DRUG EXECUTIONS SEND A MESSAGE

THE execution of four drug traffickers in Bangkok, including two foreign
nationals, has jeopardised plans for Perth drug addict Holly
Deane-Johns"plea for clemency for drug smuggling in Thailand.

Thai authorities sent a "tough-on-drugs" warning by shooting five male
prisoners on Wednesday. The dead included two convicted drug traffickers
from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The condemned learnt of their fate three hours
before death.

Ms Deane-Johns, 29, is due in court in Bangkok on April 26 when she is
expected to admit trafficking 105g of heroin by mail from Bangkok to
Australia. She faces the death penalty if convicted.

Ms Deane-Johns served five years on drug charges in WA before her arrest
last August in Bangkok with Australian Bob Halliwell, 55, a fugitive from
justice in New South Wales.

Thai authorities consider anything above 20g of heroin a traffickable
amount and punishable by death. Ms Deane-Johns has little choice but to
plead guilty. She was picked up on the streets of Bangkok on August 21 last
year, with Mr Halliwell, immediately after attempting to mail 105g of
heroin to Australia.

After intercepting an earlier package the Australian Federal Police had
ordered a sting operation to snare her.

It was only when authorities descended on her car in Bangkok that she
realised she had been busted in broad daylight doing something so stupid
that it could only have been inspired by a desperation for drugs.

The rules for sentencing in the Thai justice system may appear odd by
western standards. Lighter sentences are imposed to those who confess to a
crime before the prosecution presents its case.Hence Ms Deane-Johns"latest
decision to plead guilty.

She doesn't know what evidence the police have and is not willing to take
the risk that she will win in court. But she remains optimistic she will
not receive the death sentence."I was unlucky, you know. When I was walking
into the post office I had a funny feeling that something was a bit wrong.
There was a letter waiting there from my father. I didn't get to read it
then because I got arrested. But I found out later that it said Holly,
leave Thailand, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen.

"He was right."

A treaty arrangement between Australia and Thailand has yet to be ratified
by both countries. Once in place there may be a chance that Australian
inmates of Thai prisons can return to Australia to serve their sentence.

And activist, Brian Haffenden has prepared a radical proposal on Ms
Deane-Jones"behalf.

He has asked Thailand to give Ms Deane-Johns a suspended sentence and send
her to a rehabilitation centre for six months before being returned to
Australia.

But it does not help Ms Deane-Johns that the proposed rehabilitation centre
is Thailand's Thamkrabok Monastery in Lop Buri, just north of Bangkok.

The monastery is also known as the Monastery of the Opium Pipe and is home
to 21,000 people at any one time.

Thai authorities are suspicious of the place, which runs a radical
detoxification program.Many of its monks are former foreign mercenaries and
they have been accused of recruiting hill tribe people from Thailand's
border areas to trade drugs.