BUREAU PREPARES FOR ANNUAL DRUGS SWOOP

Northern anti-narcotics agencies will next month begin their annual attempt
to reduce opium cultivation in the mountainous regions, the head of the
Office of the Narcotics Control Board's northern bureau said.

Thamnu Sirisingh said the eradication campaign would mainly cover two areas
in Mae Cham and Om Koi districts of Chiang Mai.

The opium crop in those areas were thought to be expanding at a quicker
rate than in other areas like Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai.

Military and border police have for the last two months been patrolling the
two districts at pinpoint target areas.

The campaign would be launched when the ONCB knows the exact location of
the opium cultivation areas, Mr Thamnu said.

The northern office conducted an opium cultivation survey between August
last year and May this year and found opium crops in the two districts, he
said. Anti-narcotics agencies have already eradicated 42,475 rai of opium
fields in 17 northern provinces and one northeastern province near the
junctions of Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.

Opium fields are usually located on isolated steep mountainous areas away
from villages and roads and out of the reach of the police. Mr Thamnu said
hilltribe villagers used sprinklers and fertiliser to improve their yield
and allow for cultivation outside of the traditional season.

Most hilltribes preferred consuming an opium mixture called "yapu" to
increase quantity and improve flammability of the raw gum when smoked. This
method was much cheaper than smoking raw opium gum.

Mr Thamnu said the seeds of dried opium bulbs were collected after harvest
and sold for 500-800 baht per litre. He said the authorities had difficulty
identifying the owner of the opium fields, making it difficult to arrest
his employees.