Thailand Blames Myanmar After Massive Bangkok Drug Haul

[webfact]

Thailand blames Myanmar after massive drug haul

Bangkok, Sept 6, 2012 (AFP) - A senior Thai politician on Thursday accused neighbouring Myanmar of failing to tackle drug production after 3.3 million amphetamine tablets were seized in Bangkok.

The haul, with a street value of $350,000 and believed to be one of the biggest on record in Thailand, has prompted fears of a surge in the amount of drugs pouring into the kingdom.

"They (the pills) were produced inside Myanmar by the Wa ethnic group," Chalerm Yubamrung, a deputy prime minister in charge of a nationwide blitz on drugs, told reporters of Wednesday's seizure.

The Wa live in an autonomous region in northern Shan state, bordering China and Laos, and are believed to have a thousands-strong army that analysts say is sustained by drug money.

Notorious for their isolation and fierce tribal loyalty, drug barons in the area are believed to have turned from opium to amphetamine production over recent years.

Thai border troops have said 500 million amphetamine pills are waiting to be smuggled from Myanmar, Chalerm said, adding the government will boost patrols to contain the situation.

"We have to be straightforward otherwise we cannot solve the drugs problem... I will ask China to exert its influence on Myanmar," he added.

The outspoken politician also blamed Taiwanese and Indian manufacturers for an influx of base chemicals used to make synthetic drugs and hit out at human rights groups who oppose his idea of swift execution for convicted drug traffickers.

Thailand's Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) says nearly 360,000 people were arrested on drugs charges over the last year, while 72.5 million amphetamine pills have been seized in that period.

Across the border Myanmar authorities have recently warned the country faces a deepening drug crisis after a surge in pill hauls in anti-drug operations.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-09-06

[webfact]

Drug dealer arrested with 3 million methamphetamine pills

BANGKOK, Sept 6 – Thai authorities arrested a suspected drug dealer and confiscated more than 3 million methamphetamine tablets near Bangkok, police announced Wednesday.

National police chief Pol Gen Prewpan Dhamapong and Narcotics Suppression Bureau commander Pol Lt-Gen Chaiwat Chotima said at a press conference that the 3.2 million methamphetamine pills were worth nearly Bt1 billion.

Sopon Sawaengsuk was arrested at home in Nakhon Pathom, 50km west of Bangkok. Police said is a member of a major drug smuggling ring in Chiang Rai.

Gen Priewpan intimated that unspecified "authorities" were involved in the shipments, and called on the Chiang Rai authorities to do a better job of intercepting drugs there, before they arrived in metropolitan Bangkok.

Pills were stored in a refrigerator box on the ground floor, and others were found in an upstairs bedroom.

The arrest followed an earlier apprehension of another gang member with 20kg of 'ice' and 70,000 methamphetamine pills seized in the Ratchapisek area of Bangkok.

The suspect said the drugs did not belong to him, but to his friend. Mr Sopon said he was only there as an employee hired to watch the house and the drugs.

The police chief thanked the narcotics police. saying the ring has carried drugs from Chiang Rai to the Nakhon Pathom house three times already, each time carrying at least one million pills.

Two drug gang members with outstanding arrest warrants are now on the run. The national police chief asked them to turn themselves in. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-06

[Thai at Heart]

Is the ex-police station re-sale price?

3.3 million amphetamine tablets were seized in Bangkok.

The haul, with a street value of $350,000

0.10 USD per pill? 3 baht per pill? Surely some mistake?

Better to stick to rice smuggling.

[JeremyBowskill]

Blame who you like but the simple fact is nobody sends something somewhere where there is no demand, might be more constructive to address that issue instead of finger pointing.........

[bendejo]

The value of the haul seems to be diminishing by the day.

A month from now it'll be "what pills?"

[BookMan]

The outspoken politician also blamed Taiwanese and Indian manufacturers for an influx of base chemicals used to make synthetic drugs and hit out at human rights groups who oppose his idea of swift execution for convicted drug traffickers.

And lets not forget the Burmese!

Blaming everyone else for the problem. I guess politicians everywhere are practised at the blame game.

However, I'm sure there are some internal factors in Thailand that are also allowing the drug trade to flourish.

Corruption comes to mind.

[Bagwan]

I suggest to Chalerm who is so keen to execute the little people involved in the drugs trade that he would have greater success if he offered to commute the death sentences of all those who named those higher up the supply chain. If this set up a chain reaction several 'Mr Bigs' might well be pouched.

[OzMick]

Drug free ASEAN in how long?

[therealmrbrightside]

Is the ex-police station re-sale price?

3.3 million amphetamine tablets were seized in Bangkok.

The haul, with a street value of $350,000

0.10 USD per pill? 3 baht per pill? Surely some mistake?

Better to stick to rice smuggling.

Buying in bulk mate....it shouldn't have said 'street value' instead 'retail price'.

[CP3]

boarder check points are just there to look out for opportunity to ask for money.

[PaulHamon]

i'm guessing local DEMAND is to blame, not the burmese.

[steveyinasia]

Foreigners fault yet again, why is it that Thai's cannot accept the responsibility for anything?

[pointoffew]

i'm guessing local DEMAND is to blame, not the burmese.

