Karen General Offers To Host Thai Drug Busters

[webfact]

Karen general offers to host Thai drug busters

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The leader of an armed Karen group yesterday repeated his denial that he was involved in drug production and dealing, and said he would guarantee the safety of Thai anti-narcotics agents who entered areas of Myanmar under his influence for the purpose of verifying his claims.

Brig-General Nat Khann Mway was speaking at a press conference called in response to the recent revival of interest in a Thai arrest warrant for him.

Taunting Chalerm Yoobamrung, with whom he has engaged in a war of words, Nat Khann Mway of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) called on the Thai deputy prime minister to apprehend and imprison fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra before taking action against him. Thaksin is viewed as the de facto leader of Chalerm's Pheu Thai Party.

"To keep the Thai law up to a high standard, Thaksin, who has been indicted and convicted of crimes, should be caught and imprisoned, but in my case there has been no evidence produced, only baseless allegations, which have affected me," the brigadier-general said.

"As a Karen with Myanmar nationality, I should be prosecuted and stand trial on Myanmar soil, even if I am indicted with sufficient evidence against me. Why keep hounding me and [try to] put me in a Thai court?" said Nat Khann Mway on behalf of the Klohtoobaw Karen Organisation, the DKBA's political wing, at an event protected by more than 500 fully armed DKBA fighters at a base across from Tak province.

Nat Khann Mway also asked why the nine-year-old warrant was being pursued now. The issue had damaged him and the DKBA, which had been scheduled to take part in important negotiations, he said without elaborating.

The Karen general did not provide details over how Thai agents would conduct any inspection, but said Thai and Myanmar authorities regularly conducted anti-narcotics operations, and that joint inspections at DKBA facilities could be carried out immediately.

The chief adviser to the industrial council in Tak, Chaiyuth Senitantikul, speaking after the Karen general's press conference, said he would prefer that Thai authorities stopped making any further statements on the issue.

"Counter-statements will not do any good for the Thai side, as the issue is longstanding and official procedures with Myanmar authorities are underway," he said. Chaiyuth repeated his opinion that the DKBA-imposed closure of border crossings would not be long-term or have further effects on cross-border trade.

Chalerm, speaking after Nat Khann Mway's press conference, said Thaksin had done nothing wrong, but had been ousted on political grounds, whereas Nat Khann Mway's case was a drug-related crime and a completely different issue. He said the general would be arrested on sight in Thailand because the warrant for him was still valid.

-- The Nation 2012-05-11

[noitom]

General Karen astutely deflected the allegations and issue to Thaksin. He reads the Thais well. While he rallies anti-Thaksin folks to his point, he adeptly dodges the main point about his leading a major drug cartel. It would be useful if the newspaper published this so-called "list" of top wanted drug "kingpins," if for nothing more than just attempting to do a respectable job of journalism.

[coma]

Good call by the general. If indeed there is a case to answer then he should answer it in a Myanmar court. What ? Is Thailand the new USA of south east asia? Considering the fact that Thailand always gets shirty when foriegn countries try to butt in on its own affairs, then Thailand should not be hypocritical and stay out of this one.

[kerryk]

Good call by the general. If indeed there is a case to answer then he should answer it in a Myanmar court. What ? Is Thailand the new USA of south east asia? Considering the fact that Thailand always gets shirty when foriegn countries try to butt in on its own affairs, then Thailand should not be hypocritical and stay out of this one.

Coma do you know anything about the drug armies in Burma? I think it should be pointed out that the USA is a long ways away and Thailand is right next door to Burma. Although it should be pointed out that the Karen armies have been fighting since the Brits stopped plundering Burma in 1948.

Edited May 11, 2012 by kerryk

[londonthai]

because those drugs do end up in thailand and because there is an only a slim chance, that producers and smugglers would be prosecuted in birma, that's why there is a thai warrant.

every country has the right to issue warrants against suspects and seek their extradition or, at least, preventing them from entering their own country without being arrested.

[loongjohn50]

I think it more likely he's in competition with Chalerm's drug-gangster network. Chalerm, like Toxin takes a very dim view of competitors. Remember the recent 'extrajudicial' killings of suspected drug dealers - over 2000 of them? There were soon more drugs on the street than before. "Watch my finger pointing" (so you won't notice what my other hand is doing.)

