DEA DECISION WAS WRONG

It is a great pity that the provincial stadium authority in Chiang Mai
has chosen to turn down a request from the US Drug Enforcement Agency
to use its dormitory as a command centre for its operations.

The authority cited safety reasons for its decision.

We wonder whether there are other reasons.

First of all, the Thai and US governments have been conducting joint
drug programmes a long time. They share the same resolve to prevent
loss of life through drug addiction. Isn't it strange that Thailand
rejected the US request, which would help strengthen this joint effort?

The Chiang Mai provincial stadium is run by an administrative
committee chaired by the provincial governor. The director of the
Sports Authority's Zone 5 is its secretary-general. Every committee
member is a Thai civil servant. They could be expected to follow the
principle of the government's drug policy. They should not have made a
unilateral decision.

The provincial authority's concern for safety does not hold water. If
the drug producers and dealers really want to attack the facilities,
they will have to wait for the DEA to move in its staff.

Thais wishing to use the facilities could continue to do so as the DEA
would only have rented the fourth floor of the dormitory. It would
have its own entrance.

The Thai government should show Washington it is sincere about the
effort to suppress the trade in drugs.

The Chiang Mai sports authority's decision might result in a loss of
US government confidence in our drug effort. Just a few months ago,
there were allegations that certain Thai politicians and civil
servants were involved in the drug trade.

Thailand faces a major drug problem because of its proximity to
production zones across its northern border. Its close co-operation
with the US is essential.