CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION

Thai And Lao Officials Agree To Crack Down On Drug Trafficking

PATTAYA : Thai and Lao officials have agreed to step up border
patrols and increase law enforcement to crack down on drug
traffickers, who are now using new routes into Thailand from Burma
and Laos. The agreement signed by Justice Minister Sompong
Amornwiwat and Lao Minister to the President's Office Soubanh
Srithirath was reached at the end of a four-day meeting
on cross-border drug cooperation and control in Pattaya on Thursday.

The two countries agreed to jointly set up nine border liaison
offices to detect and prevent the transportation of drugs from the
Golden Triangle which borders Thailand, Laos and Burma. The area has
been notorious for its opium poppy plantations.

Chartchai Suthiklom, an adviser to the Office of the Narcotics
Control Board, said drug officials were worried about cross-border
trafficking, especially along the Mekong river.

Mr Chartchai said officials had also exchanged information on drug
targets and fugitives and agreed to increase law enforcement and
carry out joint investigations so more suspects still at large could
be brought to justice.

He declined to go into detail about the number of drug suspects
wanted by the two countries.

Mr Chartchai admitted the drug situation, especially methamphetamine
trafficking from production bases in "a neighbouring country" into
Thailand, was worsening.

"Increased drug cooperation between the two countries is needed
because no single country can solve its drug problem in isolation," he said.

The government had given about one million baht in funds to Laos'
Champassak Drug Rehabilitation Centre. The government also agreed to
help provide drug rehabilitation training for more Lao officials.