougher stance like Singapore and Malaysia. Shoot first ask questions later; and if they do catch you, to the gallows you go. Way too easy in Thailand to get drugs.

Wishful thinking I guess when the drug industry is helping to line the pockets of the police and politicians. IMHO.

Have to disagree. I would have no problem if they were all big time drug dealers.

So I guess you have no problem then if the police shot your son or daughter who were experimenting with a joint? Where do you draw the line? Follow a democratic process and no-one in a civilised society has the right to the honoury position of judge, jury and executioner. Then again this is Thailand and it is Thaksin we are talking about.

Some of the reality at the time was that the dealers were being taken out by the cops...how convenient. Premission to take them out and take over the trade so I do agree with your last point.

[rixalex]

I will never object to a no nonsense stance by any government when dealing with drugs.

Perhaps that is because a no nonsense stance has never taken the life of an innocent loved one.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Downside, all in the drug trade and their families along with those in the sex industry will end up voting the other way.

I will never object to a no nonsense stance by any government when dealing with drugs. Thailand should take a much tougher stance like Singapore and Malaysia. Shoot first ask questions later; and if they do catch you, to the gallows you go. Way too easy in Thailand to get drugs.

Wishful thinking I guess when the drug industry is helping to line the pockets of the police and politicians. IMHO.

So you would have no quibble with the Thai police shooting you dead and then thinking ooops!!!, sorry!!! wrong person, but there you go, can't get it right all the time!!!

I suppose you wouldn't be worried as you would be dead and no repercussions on their part as they were just (trying) to do their job. This makes it all OK then in your book, does it!!!

I kind of think you've got this all wrong somehow as nobody (not even Thaksin) has the right to order the killing of people in this injudicial way, no matter how much you (and I as well) detest the drugs trade with all the abject misery for so many people hooked on drugs and rich rewards that it brings to those who perpetrate it.

[SICHONSTEVE]

The objective of a war on drugs is to lower supply and demand to lower the overall production revenue (the area under which supply meets demand). Whatever happened in between, and perpetrated by whomever, the outcome of Thaksin's war on drugs was a huge increase in price and a slight increase in quantity - resulting in hugely increased profit margins for the supply network. The $-value of the drugs trade in Thailand grew due to Thaksin's efforts to stifle it.

So it failed, miserably. But then, it was never intended to impact the drug trade - it was a front to silence those who could not be otherwise legally silenced, as the investigation shelved by the late Samak showed (over half of the fatalities had no involvement in the drugs trade). The "drugs" part was just to give it a semblance of legitimacy - there are far more dealers in Thailand than the 1,050+ possible (but not confirmed) ones that were killed in 2003, or even the 1,450 confirmed innocents whom I refer to above.

Go to the top of the class.

This is exactly what the war on drugs was about. Creating a smokescreen of public admiration, whilst clearing the competition and raising profit margins, amongst other things that were going on at the time.

I agree with the public admiration bit as Thaksin was always the "gungho" type with a look at 'how powerful am I" kind of attitude. But I have to laugh at your second point as this rediculous take on the reasons for Shinawatra carrying out his illegal and catastrophic actions is nothing to do with raising profit margins (for whom may I ask)?? and just how would Thaksin gain from this?? unless of course you are accusing him of being well and truly entrenched in the whole scene. Are you??

[monkfish]

Does anyone have any facts on the "War On Drugs" can someone provide links with facts not beliefs.

"The report said there were 2,873 murders in the period, 1,370 of them drugs-related."

What report is it available for download?

What Period? Is this a period of 1 month or 2 years?

Are all murders during that period being attributed to the war on drugs?

"Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International's Thailand researcher, said it was "quite frightening" to think that those behind the drugs war could soon return to the frontline of Thai politics."

When did Zawacki say this? There are no offivcial statements on AE website for Thailand

http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/thailand

[SICHONSTEVE]

Does anyone have any facts on the "War On Drugs" can someone provide links with facts not beliefs.

"The report said there were 2,873 murders in the period, 1,370 of them drugs-related."

What report is it available for download?

What Period? Is this a period of 1 month or 2 years?

Are all murders during that period being attributed to the war on drugs?

"Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International's Thailand researcher, said it was "quite frightening" to think that those behind the drugs war could soon return to the frontline of Thai politics."

When did Zawacki say this? There are no offivcial statements on AE website for Thailand

http://www.amnesty.o...region/thailand

Why don't you just 'Google' Thaksin war on drugs and then you will discover all the sordid details!!!!

[SICHONSTEVE]

Drug use amoung Thai kids is up 129% after 2006

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit - Today

Shows that Thaksin's purge really worked wonders in taking drugs off the street then (very effective clearly) - he sure took many INNOCENT people off the streets and to a premature death though. He will probably be claiming that if it wasn't for him it would be up 2,129%.

[DP25]

The war on drugs was not so much against the drugs, but was an action to prevent Thailand beoming a Panama or Peru or Columbia.

lol

You'd have to be on drugs to think the situation was even remotely comparable to that. This isn't South Central LA, Mexico, or Columbia, and never was even close. Thais would poop their pants if they saw some real pipe hitting gangsters like in US cities, or head chopping cartel members like on the border. Laughable to think the situation was even close. The sudden need for a war on drugs in Thailand was a wag the dog operation to divert attention from corruption allegations. Manufacture a crisis out of a small problem to remove attention from the real problem, massive corruption and human rights abuses

[SICHONSTEVE]

The war on drugs was not so much against the drugs, but was an action to prevent Thailand beoming a Panama or Peru or Columbia.

lol

You'd have to be on drugs to think the situation was even remotely comparable to that. This isn't South Central LA, Mexico, or Columbia, and never was even close. Thais would poop their pants if they saw some real pipe hitting gangsters like in US cities, or head chopping cartel members like on the border. Laughable to think the situation was even close. The sudden need for a war on drugs in Thailand was a wag the dog operation to divert attention from corruption allegations. Manufacture a crisis out of a small problem to remove attention from the real problem, massive corruption and human rights abuses

Well done!!!! Got it in one!!! Although you might be a little way out on one aspect and that's that the drug problem was a small problem as you insinuate.

Edited June 24, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[Yme]

Hello,

I'm just new here but I Googled Thaksin drug war and found some different information about the number of people supposedly killed.

According to this story War on drugs a failure says international group about a group calling for legalizing drugs there is a section on Drug arrests in Thailand increased by 1,796% between 2004 and 2009

Wildly proclaimed by some with vested interests as being a bloody orgy of extra-judicial executions by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) in which 2,575 alleged drug offenders were killed in the first three months – the official figure is 72 killed in 58 incidents involving police and 70,000 people arrested – statistics show that the only time the number of drug offenses decreased in Thailand between 1999 and 2009 was in this period.

In the ensuing five year period following the "Thaksin war on drugs" the number of drug cases has risen by 1,797 per cent, with Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board says there was 223,294 drug offenses detected in Thailand in 1999, but in 2004 only 55,243.

The writer also has lots of figures about drug use in Thailand since. There's links in the story and what he says is backed up by other stories, including one that asks where the 2,575 dead figure comes from that a lot of people keep quoting.

If you dig back through all of the links it all comes back to the official figure of 72 killed. His other figures show that drug cases detected haven't risen back to the 2002 figures yet.

Edited June 24, 2011 by Yme

[SICHONSTEVE]

Hello,

I'm just new here but I Googled Thaksin drug war and found some different information about the number of people supposedly killed.

According to this story War on drugs a failure says international group about a group calling for legalizing drugs there is a section on Drug arrests in Thailand increased by 1,796% between 2004 and 2009

Wildly proclaimed by some with vested interests as being a bloody orgy of extra-judicial executions by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) in which 2,575 alleged drug offenders were killed in the first three months – the official figure is 72 killed in 58 incidents involving police and 70,000 people arrested – statistics show that the only time the number of drug offenses decreased in Thailand between 1999 and 2009 was in this period.

In the ensuing five year period following the "Thaksin war on drugs" the number of drug cases has risen by 1,797 per cent, with Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board says there was 223,294 drug offenses detected in Thailand in 1999, but in 2004 only 55,243.