[h90]

Wife told he also said that he may tell who are really doing the drug things there.

Many times there were under the hand rumors that Thaksin did some drug trading in the past or now....but I have not seen any evidence that supports that.

[Lite Beer]

Karen rebel leader’s drug case will not grow into Thai, Myanmar bilateral issue: Gen Yuthasak

BANGKOK, May 11--- Deputy Prime Minister Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapa on Friday said he believed that the drug-related case of Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) Commander-in-Chief Gen Saw Ler Pwe, also known as Na Kham Mwe, listed by Thailand as one of the 25 most-wanted suspected drug dealers, will not be raised as an issue between Thailand and Myanmar.

Gen Yuthasak also reaffirmed that bilateral relations between Thai and Myanmar government remained normal, adding that the cooperation between the two countries continued. He pointed out that the ongoing problem was related to a Myanmar ethnic minority group, not between Thailand and Myanmar.

However, Gen Yuthasak denied knowing details of the Na Kham Mwe case, saying it should be the responsibility of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung who heads the National Command Center for Drugs (NCCD).

Although the Karen rebel leader Na Kham Mwe threatened to shut down the cross-border trade at a dozen locations from Tak through Kanchanburi provinces, the deputy prime minister said the situation along Thailand-Myanmar border remained normal.

He explained that military personnel from the 3rd Army Region were closely monitoring the situation and also vowed to protect and keep sovereignty of the country.

So far, no additional army units have been deployed at the Three Pagodas Pass border checkpoint in Kanchanaburi.

As the Cabinet is scheduled to meet in Kanchanaburi on May 19-20, Gen Yuthasak said that he would take this opportunity to follow up the border situation as well.

In a related development, Pol Capt Chalerm on Friday reaffirmed that he is prepared to travel to Myanmar to seek cooperation in the arrest and extradition of Na Kham Mwe, if necessary.

He clarified that the Karen rebel leader was not on Thailand’s blacklist, but was named in an outstanding arrest warrant for drug trafficking with a Bt1 million bounty.

At a press conference in Myawaddy Township on Thursday, Na Kham Mwe reemphasised that he was not involved with drug trafficking. He said he will intensify retaliatory measures against the Thai authorities and will make known the names of persons involved with Thai-Myanmar cross border drug trafficking.

The retaliation will relate to trade and investment, and not include any military responses.

He challenged international anti-narcotics bodies--including the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) -- to investigate the allegations against him.

The DKBA leader also said he was willing to face the charges in a court of law if Capt Chalerm offered any evidence to support the claims. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-05-11

[kerryk]

I think it more likely he's in competition with Chalerm's drug-gangster network. Chalerm, like Toxin takes a very dim view of competitors. Remember the recent 'extrajudicial' killings of suspected drug dealers - over 2000 of them? There were soon more drugs on the street than before. "Watch my finger pointing" (so you won't notice what my other hand is doing.)

Balderdash. I was here. Exactly the opposite. Or for an education on how to do things perhaps you should take a trip to Singapore.

[bigbamboo]

Chalerms fight against drugs is very worthy if somewhat futile when you consider that no country in the world has ever been able to win one and when you have officials in positions of power who have vested interests in seeing that remains the case here.

It would be most interesting to see the 'list' of 25 names, should it actually exist.

[kerryk]

Chalerms fight against drugs is very worthy if somewhat futile when you consider that no country in the world has ever been able to win one and when you have officials in positions of power who have vested interests in seeing that remains the case here.

It would be most interesting to see the 'list' of 25 names, should it actually exist.

I don't believe Singapore has the same amount of problems that most other countries do. I am I wrong about this?

[soundman]

Troll post and replies removed from view.

[MikeOboe57]

Chalerm, speaking after Nat Khann Mway's press conference, said Thaksin had done nothing wrong, but had been ousted on political grounds,

Are we speaking again under influence of ear medication, dear Khun C.?

[noitom]

Has anyone ever seen this supposed list of 25 "top drug kingpins?"

[geriatrickid]

Myanmar has been fighting a war against these rebels for quite some time. Perhaps its time to launch a joint action, a pincer and wipe them out.

The karen rebels have indeed been exporting yaba into Thailand to fund their rebellion. Thailand has every right to defend itself from this drug cartel.