MORE AGENTS TO JOIN SUPPRESSION EFFORTS

Provinces To Be Given Bigger Say

Budgeting for drug suppression nationwide will be streamlined, with
more planning input from the provincial level from fiscal 2002.

The Narcotics Control Board yesterday also approved the employment of
260 new agents, in the lead up to the July 27 enforcement of new rules
authorising them to order any establishments involved in drug offences
to close for 15 days, and to send suspects for drug tests.

Interior Minister Banyat Bantadtan said the budget restructuring would
give provinces which show an understanding of drug problems a greater
say in the process,.

All provinces would be authorised to submit budget requests to the
board, which would forward them to the Budget Bureau.

If the requests were approved, the funds would be allocated directly
to the provinces.

Laws regulating inquiries against state officials for alleged
involvement in the drug trade would also be amended to remove
contradictions between rulings by board panels and those by agencies
directing the accused officials.

The minister said Thammasat University's evaluation of the board's
1997-2001 anti-drug plan reflected satisfactory performances by most
agencies in the first three years.

More than 50% of all provinces had no anti-drug plans of their own,
but used the five-year provincial development plans as guidelines
instead, while 36% of all operational-level officials did not know the
1997-2001 anti-drug plan existed.

The university reportedly submitted an eight-point proposal to the
board for consideration