The writer also has lots of figures about drug use in Thailand since. There's links in the story and what he says is backed up by other stories, including one that asks where the 2,575 dead figure comes from that a lot of people keep quoting.

If you dig back through all of the links it all comes back to the official figure of 72 killed. His other figures show that drug cases detected haven't risen back to the 2002 figures yet.

"After the 2006 coup, the military junta ordered another investigation into the anti-drug campaign. The committee concluded that as many as 1400 of the 2500 killed had no link to drugs. However, while giving the opinion that orders to kill came from the top, the panel failed to establish sufficient evidence to charge Thaksin or anybody in the Cabinet or police force with the murders".

It seems that from you're information that the numbers were wildly out from the committee "specially set up to investigate it" figures. I know which set I believe and trust in!!!!

How convenient that they failed to establish where the orders for this massacre came from - a typical Thai cover-up for which they are famous ,of course.

By the way - welcome to Thai visa with your first posting!!! It's actually quite good although your chosen source of information looks decidedly dodgy by all accounts (well, as far as I'm concerned it does).

[whybother]

Hello,

I'm just new here but I Googled Thaksin drug war and found some different information about the number of people supposedly killed.

According to this story War on drugs a failure says international group about a group calling for legalizing drugs there is a section on Drug arrests in Thailand increased by 1,796% between 2004 and 2009

Wildly proclaimed by some with vested interests as being a bloody orgy of extra-judicial executions by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) in which 2,575 alleged drug offenders were killed in the first three months – the official figure is 72 killed in 58 incidents involving police and 70,000 people arrested – statistics show that the only time the number of drug offenses decreased in Thailand between 1999 and 2009 was in this period.

In the ensuing five year period following the "Thaksin war on drugs" the number of drug cases has risen by 1,797 per cent, with Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board says there was 223,294 drug offenses detected in Thailand in 1999, but in 2004 only 55,243.

The writer also has lots of figures about drug use in Thailand since. There's links in the story and what he says is backed up by other stories, including one that asks where the 2,575 dead figure comes from that a lot of people keep quoting.

If you dig back through all of the links it all comes back to the official figure of 72 killed. His other figures show that drug cases detected haven't risen back to the 2002 figures yet.

You're new here AND you just happened to be googling about Thaksin's war on drugs .............. right ...

Seeing as you're new, you probably aren't able to post links.

Here is what appears to be the link for your quote (http://photo-journ.com/2011/war-on-drugs-a-failure-says-international-group) and also to a Bangkok Pundit blog on the numbers (http://asiancorrespondent.com/20405/2275-where-did-this-number-come-from/).

[monkfish]

Does anyone have any facts on the "War On Drugs" can someone provide links with facts not beliefs.

"The report said there were 2,873 murders in the period, 1,370 of them drugs-related."

What report is it available for download?

What Period? Is this a period of 1 month or 2 years?

Are all murders during that period being attributed to the war on drugs?

"Benjamin Zawacki, Amnesty International's Thailand researcher, said it was "quite frightening" to think that those behind the drugs war could soon return to the frontline of Thai politics."

When did Zawacki say this? There are no offivcial statements on AE website for Thailand

http://www.amnesty.o...region/thailand

Why don't you just 'Google' Thaksin war on drugs and then you will discover all the sordid details!!!!

Yes I did but the only reliable information I can find is on on the HRW website.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/03/12/thailand-s-war-drugs

‘Most of those killed in war on drug not involved in drug (sic),' The Nation, November 27, 2007 (online at http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30057578). In August 2007, the military-installed government of General Surayud Chalanont appointed a special committee to investigate the extrajudicial killings during the 2003 war on drugs. The committee's report - which has never been made public - said that of 2,819 people killed between February and April 2003, more than 1400 were unrelated to drug dealing or had no apparent reason for their killings. Human Rights Watch, ‘Thailand: Prosecute Anti-Drugs Police Identified in Abuses,' February 7, 2008 (online at http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/02/07/thaila17993.htm).

