ECHOES OF 'BLACK LIST' IN RENEWED THAI DRUG WAR

The new Thai Government is to relaunch the country's "war on drugs"
which killed more than 2500 people allegedly involved in the trade.
During a three-month killing spree in 2003 thousands named on police
"black lists" were shot dead, allegedly on government orders.

Yet the government's narcotics control board concluded that more than
half the victims had no involvement in drugs. One couple from
north-eastern Thailand was shot dead after coming into unexplained
wealth. They were, in fact, lottery winners.

The campaign was one of the policies of Thaksin Shinawatra, the
former prime minister who now lives in exile and owns Manchester City
Football Club.

"My Government will decisively implement a policy against drug
trafficking. Government officials must implement this policy 24 hours
a day, but I will not set a target for how many people should die,"
said Samak Sundaravej, the new Prime Minister.

Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, said: "When we implement a
policy that may bring 3000 to 4000 bodies, we will do it."

The former premier and his supporters -- who were re-elected in
December -- insist the dead were the victims of gang warfare. Yet
there is strong evidence of police involvement. Many were shot days
after being summoned to defend themselves before local authorities or
after reporting to a police station to have their name removed from
the "black list".