Thailand has actually become a major transit country. Remember the $ 500 mln catch in Australia 1 or 2 months ago? From Burma, via Thailand.

[jerrysteve]

Thais Just Can't Take Responsibility...a big flaw in their character as usual

Historically always in DENIAL

[khunken]

Instead of pointing fingers at all & sundry (& ignoring demand), when will foot-in-ear Chalerm go after the Mr bigs here in Thailand. He is all-seeing & all-knowing so he has to know who some of them are.

BIB friends maybe, or a party mate or two.

[mrfill]

First post - 3.3m worth 10.9m Bt

Second post - 3.2m worth 1000m Bt

Looks like 100000 have slipped through the net but will they be sold at 3bt or 312bt? Neither price being remotely realistic!

[asiawatcher]

Is the ex-police station re-sale price?

3.3 million amphetamine tablets were seized in Bangkok.

The haul, with a street value of $350,000

0.10 USD per pill? 3 baht per pill? Surely some mistake?

Better to stick to rice smuggling.

Yes - this morning the report was street value of THB 1BN - now unless my calculator is in need of assistance, this one at USD350,000 is 10M Baht (give or take a bit). About THB 990M short of the first report. And like this OP says would blow out the cost of the pills way beyond anyones ability to buy - wish these reports would actually be checked before they are published.

[tragickingdom]

Funny that an article like this appears next to a topic about how tablet could damage the brains of children. I am pretty sure that the journalist who wrote this did not had a tablet yet when he was in school. I dare to eat my shoes too when it appears that the authorities who gave the figures which were written down by the dumb ass journalist without fact checking had a tablet. 3.3 million yea baa pills and a street value of 350.000 US. Don;t worry the drug problem has solved itself. When you make so little money around 10 dollar cents for so much risk we will soon see all Thai dug traffickers take up another job.

[MobileContent]

May be it's time that the Thai and Burmese move into the Wa territory in the Aka Shah state and takes this guys out that produces those Yaba pills.

[h90]

May be it's time that the Thai and Burmese move into the Wa territory in the Aka Shah state and takes this guys out that produces those Yaba pills.

usually Thailand and USA supply weapons to them.....

[how241]

i'm guessing local DEMAND is to blame, not the burmese.

+1

[eezergood]

Instead of pointing fingers at all & sundry (& ignoring demand), when will foot-in-ear Chalerm go after the Mr bigs here in Thailand. He is all-seeing & all-knowing so he has to know who some of them are.

BIB friends maybe, or a party mate or two.

Not very sporting to arrest ones family/friends/colleagues.......

[geriatrickid]

The situation in Myanmar is what would have occurred in Thailand's border provinces had there not been an intervention during the Thaksin administration. There is a narco state. The only way to stop it is to take it out. Myanmar either cannot or will not. Thailand, at the time, took out their narco terrorists and saved the affected regions from becoming what we now see in Myanmar.

[Sayonarax]

Aww we wouldnt want to accuse Thailand of being the hub of drug smuggling oh no.. hence why my country's got a special mail line just for stuff from Thailand.

[Johpa]

May be it's time that the Thai and Burmese move into the Wa territory in the Aka Shah state and takes this guys out that produces those Yaba pills.

And maybe it is time that the Royal Thai government go after the long standing financiers and other facilitators of the drug trade who are located in Bangkok. But that is not going to happen to this year just as it has not happened over the past 50 years. How quickly people forget just how high up the social and political ladders involvement in the drug trade extends within Thailand; it extends to the very top.

[redroo]

All the thai army airforce hafto do is carpet bom the " Wa territory in the Aka Shah stateb " ,

and afterwards state they got the wrong bombing range.

[tonglen]

DEMAND will always dictate SUPPLY.....simple economics.

They will never eradicate the drug problem as long as there is a demand for it. We need more education.

And, as a side point, when was the last time someone was put to death for smuggling? Just curious.

[rubl]

Death penalty is a 'hot' issue. Luckily all those on death row with procedures fully finished received a Royal pardon this year

"It is reported from a prison source that an announcement was made this morning in Bang Kwang prison that all prisoners condemned to death and whose legal procedures are completed, will benefit from a royal pardon; their death penalty sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment. Confirmed by publication in the Royal Gazette of 11th August, Article 14:

มาตรา ๑๔ นักโทษเด็ดขาดซึ่งต้องโทษประหารชีวิต ให้ได้รับพระราชทานอภัยโทษลดโทษ

ลงเป็นโทษจําคุกตลอดชีวิต

This is a momentous event which may be the beginning of the end for the death penalty in Thailand"

Not sure when the last execution was, found this on it, from August 2009:

"Thailand carries out first executions in six years"

http://www.amnesty.o...-years-20090826

[Payboy]

I will ask China to exert its influence on Myanmar," he added.

While he's at it, he should ask them to annex Taiwan and invade India as well. Thailand cannot be safe otherwise.

[notime]

billions, millions, hundreds of thousands .. are all the same same in Thailand .. the only difference are zeros so .. nothing .. methamphetamines are also the same as amphetamines .. some bad bad drugs from Burma .. or maybe Laos .. or maybe China .. but sure thing the rest of the article is correct