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2004/10/04/thailand-anti-drug-campaign-reaches-new-low

Thaksin’s remarks suggest a revival of last year’s deadly drug crackdown. Between February and May 2003, some 2,275 suspected drug offenders were shot dead in Thailand in apparent extrajudicial executions. The United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Asma Jahangir, expressed “deep concern at reports of more than 100 deaths in Thailand in connection with a crackdown on the drug trade.” During the first phases of the drug crackdown, the country’s homicide rate more than doubled.

Its hard to talk about something when there are no facts, even the Nation seems have pulled it's story.

[monkfish]

Hello,

I'm just new here but I Googled Thaksin drug war and found some different information about the number of people supposedly killed.

According to this story War on drugs a failure says international group about a group calling for legalizing drugs there is a section on Drug arrests in Thailand increased by 1,796% between 2004 and 2009

Wildly proclaimed by some with vested interests as being a bloody orgy of extra-judicial executions by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) in which 2,575 alleged drug offenders were killed in the first three months – the official figure is 72 killed in 58 incidents involving police and 70,000 people arrested – statistics show that the only time the number of drug offenses decreased in Thailand between 1999 and 2009 was in this period.

In the ensuing five year period following the "Thaksin war on drugs" the number of drug cases has risen by 1,797 per cent, with Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board says there was 223,294 drug offenses detected in Thailand in 1999, but in 2004 only 55,243.

The writer also has lots of figures about drug use in Thailand since. There's links in the story and what he says is backed up by other stories, including one that asks where the 2,575 dead figure comes from that a lot of people keep quoting.

If you dig back through all of the links it all comes back to the official figure of 72 killed. His other figures show that drug cases detected haven't risen back to the 2002 figures yet.

You're new here AND you just happened to be googling about Thaksin's war on drugs .............. right ...

Seeing as you're new, you probably aren't able to post links.

Here is what appears to be the link for your quote (http://photo-journ.c...rnational-group) and also to a Bangkok Pundit blog on the numbers (http://asiancorrespo...mber-come-from/).

Those are blogs but Bangkok pundit does try to get to the bottom of it well worth reading.

To quote from his blog

"If 70,000 people were arrested, is this not evidence there was not a de facto shoot to kill policy as some have claimed?

If the homicide rate doubled from 400-800, the 1,329 drug-related deaths figure starts to be a more accurate number than the 2,275 figure.

What about the Thai Police’s statement they were only responsible for 72 deaths

Why have those figures never found their way into all the newspapers?

Ok, because it doesn’t paint Thaksin as sufficiently evil enough."

[whybother]

Those are blogs but Bangkok pundit does try to get to the bottom of it well worth reading.

...

Agree 100%. Bangkok Pundit is always worth reading and usually provides good background to the poor reporting in the English language newspapers.

[RogueExpat]

The objective of a war on drugs is to lower supply and demand to lower the overall production revenue (the area under which supply meets demand). Whatever happened in between, and perpetrated by whomever, the outcome of Thaksin's war on drugs was a huge increase in price and a slight increase in quantity - resulting in hugely increased profit margins for the supply network. The $-value of the drugs trade in Thailand grew due to Thaksin's efforts to stifle it.

So it failed, miserably. But then, it was never intended to impact the drug trade - it was a front to silence those who could not be otherwise legally silenced, as the investigation shelved by the late Samak showed (over half of the fatalities had no involvement in the drugs trade). The "drugs" part was just to give it a semblance of legitimacy - there are far more dealers in Thailand than the 1,050+ possible (but not confirmed) ones that were killed in 2003, or even the 1,450 confirmed innocents whom I refer to above.

Go to the top of the class.

This is exactly what the war on drugs was about. Creating a smokescreen of public admiration, whilst clearing the competition and raising profit margins, amongst other things that were going on at the time.

I agree with the public admiration bit as Thaksin was always the "gungho" type with a look at 'how powerful am I" kind of attitude. But I have to laugh at your second point as this rediculous take on the reasons for Shinawatra carrying out his illegal and catastrophic actions is nothing to do with raising profit margins (for whom may I ask)?? and just how would Thaksin gain from this?? unless of course you are accusing him of being well and truly entrenched in the whole scene. Are you??

May I suggest some reading?

Try this book: Thaksin - The Business of Politics

Excellent in-sight into areas of questionable income, and how it goes hand in hand with rapid rise to power in Thai politics.